Blondies are truly an enigma in the confectionary world. Are they a cookie? Are they a brownie? Are they a hybrid of both? If a brownie is the hot popular quarterback, then a blondie is the mysterious hipster bad boy whose cryptic quips you never understand, yet are unequivocally attracted to.
This recipe will hopefully provide clarity to these questions that I am sure are festering in all of your minds. Blondie recipes have historically blurred the lines between cookie and brownie, when a true blondie is neither. They are not a mutated cousin of the brownie, nor are they a bar rendition of a simple chocolate chip cookie.
No, blondies are a dessert worthy of a category all to their own. They are dense, fudgy, squares of caramelized sugars and butterscotch dotted with toasted nuts and pops of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and they deserve to have their spotlight.
Make them once, and I swear you too will become part of the cult following for blondies and wonder how you could have ever viewed brownies in the same league.
Cook's Illustrated's Blondies
- Prep Time:30 minutes
- Cook Time:25 minutes
- Total Time:55 minutes
- Servings:24 squares
- Medium
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts (I used pecans)
- 1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Ingredients
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
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Step 2
Roughly chop nuts and spread out onto a baking sheet. Bake until nice and toasted, for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
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Step 3
Butter and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan and line with foil or parchment paper.
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Step 4
Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together in a medium bowl.
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Step 5
Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
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Step 6
Mix in flour, baking powder and salt until JUST combined.
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Step 7
Fold in the chocolate chips and toasted nuts and spread evenly into the prepared pan.
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Step 8
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the top is shiny and golden. Err on the side of baking for less time. You do NOT want to overbake these.
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Step 9
Let cool and slice into 24 squares. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a week.