Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Rich, butterscotchy, and perfectly sweet, with lots of chocolate deliciousness mixed in.
Texture: Chewy, gooey, and rich.
Ease: Super easy! One bowl recipe with no mixer required and ready to enjoy in just 45 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: That crinkly crust studded with chocolate chips and a sprinkling of flaky salt is simply irresistible.
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I absolutely LOVE a good Blondie.
I’m such a chocoholic that this can surprise people… but sometimes you just crave a thick, gooey, butterscotchy bite that combines the best parts of a chocolate chip cookie and a fudgy brownie in one.
That’s what I set out to accomplish, and these easy Blondies totally nail it! I love to load mine with chocolate chips so I’m still getting my chocolate fix – just in a different way than a brownie. Plus, you can easily omit the chocolate chips or replace them with candy, nuts, or anything else your heart desires.
Free Cookie Customization Guide!
The science-based guide so you can bake perfect cookies every time!
I have several other scrumptious Blondie Recipes on my site – like my Easter Blondies made with Cadbury mini eggs, my Caramel Pecan Blondies loaded with gooeyness, or my Peanut Butter S’mores Blondies that are pure PB heaven.
This classic Blondie Recipe is the easiest of the bunch and comes together in no time at all. It doesn’t even require a mixer and contains simple ingredients you may already have on hand.
You’ll want to come back to this Blondie Recipe again and again. And they’re even better with a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream on top.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Blondies
What Is A Blondie? What is the Difference Between Blondies and Brownies?
Blondies are basically “blonde brownies.” There is no cocoa or melted chocolate in the batter of a Blondie. Instead, Blondies are made with brown sugar for a rich butterscotch flavor and plenty of vanilla extract for a wonderful vanilla flavor. A good Blondie is gooey, chewy, and a little fudgy. I think they’re the perfect easy dessert without chocolate overload for when you want something a bit lighter and more vanilla-y.
Do I Have to Use Light Brown Sugar?
I prefer to use light brown sugar in my Blondies because I find it provides the perfect amount of sweetness and moistness, with plenty of butterscotch flavor.
Here’s what to do if you’re out of light brown sugar:
- Substitute dark brown sugar for the same amount of light brown sugar. Note: the Blondies will be a bit darker in color and softer in texture.
- Make your own DIY Brown Sugar. If you’ve got white sugar and molasses on hand, simply make your own brown sugar. You will need 1 ½ cups (300 grams) white granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons molasses.
Whatever you do, don’t reduce the sugar here! Read more about the role of sugar in baking here.
Egg + Egg Yolk
The extra yolk we’re adding provides richness for a chewier texture – so don’t skip the extra yolk! Be sure your eggs are at room temperature, and use large eggs (not medium or extra-large – your large eggs should be about 56 grams in shell).
The Key to Perfectly Baked Blondies: A Metal Baking Pan!
This recipe yields thick, rich Blondies, so it’s important to use a pan that conducts heat effectively, like my favorite from USA Pan.
We want to make sure the Blondies cook through completely but remain soft in the center. Avoid glass or ceramic pans as those materials take longer to heat up and cook. This often leads to the center being undercooked, gummy, and slightly sunken by the time the edges start to dry out.
Check out our side-by-side comparison here, where we baked this exact same Blondie Recipe at the same temperature for the same amount of time in the same oven.
Though the differences weren’t quite as stark as with our brownie testing, I’d still recommend metal unless you make the below adjustment.
What if I Don’t Have a Metal Pan?
If you must use glass or ceramic, drop the baking temperature by about 15°F and increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
How to Customize Blondies
You can use any type of chocolate chip or any other mix-in that’s similar in size and shape to customize this Blondie Recipe. Just keep the volume or weight about the same as written in the recipe. I don’t recommend adding anything too wet, like fresh fruits – but here are some other ideas to customize this recipe to your personal taste:
- Milk, dark or white chocolate chips (or a mix of all three!)
- Homemade toffee bits
- Butterscotch chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Chopped, lightly toasted nuts (pecans or walnuts would be my preference, but any chopped nut will do!)
- Any baking chocolate or candy bar, chopped into small chunks
- M&Ms
- Dried fruit, like chopped cherries or raisins, or even dehydrated berries
Why Are My Blondies Hard? Why Are My Blondies Dry? Why Are My Blondies Like a Cake?
The answer to all of these questions is likely the same simple mistake: incorrect measuring of ingredients.
If you are not measuring your ingredients with a digital kitchen scale, you could accidentally be adding too much flour, causing hard, dry, or cake-like Blondies. Learn more about how to measure ingredients correctly here!
The other reason your Blondies could be turning out too dry or hard is likely that they’re overbaked. Learn how to tell when your Blondies are done baking below.
How Do You Know When Blondies Are Done Baking?
We’ve tested this recipe in four different ovens across the country. What we learned is that for this recipe in particular, the baking time will depend entirely on your oven AND your preferred level of doneness. Here are a few tips for achieving your version of perfect Blondies:
- Baking time: We found that 25 – 28 minutes was perfect for a more soft and gooey center, while 30 to 35 minutes resulted in a more firm center and more golden edges.
- Visual cues: Blondies are done baking when the middle is slightly jiggly and shiny on top, but the edges look solidified. Be careful not to overbake or they will become dry and crumbly.
- Remember: residual heat will continue to cook the Blondies. Even if they seem just slightly underdone in the center, remove the Blondies from the oven. They’ll solidify more as they cool. Please note that it is normal if the center sinks slightly after cooling, which is more likely to happen with a glass pan.
- Too gooey? Cool overnight. If your Blondies are still a little gooey for your liking after they’ve cooled, let them sit on a cooling rack overnight, lightly covered with plastic wrap. This period of time will help them solidify even more.
- Oven temperature: Also, be sure your oven is actually at the temperature it says it is. Learn more about that in my Oven 101 article, and if you don’t have an oven thermometer, now’s the time!
Should Blondies be Gooey?
Yes! Overbaked Blondies are basically a dry, hard cookie bar.
Can I Double This Blondie Recipe?
Yes! Just double all ingredients and bake it in a 9×13-inch metal baking pan and add a few minutes to the baking time.
Storage: How Long Are Blondies Good For?
You can store the Blondies for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge. If storing for more than a day, wait to slice into bars until you’re ready to serve to prevent stale edges.
You can also freeze Blondies (as a whole slab or sliced) for up to 3 months. Store wrapped in plastic wrap and inside an airtight container. Thaw overnight at room temperature. You can then refresh in a 325°F oven for about 5 to 10 minutes, if desired.
Recommended Products for This Blondie Recipe:
Blondies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups (191 grams) all-purpose flour,
measured correctly - 1 3/4 cups (281 grams) mix-ins of your choice, such as chocolate chips or nuts, divided
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch metal pan with foil or parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter in 30-second increments until melted. Add the sugar to the hot butter and whisk to combine. Let cool until just warm.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and whisk vigorously until smooth. Stir in the salt, baking powder, and flour with a rubber spatula. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups (255 grams) of the mix-ins.
- Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Top with remaining mix-ins.
- For an ooey-gooey center, bake until the edges are lightly golden but the center still jiggles slightly, about 25 minutes. For a firmer center, bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is lightly golden and set, 30-35 minutes. Set pan on wire rack and allow to cool before cutting. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2010 and updated in 2023 with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.
I made these and they taste delicious, but after they cooled off they are extremely hard. I hav to put them in the microwave to soften them up. I covered them and everything. What happened?
I’m normally not that person who doesn’t want to follow the recipes to a T… but could I get away with only using the one egg and omitting the extra yolk? It’s all I have at the moment. Thank you so much!
Haha! The blondies may be slightly more dry and less chewy. If you have a tablespoon of milk (any kind), I would at least try adding that in to add some more moisture.
Okay, now that I’ve made these a second time, I can write a proper review. I really, truly regret not using a light-coloured metal pan the first time! I used a glass pan, and the blondies came out very gooey and messy. This time, I used a newly-purchased light-coloured metal pan, and baked for 28 minutes at 350. They came out phenomenal. They were firm yet fudgy in the center, exactly how I wanted them! They have a very sharp caramel flavour, and I also took the liberty of browning the butter first, which is supposed to enhance the flavour of pretty much anything it’s used in. I used pecans in addition to the chocolate chips, as they go so well with the brown sugar, like eating pecan pie filling. They are quite sweet, but that’s no problem as I have a sweet tooth.
These blondies are definitely a winner. I think next time, I’ll bake them for 25 minutes and shoot for an even fudgier bite. Sadly I can’t upload a photo I took because it’s just over 2MB.
So happy to hear you purchased a light-colored metal pan! It’s crazy what a difference it can make, right?! And I love your idea of browning the butter and adding pecans. Thanks for not giving up and for letting us know how your second attempt went!
Made these twice and they taste amazing! For mix-ins I used cranberries, pecans and chocolate chips. I found that 35 minutes wasn’t enough time, so baked it for an additional 15 minutes. Could be that I was using a glass dish.
Ooo love your mix-in ideas, Nelia! And yes, using a glass dish is why you needed additional baking time as glass is a slow conductor of heat, and the edges will bake more quickly than the center. If you continue using a glass pan, try dropping the temp by 15°F and increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes to ensure the center doesn’t sink and they bake more evenly. Glad they still turned out well! 🙂
I’m kind of mixed on these so far. I don’t have a light-coloured metal pan, but I do have a glass one, so I decided to make them in that. I baked them at 335 degrees for 30 minutes. They came out gooey, which I like, but they were just TOO gooey. They looked quite underbaked, and they hardly held their shape when I cut them into squares. I had to keep them refrigerated to firm them up. On the positive side, they tasted great. Flavourful and fudgy, which is exactly what I wanted.
I definitely plan to make these again to try and make improvements, like using a light-coloured metal pan, which I’ll get in a few days, and maybe bake for 30 minutes at 350. Hopefully that will result in blondies that are fudgy but firm enough to retain their square shape.
I think why they came out wrong is because the recipe says to bake them at 350 degrees not 335, hope this helped.
I baked them in a glass pan, and the recipe says to lower the oven temperature 15 degrees if using a glass pan. Guess I should’ve baked them longer. But it’s all good; I’ve since baked them again in a light-coloured metal pan at 350 (no need to drop the temperature), and they came out excellent.
Is it possible to leave out the baking powder? I read that blondies shouldn’t have leavening agents.
Can I bake them in a dark metal pan?
We recommend using a light-colored metal baking pan, like this one. Dark metal pans will dry out the edges often before the center can cook through.
Thank you. I do have a glass pan, though. I know it would take longer, but that’s totally fine. I actually remember baking blondies in it before, and they came out nice and soft and gooey, which is exactly how I want them.
If you bake these in a glass pan, just drop the baking temp by about 15°F and increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes 🙂 Let us know what you think when you give them a try!
I made a pan of these for my best friend as they are his favorite. I raided my baking supplies box and was able to use up some mini chocolate chips and some chopped pecans that I had hiding out in there. These blondies are very good. So rich and caramelly, they’re delightfully easy to make and taste fabulous. 10/10 will make again.
Can I prepare these ahead of time, like the night before?
Yep! There’s detailed instructions above the recipe for storage.
I had these blonde brownies at a friend’s house and my family raved about them so I asked for the recipe. These are my go-to for a quick dessert that tastes like it took you forever to make them so good. They are amazing! Thanks for sharing!
I made these yesterday and I made a mistake with the recipe. (I accidentally added too much butter) I remade them today and they came out perfect! This was my first time making blondies but definitely a great recipe! They are delicious, but I can’t eat that much in one serving because they’re pretty sweet.
**TIP for those using ceramic pans!!**
I baked them for 35 minutes and let them sit for about 10 minutes to harden/set. 35 minutes was the perfect amount of time in the oven for me!
These are really good I made them and they were called the best ever had! It was pretty easy too ngl, only took like 40 mins