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    Home » Dessert » Bar

    Blonde Brownies

    Published: Aug 25, 2021 · by Elizabeth Waterson · This post may contain affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Confessions of a Baking Queen!

    315 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    half eaten blonde brownie on a wire rack next to more bars on a wire rack on a light pink surface

    A rich delicious brown sugar and brown butter base gives these blonde brownies a delicious caramel flavor. Easy to whip up these blonde brownie bars are perfect for a sweet treat and even better topped a la mode for a delicious special dessert. Step-by-step photos teach you how to make this blonde brownie recipe!

    half eaten blonde brownie on a wire rack next to more bars on a wire rack on a light pink surface

    I have to be honest, I love brownies, so much so that I have over 25 brownie recipes on my website. It took me years to come up with my classic chocolate fudgy brownie recipe, one that I base most of my recipes on today!

    I love "blondies" basically a cookie bar without the cocoa powder, my pretzel blondies are to die for. But I wanted this recipe to be more brownie-like, denser than a traditional blondie. This blonde brownie recipe luckily did not take as long but is just as delicious. The deliciousness comes from browning the butter to create deep caramel undertones, as well as delicious brown sugar, and ratios of ingredients to create a denser bar.

    These blonde brownies are not overly sweet, they're soft and chewy, they hit you with some sweetness but don't leave an annoyingly sweet after-taste. Simplicity at its finest.

    We love these as is or served warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    Let's get to the recipe

    Jump to:
    • What ingredients are blonde brownies made of
    • Instructions
    • How to freeze
    • Can you double
    • More Brownie Recipes
    • Recipe Card
    • Recipe Ratings & Comments

    What ingredients are blonde brownies made of

    • Butter. I like to use salted butter but you can use unsalted butter too, if using unsalted I would up the quantity of salt from ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon. We are going to brown the butter so no need to soften it to room temperature. You could use just plain melted butter but trust me once you try baking with brown butter you won't go back! When you brown the butter some of the liquid will evaporate so you'll start with 8oz of butter but will actually use 6.5oz of butter for this recipe.
    • Light Brown Sugar. The light brown sugar helps create the beautiful caramel undertones in this brownie recipe. If you love molasses flavor then you could use dark brown sugar.
    • Granulated Sugar. Using granulated sugar and letting it melt into the warm brown butter helps create a beautiful top layer to the bars.
    • Vanilla Extract. Use the real stuff, no imitation here, please!
    • Large Eggs. You will use one whole egg and one additional egg yolk. Both will need to be at room temperature. You can do this quickly by placing the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes before using.
    • All-Purpose Flour. Make sure you measure your flour properly to avoid too much or too little flour which can drastically affect the flavor and texture of the bars. I always prefer weighing my flour on a scale to avoid accidentally overfilling a measuring cup.
    • Baking Powder. Just a little helps give these bars some lift.
    • Salt. I personally use salted butter but still like to add a little salt to help cut the sweetness.
    • Cornstarch. I love using cornstarch in my baking, this helps tenderize the bars!

    I enjoy the simplicity of this bar recipe but feel free to add chopped nuts, I think pecans or walnuts would be beautiful here! Maybe even some dark chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips. Keep it neutral in color with peanut butter chips!

    stack of blonde brownie cookie bars on top of each other on a wire rack on a light pink surface next to a knife and glass of milk in the background

    Instructions

    You have to make sure that your oven is properly preheated or the blonde brownies won't bake properly!

    Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line an 8-inch square or 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, if using foil make sure to spray with non-stick cooking spray then set the pan aside. Keep in mind that a batch of brownies in an 8-inch pan will take longer to bake than a batch of brownies in a 9-inch pan.

    Now on to the brown butter, the star of the show!

    brown butter in a white pot on a wire rack on a light pink surface

    In a light-colored medium-size pot over low-medium heat add the butter and cook to "brown the butter" this process will take anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on the size of your pot, be careful not to burn it as the butter turns from brown to burnt very quickly. Check out this post for an in-depth look at browning butter.  You will start to smell a nutty aroma and the butter will become a golden brown color. Turn off and pour into a heatproof large mixing bowl to cool for 5 minutes.

    brown butter and sugars in a glass bowl on a light pink surface

    Now stir the granulated sugar, butter, and brown sugar until fully combined.

    two eggs added sugar and butter mixture in a glass bowl on a light pink surface

    Next, add the egg yolk, egg, and vanilla whisk together for a minute or two you want the color of the batter to lighten.

    hand whisking wet ingredients together in a glass bowl on a light pink surface
    wet ingredients for blonde brownie recipe on a light pink surface

    Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and gently mix the flour mixture until no flour streaks remain. 

    dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a large bowl on a light pink surface with a white and blue linen
    close up of brown butter blondie dough in a glass bowl on a light pink surface

    Pour cookie dough batter into the prepared pan.

    Bake in the preheated oven for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, they should be just golden brown, you do not want to overbake. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before slicing into bars.

    Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    I hope you love these blonde brownies. Next time, try my Biscoff blondies recipe.

    blonde brownie bars stacked on a wire rack on a white and blue linen on a light pink surface with a wooden knife and milk bottle

    How to freeze

    Brownies, cookies, and bars are perfect for freezing. Once the bars are baked let them cool completely then wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, twice, then place in a freezer-safe container.

    To thaw the brownies place them on the counter for an hour or two, depending on the size you slice them they may thaw quicker.

    Can you double

    This easy blondie recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan, since the pan is larger you will not need to adjust the baking time by much, just keep an eye out. You can easily double the quantity of the ingredients by pressing the 2X button on the recipe card.

    More Brownie Recipes

    If you are looking for a delicious brownie recipe try my peanut butter brownies.

    Who knew that combining two desserts in one could be amazing, okay yeah maybe a few people did, but I truly fell in love with this cheesecake brownie recipe.

    And for something over the top and delicious try my friend Hayley's Baileys Chocolate Mousse Brownies.

    stack of blonde cookie bars with one eaten on a wire rack on a white and blue linen on a light pink background with a milk bottle in the background

    ★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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    Recipe Card

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    half eaten blonde brownie on a wire rack next to more bars on a wire rack on a light pink surface

    Blonde Brownies

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    A rich delicious brown sugar and brown butter base gives these blonde brownies a delicious caramel flavor. Easy to whip up these blonde brownie bars are perfect for a sweet treat and even better topped a la mode for a delicious special dessert. Step-by-step photos teach you how to make this blonde brownie recipe!

    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 9 Bars 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 8oz (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter
    • 150 grams (¾ Cup) Light Brown Sugar
    • 100 grams (½ Cup) Granulated Sugar
    • 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
    • 1 Large Egg + 1 Large Egg Yolk, at room temperature
    • 250 grams (2 Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
    • ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Teaspoon Cornstarch/ Cornflour

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C and line an 8-inch square or 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, if using foil make sure to spray with non-stick spray then set the pan aside. 
    2. In a light-colored medium-size pot over low-medium heat add the butter and cook to "brown the butter" this process will take anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on the size of your post, be careful not to burn it as the butter turns from brown to burnt very quickly. Check out this post for an in-depth look at browning butter.  You will start to smell a nutty aroma and the butter will become a golden brown color. Turn off and pour into a heatproof bowl to cool for 5 minutes.
    3. Add the sugars to the butter and mix to combine. Next add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla whisk together for a minute or two you want the color of the batter to lighten. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch, and gently mix until no flour streaks remain.  Pour into the prepared pan.
    4. Bake for 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, you do not want to overbake. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before gently 

    Equipment

    fat daddios 8 inch square cake pan

    8 Inch Square Baking Pan

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    kitchen aid cordless hand mixer

    Cordless Hand Mixer

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    oxo food scale

    OXO Kitchen Scale

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    • Author: Elizabeth Waterson I Confessions of a Baking Queen
    • Prep Time: 20
    • Cook Time: 20
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: blonde brownies, brown sugar brownies, blonde cookie bars

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @confessionsofabakingqueen on Instagram and hashtag it #cbqbakes

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    1. Regina says

      February 01, 2022 at 7:33 am

      These blondies are dreamy, we make them once a month in my house! They are always a go to staple

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Patricia says

      February 22, 2022 at 5:29 pm

      Hi,

      I would like to know if your recipe for Blonde Brownie could be made in paper lined Mini cupcake pans?

      Thanks for your help.

      Patricia

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Waterson says

        February 23, 2022 at 8:24 am

        Hi Patricia, you surely could do that, I personally never have. I would guess to start checking them for doneness at like the 7-minute mark? Please let me know if you try the recipe how you like it. Thank you! XX Liz

        Reply
    3. Amy says

      November 12, 2022 at 4:37 am

      Yum! Brown butter makes everything delicious! After putting batter in pan, sprinkle with milk chocolate chips and a crushed Heath Bar; 8x8 pan, bake about 30 -35 minutes.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Waterson, Elizabeth Cropped Size Photo CAke copy 2

    Hiya! I am Elizabeth Waterson, welcome to my treat-filled site. After spending 15 years in the restaurant industry and growing up baking, I wanted to share my love of baking with you all. My step-by-step tutorials will help you learn how to bake at home. Confessions of a Baking Queen (CBQ) has been featured in CBS LA, HuffPost Taste, BuzzFeed, Taste of Home, and more! Here you will find loads of sweet recipes with a few savory ones for good measure. Feel free to message me with any questions! Happy Baking! 

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    Hiya! I am Elizabeth Waterson, welcome to my treat-filled site. After spending 15 years in the restaurant industry and growing up baking, I wanted to share my love of baking with you all. My step-by-step tutorials will help you learn how to bake at home. Confessions of a Baking Queen (CBQ) has been featured in CBS LA, HuffPost Taste, BuzzFeed, Taste of Home, and more! Here you will find loads of sweet recipes with a few savory ones for good measure. Feel free to message me with any questions! Happy Baking! 

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