These homemade blondies are buttery, soft, and perfectly chewy with rich brown sugar and vanilla flavor and white chocolate chips in every bite. They come together quickly in a baking pan, making them an easy dessert when you want all the deliciousness of cookies without scooping individual dough balls.
The key to this blondie recipe is getting the texture just right. Melted butter, plenty of brown sugar, and slightly underbaking the bars give you chewy edges and a soft center rather than cakey blondies.
When you just don’t want to take the time to scoop cookies, bars like this are the perfect answer. If you love easy desserts, my chocolate chip cookie bars are another great choice.
Absolutely delicious! Very light. They are perfect!
Blondies vs. Brownies
A blondie is a dessert bar made similarly to a brownie and with a similar texture, which is why they are sometimes called “blond brownies” or “blondie brownies.” Unlike brownies, which get their rich chocolate flavor from cocoa or chocolate, blondies rely on brown sugar, butter, and vanilla, giving them a rich caramel or butterscotch-like flavor.
What Makes These Blondies Soft and Chewy
- Brown sugar:Â Brown sugar adds moisture and gives the blondies their chewy texture and rich caramel-like flavor.
- Melted butter:Â Using melted rather than softened butter helps create a denser, chewier blondie with rich buttery flavor.
- Vanilla:Â Since there isn’t cocoa powder competing with it, vanilla is an important part of the classic blondie flavor.
- Just enough baking powder:Â A small amount gives the bars a little lift without making them cakey.
- Slightly underbaking:Â Taking the blondies out while the center is still slightly soft keeps them moist and chewy as they cool.
- White chocolate chips:Â These aren’t required for blondies, but they add creamy pockets of sweetness throughout the bars.
How to Make Blondies
- Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and melted butter for about three minutes, until well combined and slightly lighter in color. Mix in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla.
- Add in the flour mixture all at once to the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix. Then carefully fold the white chocolate chips into the batter.
- Spread the batter into a prepared baking dish. The batter will be thick and similar to brownie batter rather than a cookie dough batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, taking them out of the oven when the center of the bars still looks slightly underbaked. This helps to keep the center soft. Enjoy!
How to Know When Blondies Are Done
Blondies are easy to overbake, which can make them dry instead of soft and chewy. Take them out when the edges look set and lightly golden but the center still looks slightly underbaked. If you test the center with a toothpick, you want to see a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. The blondies will continue to set as they cool.
Tips for the Best Blondies
These tips and tricks will help give you perfect, chewy blondies, as well as help with many other baking recipes.
- Measure your flour correctly. Spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and then level it off with the flat end of a spatula. See the step-by-step here: How to Measure Flour. Scooping flour directly with the measuring cup will cause the flour to pack, resulting in too much flour and dry, dense blondies.
- Let your butter cool a little. If you combine piping hot butter with eggs in the batter, the eggs will start cooking. We want to avoid that by melting the butter and letting it cool.
- Make sure your baking powder is fresh. To maintain freshness, it should be replaced every six months. Also, make sure you use baking powder and NOT baking soda.
- Add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once. Mix slowly at first so the flour doesn’t go everywhere, then mix just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can develop too much gluten, resulting in tougher, denser blondies.
- Use a good baking pan. I love this one from USA Pan. Because it is a metal pan rather than ceramic or glass, it conducts heat more evenly, helping the blondies bake through without the edges becoming overdone before the center is ready.
- Line your pan with parchment paper. I like to cut one piece for the length and one piece for the width. Leave enough that the pieces fold over the edge of the pan. I secure them in place with some metal clips.
Blondie Variations
You can swap some or all of the white chocolate chips for milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips. Chopped walnuts would also be delicious and add some crunch.
Storing and Freezing
Store this classic blondie recipe in an airtight container once they have fully cooled. They can be stored at room temperature. You will enjoy them most when you eat them within a week of baking.
To freeze blondie brownies, bake them and allow them to cool. Cut into squares and place in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze them for an hour or two. Then, use parchment paper to separate the layers and prevent them from sticking together. Store them in the freezer for up to three months and allow them to thaw before eating.
If you make this easy blondie recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Recipe Video
Blondie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (319.5 grams)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (169.5 grams) melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (170 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 by 13 pan with parchment paper (see photo in the post) or spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix together the brown sugar and butter for about 3 minutes, until well combined and slightly lighter in color. Mix in the eggs one at a time until they are incorporated. Then add in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar, 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add in the flour mixture. Turn the mixer on low and mix until it is just combined enough that you can turn it all the way up to finish incorporating the flour mixture. Mix until it is just incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Mix in the white chocolate chips. Then spread the dough in the prepared pan.1 cup white chocolate chips
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges have set but the middle still has some give to it. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with a few moist crumbs, but not wet batter. Allow to cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Jennifer says
Absolutely delicious! Very light. Wasn’t sure about the large amount of butter but they are perfect!
I’m so glad you liked this recipe as much as I do!
Sandra says
I used butterscotch chips as I didn’t have white chocolate chips. 12 tablespoons of butter equals about 3/4 cup. Very tasty!
I’m so glad you liked them!