Brown Butter Blondies

A simple brown butter blondie is like a combination between a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie- it’s really a perfect recipe and this one makes a generous amount of these addicting bars. Just like normal brownies, blondies can be tricky to make at high-altitude, but this recipe is ready to go.

Blondies are essentially brownies without the chocolate base. Instead we’re using dark brown sugar and lots of vanilla and brown butter for a toasty, warm, and all around cozy treat. I’m using a mix of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and walnuts to fill them here- let me show you how to make them!

How to Make Brown Butter Blondies

These use really simple ingredients and that’s really another reason to love them. I prefer using dark brown sugar here for some extra caramel-i-ness throughout and I love the mix of milk and dark chocolate here, but you can absolutely use all of one of them if you like.

To start, we’re mixing together the brown butter, sugars, and milk while the butter is still hot off the stove. Be sure to use a heat-proof bowl! From there add in the eggs along with lots of vanilla extract, and then it’s time to stir in the dry ingredients.

Then we’re stirring in the chocolate and walnuts if you’re using them. I prefer in most cases to use chopped up chocolate bars and this is no exception. I love the tiny chunks of chocolate that you get running throughout the bars here and I think it’s worth it to choose chocolate that you really love the taste of.

Spread the dough out into your pan evenly and then sprinkle on some reserved chocolate chunks along with a generous sprinkle of flakey salt. The salt really does round these out so I don’t recommend skipping it- they are on the sweet side without it. Then it’s off to the oven!

These bars are ready when they are set and the top has developed a lightly crackly top. If you want clean cuts, you’ll want to let the bars cool completely, but if you want to enjoy a warm blondie you really should do that. These bars are chewy and gooey and honestly just really, really good.

Tips & Tricks for the Perfect High-Altitude Blondies

Here are my tips to help along the way to the perfect brown butter blondies:

• Do I have to use dark brown sugar? I actually prefer dark brown sugar in all of my baked goods, including this one. You can sub in light brown sugar, but the blondies will be lighter in color and flavor.
• Do I have to use brown butter? I love the addition of brown butter here, but you can use normal melted butter if you prefer- simply reduce the butter by 2 tablespoons.
• Mix the batter quickly to help ensure that it’s easy to work with and spreads easily in your baking pan. The batter will thicken as it cools and the butter in the dough solidifies. It’s best to have all of your ingredients ready to go so you can work everything together by hand here.
• Use any chocolate you prefer here, but I do think using chopped up chocolate bars works best in this recipe. I used half milk chocolate and half 70% dark chocolate.
• Use any nuts you prefer, or omit them entirely. I am using walnuts which I always think go really well with a blondie or a chocolate chip cookie, but pecans or macadamia nuts would also be great, or you can skip them entirely with no changes to the recipe.
• Can I cut this recipe in half? Yes, you can cut it in half and bake in an 8×8 inch pan, but they may bake up a bit quicker so you’ll want to check them early.
• When will the blondies be finished baking? Your blondies should have a shiny top and should look set all over. You can insert a toothpick into the blondies about 2 inches from the edge, and it should come out fairly clean, with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most folks who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

5 from 1 vote

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Brown Butter Blondies

Servings 16 bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 2 tbs. butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tbs. vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 7 ounces chocolate roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts plus a handful of un-chopped pecans to top
• Flakey salt for sprinkling optional

Instructions

1. Brown the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the milk solids are deeply browned. Immediately transfer the butter to a large heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and generously grease a 9×13 inch pan, and set the pan aside. In the bowl with the brown butter, add the brown sugar, regular sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add the flour and salt to the mixture, and stir until combined. Gently stir in the chopped chocolate and chopped walnuts, working quickly because the batter will be starting to thicken as the butter comes back to room temperature.
4. Spread evenly in your prepared pan, and press some extra chocolate and walnuts into the top along with a generous sprinkle of flakey salt. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserting about 2 inches from the edge of the pan comes out clean. Cool completely, slice, and serve!

Nicole Hampton

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!