Name: Blondies
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: Makes about 24
Ingredients: 10 Tbsp. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tsp. baking powder; ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ¼ tsp. baking soda; 2 cups (packed; 426 g) light brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 4½ oz.); ¾ cup chopped pecans (about 3 oz.)

Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Brownies are believed to have made their debut at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Blondies, their caramel-colored cousins, don’t have a cohesive creation myth. Some credit the first blondie recipe to an unknown creator living in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Others say that the so-called brownies served on that 1893 Chicago fairground were actually blonde (gasp), arguing that 19th-century American home cooks were more likely to bake with molasses than chocolate.

This easy blondie recipe, inspired by the ones once served at the S’Moores Caffe in Augusta, Georgia, is endlessly customizable. Using light brown sugar gives them a vanilla-forward butterscotch-like sweetness; opt for dark brown sugar to make the rich molasses flavor shine. Keep the melted butter on the stovetop for a few extra minutes to create nutty-tasting brown butter (add 1 Tbsp. cold water to make up for the moisture loss). Swap the pecans for chopped milk chocolate to make chocolate chip cookie bars. Or forget our suggested add-ins and stir in toffee bits, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips plus macadamia nuts, chopped dates and dark chocolate chips, swirls of peanut butter, or any mix-in of your choice. Sprinkle your cakey-chewy creations with flaky sea salt before sliding them into the oven or serve warm beneath a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Recipe information

Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
Makes about 24

Ingredients

10 Tbsp. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

¼ tsp. baking soda

2 cups (packed; 426 g) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 4½ oz.)

¾ cup chopped pecans (about 3 oz.)

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat a 13x9x2” baking pan with unsalted butter, room temperature, then line with parchment paper, leaving generous overhang on 2 sides. Butter parchment.
Step 2
Whisk 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Melt 10 Tbsp. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter in large saucepan over low heat. Remove saucepan from heat. Add 2 cups (packed; 426 g) light brown sugar and whisk to combine. Whisk in 2 large eggs and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. Gradually stir in dry ingredients (batter will be thick). Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 4½ oz.) and ¾ cup chopped pecans (about 3 oz.).
Step 4
Bake blondies until golden-brown and a tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve.
Do ahead: Blondies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Editor’s note: This blondie recipe first appeared on Epicurious in August 2004. Head this way for more of our best bar cookies →