brown butter blondies

these brown butter blondies feature rich, nutty browned butter and melty chocolate chips swirled through the most delicious, chewy brown sugar blondie base.

why you will love this brown butter blondies recipe

• incredible nutty flavor – these brown butter blondies with chocolate chip pieces are made with browned butter which transforms ordinary butter into something with deep, nutty, caramelised notes. the brown butter creates a sophisticated flavor profile that’s far more complex than regular blondies, making every bite incredibly delicious.

• perfect chewy texture – this brown butter blondie recipe creates fudgy brown butter blondies that are perfectly chewy in the centre with slightly crisp edges. the combination of brown butter and the heavy cream ensures these blondies with brown butter have that ideal chewy consistency that makes them irresistible.

• easily customisable – this versatile recipe serves as a perfect base for countless variations. you can make brown butter oreo blondies, brown butter oatmeal blondies, or even experiment with different flavors like brown butter matcha blondies or brown butter tahini blondies. the possibilities are endless for creating your perfect brown butter treat.

learn how to make brown butter blondies

these gooey brown butter blondies can be made in just a few easy steps!

we’ll start with the most important step – browning our butter to perfection. this process involves cooking the butter until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty, toasted aroma, which is what gives these brown butter blondies their signature flavour.

once the butter has been browned, we’ll add it to a bowl of brown sugar and granulated sugar. mix the browned butter with the sugars, then add an egg, heavy cream and vanilla extract or vanilla paste to create that rich blondie base. then we’ll set this aside. then we’ll fold in our dry ingredients and the chocolate pieces carefully to maintain that perfect chewy texture we want in our brown butter blondies.

add the brown butter blondie mixture to a prepared pan, add some extra chocolate chunks and chocolate chips on top, then bake until the blondies are golden and chewy.

brown butter blondies ingredients

• butter – the star ingredient in this brown butter blondies recipe. we’ll brown the butter until it’s golden and nutty, creating that caramel-like depth of flavour that will perfectly complement the chewiness of these blondies. the browned butter gives these blondies their distinctive taste and aroma that you simply can’t achieve with regular melted butter. i used salted butter for these brown butter blondies. you are also welcome to use unsalted butter but i would recommend adding around 1/4 tsp of salt to the dry ingredients.

• dark chocolate – this recipe makes brown butter dark chocolate brownies! the dark chocolate provides the perfect balance to the sweetness of these brownies as well as the caramel-like taste of the brown butter. i personally wouldn’t recommend using milk chocolate in these brownies but if you do, make sure to adjust the sugar in this recipe so that they’re not too sweet. these brown butter brownies use no cocoa powder as i’ve found that using all melted chocolate makes them extra fudgy.

• eggs – this brown butter brownies recipe uses 3 large eggs.

• brown sugar – you can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar bearing in mind that dark brown sugar will have a stronger molasses flavour. the brown sugar in this brown butter blondie recipe adds moisture and depth of flavour that complements the brown butter beautifully. brown sugar helps create that chewy texture and also enhances the caramelised notes from the browned butter.

• granulated sugar – this recipe uses a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar. the granulated sugar works together with brown sugar to create the perfect sweetness balance and texture in these blondies.

• vanilla extract – optional, but will add a nice, subtle vanilla flavour.

• double cream or heavy cream – optional, but highly recommended. the cream adds richness and helps create that perfect fudgy, chewy texture in these brown butter blondies. the cream also helps balance the nutty brown butter flavor beautifully. you can use any kind of cream if you don’t have heavy cream on hand. you can also substitute this with milk, but it just won’t be as rich and chewy.

• flour – we’ll be using plain flour or all purpose flour for this recipe. don’t overmix once you add the flour to keep blondies soft and chewy.

• baking powder – gives these brown butter blondies a slight lift and the perfect texture.

• chocolate – i like to add some chocolate throughout the blondie mixture as well as some extra chocolate pieces on top. i’m using dark chocolate in the mixture and a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate on top. you can use whatever chocolate you like. i did use chopped chocolate pieces because i wanted melty pockets of chocolate through out, but you can also use chocolate chips or a mix of both if you prefer. you can also make these brown butter blondies with white chocolate chips if you like white chocolate over dark or milk chocolate.

tools:

• a pot or pan for browning the butter – we’ll be browning the butter on the stove over medium heat.

