Save to Pinterest My neighbor knocked on my door with flour dusting her apron, asking if I had any brown sugar to spare. Ten minutes later, she was showing me how her grandmother made these blondies—butter-melted, brown sugar-sweet, studded with chocolate chips and nuts. I've been making them ever since, and they've become the bars I reach for when I need something that tastes like comfort but takes almost no time.
I once brought these to a potluck where someone had brought store-bought brownies, and watched my plate empty while theirs sat untouched. It wasn't arrogance—it was the moment I realized these bars had something special, something worth remembering.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups): This is your structure—don't sift it unless you want them cake-like instead of chewy, which you don't.
- Baking powder and baking soda (1/2 teaspoon each): They work together to give you that gentle rise and tender crumb, not a cakey dome.
- Fine sea salt (1/2 teaspoon): This amplifies the caramel notes in the brown sugar and keeps them from tasting one-dimensional.
- Unsalted butter (1 cup, melted): Melt it and let it cool slightly so your eggs don't scramble—this matters more than you'd think.
- Packed light brown sugar (1 1/2 cups): Pack it down when measuring; this sweetness is the soul of the bars.
- Large eggs (2, room temperature): Cold eggs seize up in warm butter, so pull them out 20 minutes ahead if you remember.
- Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): This small amount does more work than it looks, rounding out every flavor.
- Semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup): These melt slightly in the heat, creating pockets of sweetness throughout.
- Toasted walnuts or pecans (3/4 cup, chopped): Toast them first if you have time—it wakes up their flavor and makes the bars taste intentional.
Instructions
- Set your stage:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang the edges. This isn't fussy—it's the reason you can lift these out cleanly instead of crumbling them into a plate.
- Build the dry mixture:
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside and don't overthink this step.
- Cream the wet base:
- In a larger bowl, whisk the cooled melted butter with brown sugar until it looks smooth and glossy. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each one so they incorporate fully. Stir in vanilla and feel the batter come together.
- Bring it together gently:
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula, mixing just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, and you want these chewy, not tough.
- Fold in the good stuff:
- Gently fold in chocolate chips and nuts, keeping everything loose and unforced.
- Spread and bake:
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 22–25 minutes until the top turns golden and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool with patience:
- Let them cool completely in the pan before lifting the parchment out. Cutting them warm makes them crumble; cutting them cool gives you clean edges and that perfect chew.
Save to Pinterest My daughter once stayed up late finishing the last two bars while reading under a kitchen lamp, and I watched her close her eyes after each bite like they held something meaningful. That's when I understood these weren't just dessert—they were permission to slow down.
Why These Bars Win
Blondies sit in a quiet space between brownies and cookies—they're fudgy without being chocolate-heavy, and buttery without being dense. The brown sugar does almost all the work, deepening as it bakes and creating these caramel undertones that make people pause mid-bite. They're forgiving too; unlike cakes, they don't mind if your kitchen is cool or warm, and you don't need fancy equipment or techniques.
Variations That Work
I've made these with macadamia nuts when I wanted something more luxurious, and they were stunning. I've also drizzled white chocolate over the cooled bars and watched it set into ribbons. For nut-free versions, I've added toffee chips or swirled in a bit of peanut butter, and they disappear just as fast. The base is flexible enough to bend with what you have on hand.
Serving and Storage
These travel well—wrap them individually in parchment and stack them in a container for bake sales or lunchboxes. They keep for three days at room temperature, though honestly they rarely last that long. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on a warm bar is an argument-ender for dessert; I've used this strategy countless times.
- Store them in an airtight container with parchment between layers so they don't stick together.
- You can freeze them for up to two months and thaw them at room temperature when you need a quick treat.
- If they firm up over time, a few seconds in the microwave brings back that chewy texture.
Save to Pinterest Blondies have been my go-to for years because they ask so little and give so much. Make them, and you'll understand why.
Recipe Help Center
- → What type of nuts work best in these bars?
Toasted walnuts and pecans provide great crunch and flavor, but macadamia nuts are a tasty alternative. You can omit nuts entirely for a nut-free option.
- → Can these bars be made vegan?
These bars rely on butter and eggs for their texture, so vegan substitutions would require significant adjustments such as using plant-based butter and egg replacements.
- → How do I know when the bars are fully baked?
Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter, usually 22–25 minutes.
- → What enhances the caramel notes in these bars?
Using packed light brown sugar and browned butter amplifies the rich caramel undertones that complement the chocolate and nuts perfectly.
- → Can I add toppings after baking?
Drizzling melted white or dark chocolate over cooled bars adds extra decadence and visual appeal, and pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.