Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies
At some point I missed the memo on blondies. When did they become popular? They popped up on my radar sometime last year, and even then, I didn’t feel the urge to scurry off into the kitchen to whip them up. Slowly though, it seemed their popularity was picking up steam. I started to see a lot of different varieties on other blogs. I saw an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay when he tried to one-up the blondies by Sugardaddy’s. I still didn’t see what all the fuss was about, but I added them to my Top 100 list and figured I would give them a try one day. Lo and behold, that day finally came. Annie asked me if I wanted to bake something together being that it had been awhile since we made the Peanut Butter Torte, and these were one of her suggestions. Since I had been dragging my feet on trying them, I thought it was a good selection. I was even more convinced after I tried one – they taste very much like Girl Scout Samoas cookies!
For those that are as in the dark as I was, a blondie is basically a brownie minus the chocolate. While brownies have a common base of melted butter, granulated sugar and cocoa powder, blondies are created with melted butter and brown sugar. The result is a rich toffee-like flavor. Mixing the butter and brown sugar creates such a fabulous aroma that it will make you want to eat the batter by the spoonful. I’m not kidding. Be prepared to muster up some serious willpower. The flavors in these blondies are fabulous – the batter is rich, the coconut slightly sweet and adding a chewy texture, and the chocolate with the perfect amount of, well, chocolateness.
I was a huge fan of how the batter smelled when being mixed together, and loved the crisp, crackly, brownie-like top that the blondies had when they came out of the oven.
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Some notes on the recipe:
– I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips, which are larger than regular chips, so more like a “chunk”. Plus I like dark chocolate.
– You don’t need to break out a mixer – I made these with one bowl and a large spoon.
– To get clean cuts, use a bench scraper to cut straight down. No slicing or sawing with a knife, perfect edges.
– I am now a blondie convert.
1 year ago: Buttermilk Pancakes
2 years ago: Dark Chocolate Chip Scones
Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) salt
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (85 g) sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup (180 g) chocolate chips or chunks
Topping:
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon butter
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.
- 2. Combine the flour and salt; set aside.
- 3. Stir together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
- 4. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until blended, then stir in the coconut and chocolate chips.
- 5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth even with a rubber spatula.
- 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set in the center but still soft. Do not overbake. Let the bars cool slightly before drizzling with chocolate, then cool completely before cutting into squares.
- 7. For the topping, combine the chocolate and butter in a small bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle over the bars.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I’ve made these many times and they are amazing. Instead of drizzling the chocolate over the top, I melt the chocolate and add some coconut to it and then spread it on top of the blondes. They are so good!
Oooh Ilene, love the idea of melting the chocolate with coconut and spreading it! Thank you for sharing and so glad you’ve been loving these!
I made those fabulous blondies yesterday & they were so chocolaty so mouth watering so yummy ♥__♥
will definitely make them again ^__^
thank you Michelle,,
These were really good, even though I only had a 9 inch square pan and sweetened coconut. It’s also easy to melt the chocolate and butter in a ziplock bag in the microwave and cut a corner off to drizzle on the bars. I’m definitely making this recipe again! Thanks so much!
Just made this to take to a friends for dinner tomorrow night. So easy and so tasty…hopefully there’ll be some left by tomorrow! Very chocolatey, might cut back a bit on the chocolate next time. Maybe I used the wrong chocolate.
The biggest problem I have with this site is deciding which recipe to try next. Have loved everything I’ve made so far.
I stumbled across your page a few days ago. I saw this recipe and it looked so tasty that I went out and bought the ingredients and baked them today. It was super easy to make and tasted soo good! Thank you so much! I’m glad I found your blog!
Crystal – Glad you liked them! It’s always fun to switch up different types of baked goods, sometimes I get stuck in ruts. Hope you continue your baking kick! :)
I’ve been on a baking kick lately and tried these at your suggestion! SO easy and SO tasty! I’ve been baking cookies lately so the texture of the coconut in this bar was a welcome change! Will be making these again soon!
Hi Pamela – So glad that you enjoyed these! Thanks for coming back and letting me know! :)
These were so yummy. Thanks again for posting!!
Those sound and look wicked good! We LOVE blondies. Thanks for sharing!
~ingrid
Hi Nic – I’m so glad you enjoyed the blondies! Thanks for coming back and letting me know you tried them and liked them!
I made these over the weekend and they are delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Samoas are my very favorite girl scout cookie. These sound wonderfully rich and yummy!
s@bd – I forgot to mention that the topping did make quite a bit. Thanks for reminding me, I am going to mention that in the recipe notes! I hope you enjoyed them!
oh, those look so good! I usually like brownies better than blondies, but these sound amazing. I love coconut.
I really like the sound of adding coconut to chocolate chunk brownies!
Wow–those look amazing!! I always remember my mom making blondies when I was little, but they certainly didn’t have coconut in them, just butterscotch I think— Can’t wait to try these!
made these last night – they look amazing (am patiently waiting until *after* breakfast to break into them)
I had so much topping that I just spread it out overtop the blondies like an icing. Next time, I shall make a lot less!
Those look and sound awesome. Love the flavors!
Hi Jon, Thanks for all of the feedback! So glad your household has been enjoying these, both with and without the chocolate. Since I’m a female I’m probably immune to anything overely chocolatey ;-) Glad you were able to find versions that worked for everyone!
This recipe is extremely easy to remember. Basically just a cup of everything with a stick of butter, egg, and some vanilla.
I used chocolate chips for this recipe and a cup was WAY too overpowering. If you’re using chips instead of chunks, I’d say lower the amount to about a half a cup, the bars were tasty enough that I decided to make another batch with just coconut, which are in the oven right now. The females in the house can eat the overly chocolaty ones.
I made somoa bars a while ago, and they were good but not worth the effort. These aren’t too far away from those, but require MAYBE ten minutes of work.
Thanks for the recipe :D
Yum, great choice! These were fabulous :)
Love Somas, these look delicious! I’m with you, I have been on the fence, wondering what all the fuss with blondies was. I have even been eyeing the Barefoot Contessa Blondie mix at work, but not quit tempted enough. But these just might do the trick. I think I’m going to have to try them. Thanks for the recipe, and the tips.
A Mounds bar is my favorite candy so I know without a doubt I’m going to enjoy this recipe! My office is open on Monday so those of us who are working are bringing food for a potluck lunch & I signed up to bring dessert–now I know what I’m taking. Thanks Michelle!
Hi Nic – I used sweetened coconut flakes. Thanks for asking, I revised the recipe to make that clear!
Oh those look delicious! Did you used sweetened or unsweetened coconut in the recipe?
I love blondies – they look yummy with all that coconut and chocolate!
These blondies look incredible! It’s never too late to get on the blondie bandwagon. What a fabulous job you’ve done. I wish I could grab a square or seven (yes, seven; i love my coconut and chocolate). YUM!
I am making these this weekend! Great recipe. Thanks!
Oh yum! These look really good. Perfect to bring with me to a bbq potluck this weekend!