• large mixing bowl – we’ll be adding everything to one bowl so you’ll need a large bowl to fit all of the ingredients in so that it’s easier to mix your blondie batter.

• whisk or hand mixer – we’re going to mix the butter, sugar and egg mixture together using a whisk. you can also use an electric mixer for this but a whisk will do just fine.

• silicone spoon or spatula – for mixing in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips gently.

• parchment paper or baking paper – lining your baking dish with parchment paper will make it easier to lift the blondies out once they’re done.

• 8×8 inch baking dish – the perfect size pan for thick, chewy brown butter blondies

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: preheat your oven and grease and line a baking dish for your brown butter blondies.

step two: add butter to a pan or pot and heat up over medium heat. keep stirring until golden brown and toasted. you’ll know you’re done when the butter starts to smell toasty and almost caramel-like. (detailed instructions on browning butter in faqs section).

step three: once you’ve browned the butter, add it to a large bowl, making sure to scrape out all of the toasted milk solids from the bottom of the pan and into the bowl.

step four: to the same bowl, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar.

step five: whisk the browned butter and the sugars together until well combined.

step six: in the same bowl, add an egg and a splash of vanilla extract and whisk this into the mixture until combined.

step seven: add some heavy cream and whisk that through the mixture. the mixture should look relatively thick and smooth at this point.

step eight: add flour, baking powder, salt and then add the chopped chocolate pieces or chocolate chips. gently fold the ingredients into the wet batter until combined. do not over mix.

step nine: add the brown butter blondie batter to your lined baking dish, and smooth it out into an even layer.

step ten: top the blondies with any extra chocolate pieces or chocolate chips that you like, and lightly press them into the dough.

step eleven: place the brown butter blondies in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (baking times will vary depending on your oven and the size of your tray).

step twelve: once you remove the brown butter blondies from the oven, let them cool at room temperature for around 20-30 minutes before slicing them up or trying to remove them from the pan. they will be too soft and gooey to pick up straight out of the oven, and will continue to cook as they cool in the tray.

step thirteen: once the brown butter blondies have cooled, lift them out of the tray, slice up, and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• keep an eye on the butter when browning it – butter can quickly go from nutty and toasted to burnt. keep stirring it as it browns on the stove, and don’t leave it unattended. once the butter starts to smell caramel-like and toasty, and you can see it start to turn a golden colour, remove the pan from the heat.

• be careful not to over mix the batter. once you add the flour and other dry ingredients, make sure to gently fold it in using a spoon or silicone spatula, and don’t mix for longer than necessary. over mixing can lead to tough or cakey blondies.

• make sure to use a room temperature egg, as it will combine with the rest of the ingredients easily and give you a smoother blondie batter.

• make sure you preheat the oven so that it’s already hot by the time you place your brown butter blondies in the oven. this will ensure that the blondies bake evenly and that they won’t take longer to bake.

• adjust baking time as needed. every oven is different, so i recommend keeping an eye on your brown butter blondies as they bake. don’t just bang them in the oven and leave until the designated time is up. it might be a good idea to check the blondies for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time. i like to take the blondies out of the oven when they’re slightly underdone as they will continue to cook as they cool once they’re out of the oven. over baking will result in dry and cakey blondies, which is not what we want.

• once your brown butter blondies are out of the oven, they should be too soft to pick up or slice. let them cool at room temperature before trying to slice them or pick them up.

• feel free to customise your blondies however you like them by adding your favourite extras. some great variations would be brown butter nutella blondies, brown butter miso blondies, or even brown butter raspberry blondies !

• use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. while i add both metric and cup measurements for this recipe, i always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients for most accurate results.

• store any leftover blondies in an airtight container at room temperature.

frequently asked questions

1. what is brown butter, and what does brown butter do in these brown butter blondies ?

