Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups butterscotch chips, divided
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal, or grease the pan well with butter or cooking spray.
- Melt the Butter: In a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes—you want it warm but not hot, as hot butter can cook the eggs.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until well combined and smooth, about 1 minute. The mixture will be thick and glossy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl, then add them to the butter-sugar mixture along with the vanilla extract. Stir until completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth and shiny.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening and salt.
- Mix Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until no flour streaks remain. Don’t overmix—stop as soon as everything is combined. The batter will be very thick, almost like cookie dough.
- Add Mix-ins: Fold in 1¼ cups of the butterscotch chips and the nuts (if using), reserving ¼ cup of butterscotch chips for topping. Stir just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Spread and Top: Transfer the thick batter to your prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly into all corners—it will take a bit of effort as the batter is quite dense. Press the remaining ¼ cup butterscotch chips onto the top of the batter for a pretty presentation.
- Bake: Bake for 28-32 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The center should look slightly underdone—it will continue to set as it cools.
- Cool Completely: Let the blondies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before cutting. This cooling time is essential for the texture to set properly. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Cut and Serve: Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the entire block of blondies out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares using a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between cuts for neat edges.
Notes
- Don’t overbake! Blondies continue to firm up as they cool. If the toothpick comes out completely clean, they may be overdone.
- For ultra-thick blondies, use a 9×9-inch pan and increase baking time to 35-40 minutes.
- Pressing down on the batter with a spatula helps achieve those desirable crispy edges.
- Let them cool completely—warm blondies will be too soft to cut cleanly and will fall apart.
- Store airtight to maintain that perfect chewy texture
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Bars & Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/24 of recipe)
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg