Blondies
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.
Easy, fast blondies are the perfect kid-friendly treat. Enjoy the soft, chewy texture and delightful honey flavor.
Blondies are super easy to make, but they are packed with moisture and flavor. It’s so easy to see why they are a time-honored classic.
While blondies’ younger sibling, brownies, is more famous, blondies existed in recipe books 10 years before chocolate was even widely in use around 1906.
What is a blondie? Instead of chocolate, these bars rely on the blend of vanilla, honey, and brown sugar.
They create a buttery honey flavor. While blondies are not overly sweet, they do have a wonderful soft, chewy texture.
They are also great without the mix-ins. Blonde brownies work well in a sundae with ice cream and caramel sauce. Snickerdoodle blondies and peanut butter chocolate chip blondies are also fun spins on this classic treat.
Why this recipe works
- The ratio of butter, sugar and egg leaves you with a soft, yet chewy texture.
- Surprisingly, these bars aren’t overly sweet. And, the hint of honey makes them perfect without any mix-ins.
- Baking powder allows the bars to bake up tall and thick.
Ready to enjoy in just 45 minutes, these blondies are so easy to make and even easier to eat.
Ingredients and substitutions
Whip together this super easy blondies recipe with common pantry ingredients in no time at all. Let’s discuss just a few of the key ingredients:
This is a short overview of the ingredients I used and why I chose them. The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the post!
- Flour, baking powder, & salt: All-purpose flour works best. Baking powder acts as the leavening agent, while salt balances the sweetness.
- Butter & eggs: These add the soft, chewy texture to the blondies. When you use salted butter, omit additional salt.
- Brown sugar, honey, & vanilla: This trio creates the well-known butterscotch flavor of the blondie. Dark or light brown sugar works. You can also omit honey.
- Mix-ins: While Macadamia nuts are traditional, you can substitute with toasted walnuts or pecans. Also, any type of chocolate chips will work – white, dark, etc.
How to make blondies
1. Mix the dough
Begin by preparing the oven and your baking dish. Then, you will combine ingredients to form the dough.
- Adjust your oven rack as described in the recipe and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Then, prepare your pan with a liner (aluminum foil or parchment paper) and cooking spray.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Then, use a whisk to blend.
- Grab your mixer. While on medium speed, beat the unsalted butter until very creamy in a large bowl.
- Then, beat in sugar and honey until mixed. Also, beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix after adding each egg.
- Scrape down the bowl. Then, beat in the vanilla.
- While at low speed, add in the flour mixture until just mixed.
2. Bake
Place blondies batter into the pan and bake until doneness is reached via the toothpick test.
- Evenly spread the batter into your prepared pan.
- Then, place in the oven. The baking time is 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Cool in the pan until the blondies reach room temperature. Then, refrigerate until firm.
- Finally, gently lift them out of the pan with the liner.
- Cut into 2-inch golden brown squares or your desired size or shape.
Jen’s Best tips
- Don’t overmix the dough. Once the dry ingredients are added, mix just until no streaks of dry flour are visible.
- Bake on the lower-third rack. This is just below the center of the oven.
- Take care not to overbake or they’ll turn hard.
Storing & Freezing
To store: Store your blondies for no more than 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.
To Freeze: Place any leftover blondies in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag. Then, store them for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to use them, thaw them overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
Blondies
Ingredients
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (262 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (80 g) macadamia nuts
- 1 cup (150 g) white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Move the oven rack to just below the center of the oven and heat to 350ºF degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until very creamy.
- Beat in the sugar and the honey until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed just until incorporated. Using a silicone spatula, fold in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips just until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool in the pan to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm; about 2 hours.
- Lift the blondies out of the pan with the parchment or foil. Cut into 2-inch squares or the desired size.
Notes
- Butter: Salted butter can be used in place of unsalted. Omit the additional salt in the recipe.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown will work great with this recipe.
- Honey: If you don’t have honey, simply omit it. Maple syrup can be an alternative if you prefer that flavor.
- Macadamia nuts: Toasted walnuts or pecans are great substitutions.
- Chocolate chips: White chocolate, dark chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, or any combination of two will work beautifully with the recipe.
- Blondies will keep for up to 1 week stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Or they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place them in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
@Jen Sobjack, Now it says 2 teaspoons. Is that right or should it be 2 and 1/2 teaspoons?
It should only be 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
I made these for my family & they loved them! Best done when baked less for a great soft, chewy texture.
I made These exactly as directed. Baked at 350 for 25 minutes. The outside pieces were browned and dry cake- like. All the inside pieces were almost raw. Any ideas on why this would happen? Thanks!!
The only thing I can think of is the oven temperature may not be accurate. Do you have an oven thermometer so you double check that your oven is in fact reaching the set temperature?
White chocolate macadamia nut is always a winning combo. These look delicious!
White chocolate macadamia nut is always a winning combo. These look delicious!
Wow, Jen! These blondies look so moist and delicious. I just love easy recipes!
Thank you, Joanie! They disappeared quite fast. Definitely one of our favorites.