   – brown butter is butter that has been cooked until the milk solids are toasted, turn golden brown and develop a nutty, toasty flavour. brown butter adds a very subtle depth, richness and toffee-like flavour to these blondies, giving them a unique flavour.

2. how do i brown the butter for this brown butter blondies recipe ?

   – to brown the butter, start by adding butter to a pan. melt this over medium heat, and stir constantly as the butter melts. the butter will melt and then begin to foam and sizzle. you’ll know the butter has browned when the foam starts to tone down a little and the butter looks golden brown underneath the foam. the butter will start to smell slightly nutty and toasty. once this happens, remove the pot from the heat and pour the brown butter in a large mixing bowl.

3. can i use salted butter in this brown butter blondies recipe?

   – yes, you can use salted butter. if you use salted butter for your blondies instead of unsalted, i would recommend skipping the salt listed in this recipe.

4. do i have to use vanilla extract to make these brown butter blondies ?

   – the vanilla extract in this blondies recipe is optional. i like the subtle vanilla flavour it gives to the blondies, but if you would prefer not to use it or don’t have it, that’s also completely fine.

5. can i make these brown butter blondies without chocolate chips or extra chopped chocolate ?

   – you can absolutely omit the extra chocolate and chocolate chips in this brown butter blondies recipe! i personally love chocolate chip brown butter blondies but if you would prefer not to add the extra chocolate, feel free to swap it for any other mix-ins of your choice like chopped nuts or anything else you like. another great option would be to make these brown butter blondies with toffee pieces to further complement that toasted brown butter flavour!

6. why did my brown butter blondies turn into a cake instead of chewy ?

   – there are a number of reasons why your brown butter blondies came out cakey. one reason is baking times. you should take your blondies out of the oven while they are slightly underbaked as they will continue to cook and firm up as they cool. even if you followed the exact timings in the recipe, every oven will bake things differently so timings will vary depending on your oven and the size of your tray. i highly recommend checking on your blondies every once in a while, especially towards the end of the written times to make sure they don’t over bake.

   – another reason could be due to over mixing the batter or having too much flour in your blondie batter. to make these brown butter blondies as accurately as possible, i would really recommend weigh out the ingredients using a kitchen scale. gently fold the flour into the blondie batter until no streaks of flour remain in order to avoid over mixing.

7. can i use a different type of chocolate, like white chocolate, in this recipe ?

   – yes, you can use whatever you like. i personally prefer making these brown butter blondies with milk chocolate or dark chocolate, but white chocolate would work really well too!

8. do i have to use brown sugar to make these brown butter blondies ?

   – brown sugar is recommended for these brown butter blondies, as it helps gives the blondies a richer flavour and makes them extra chewy. however, if you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute it with granulated sugar. using all granulated sugar for this blondies recipe might change the taste and texture of these blondies slightly, but they will still be delicious! for best results, use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar as stated.

9. can i make brown butter brownies from scratch using the same method ?

   – brown butter in brownies actually works really well and complements the rich chocolate flavour very nicely, but the method to make brownies is slightly different than when making blondies. here’s an easy brown butter brownies recipe with the correct method.

10. what are some variations i can make with this brown butter blondie recipe ?

    – this brown butter blondie recipe is incredibly versatile and can be used as a base for lots of different types of blondies. some great options that would work well include brown butter espresso blondies or brown butter maple brownies or even kinder bueno brown butter blondies.

11. how do i know that my blondies are done baking ?

    – Insert a toothpick into the center of the blondies a few minutes before the end of the stated baking times. if the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, the blondies are done. Be careful not to over bake, as this can lead to dry, cakey blondies. the toothpick shouldn’t be completely dry, and it shouldn’t have wet batter on it either. if your toothpick comes out with wet batter on it, it’ll need to bake for slightly longer.

12. can i make brown butter almond blondies or other nut variations ?

    – yes, you can! replace the chocolate chips with chopped almonds for brown butter almond blondies, or if you’d prefer some other options instead of almonds, brown butter hazelnut blondies, brown butter walnut blondies, brown butter pistachio blondies, and brown butter pecan blondies would all work really well. brown butter blondies with toasted pecans and chocolate chips would also be a really great combination!

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