Chewy, Chunky Blondies

Ahh blondies. They may represent the one instance in life when blondes get overlooked for a brunette. Brownies are by far the more popular of the two bar cookies, but blondies have made quite a name for themselves recently, and with all sorts of varieties cropping up, they allow for infinite creative experiments. I recently made Snickerdoodle Blondies, which I couldn’t keep my hands off of (and now I’m craving snickerdoodle cookies, fall, hoodies, apple cider and football – cinnamon does it to me every time!). It was only the second time I had made blondies, with my maiden voyage being the Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies, and now with my third, I think I’m a certified member of the fan club. The brown sugar and butter create a velvety butterscotch flavor that is slightly sweet, rich, and a perfect canvas on which to lay your favorite combination of flavors and ingredients.

One of the things I love most about brownies is how simple they are to throw together and the minimal amount of equipment and time needed. Although most blondie recipes I have come across do require you to beat the butter and sugar with a mixer, it’s just as easy as regular cookie dough, and in fact, even easier because there’s no shaping or dropping needed – you just spread the dough right into the pan and pop it into the oven.

I love this combination of semisweet chocolate, butterscotch, walnuts and coconut, but you could substitute any of your favorite – white chocolate, peanut butter chips, toffee pieces, etc. I do love the addition of the nuts in this recipe – they add a bit of crunchy texture and break up the sweetness. Again, use your favorite – pecans, almonds, peanuts, etc. I can’t wait to see the blondie variations that you come up with!

Do you have a favorite blondie recipe?

One year ago: How to Make Pastry Cream

Chewy, Chunky Blondies

Yield: 36 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 40 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (or 6 ounces chocolate, chopped)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. With a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips, nuts and coconut. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and use the spatula to even the top as best as you can.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. The blondies should pull away fromthe sides of the pan a little and the top should be a nice honey brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely. Cut into bars; store in an airtight container at room temperature.

(Recipe adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

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