Soft and Chewy Browned Butter Blondies

Quick browned butter blondies! You'll love this chewy blondie recipe; it has the best flavor from the brown butter and they are simple to make.

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As a busy mom and self taught baker, I love a quick and simple dessert. Blondie bars are classic, dare I say almost as classic as chocolate chip cookies.  

Browned butter blondies use 8 staple ingredients. By browning the butter, we take baked goods, such as cupcakes or cookies from boring to irresistible! So if you are currently craving something buttery and nutty that doesn't take a lot of time to prepare, I've got you covered.

They are sure to become a favorite like my blueberry blondies or peanut butter blondies.

💗 why you will love this chewy blondie recipe

• Easy to make ~ this brown butter blondies recipe is super quick and easy to make from scratch and takes about 15 minutes of hands on time.
• Texture ~ the blondies are soft and chewy with a fudgy texture, similar to brown butter brownies.
• Flavor ~ with toffee bits and browned butter the bars have lovely nuttiness and sweetness.

🛒 ingredients needed and substitutions

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

• Butter ~ unsalted butter is what I like best, so I can control the saltiness of my final product. You will start with cold and cubed butter and brown it before continuing with the recipe.
• Kosher salt ~ helps to balance the flavors. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
• Brown sugar ~ I prefer dark brown sugar, but light brown sugar will also work.
• Granulated sugar ~ provides sweetness and moisture to the blondies.
• Egg ~ 1 large egg is needed, preferably at room temperature.
• Vanilla ~ pure vanilla extract is my vanilla of choice.
• Baking powder ~ just a little to give the browned butter blondies a little lift.
• All-purpose flour ~ provides structure. If you aren't using a kitchen scale, be sure to spoon and level your flour. {Fluff the flour in the container, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife}.
• Toffee bits ~ I buy the Heath English toffee bits or the milk chocolate English toffee bits. My family also loves this easy blondie recipe with peanut butter chips.

Pro tip ~ to quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5-10 minutes.

how to brown butter

Next you are going to brown the butter. Place the cut cubes of unsalted butter in a light colored sauce pan and place over medium heat {medium-low if your burners run hot} and let it cook until small brown flakes form.

You will want to stir or swirl the pan frequently after the butter has fully melted to keep it from burning. The butter will foam and bubble up along the process, just keep stirring/swirling and move the foam aside from time to time to check the color.

The butter will turn an amber golden brown color and will smell nutty and toasted when it's ready; it should take about 5-8 minutes. 

👩🏻‍🍳 how to make blondies with browned butter

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Pour melted butter and all the browned bits into a mixing bowl. To the brown butter in the mixing bowl, add the kosher salt, brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment until combined.

Next add the egg and vanilla and mix on medium until well combined. Then add the baking powder and mix until lightened in color and the mixture has thickened.

Now add the all purpose flour and mix on low until just a few streaks of flour remain. Add the toffee bits OR peanut butter chips and mix in with a spatula.

Spread the brown butter blondie mixture into the prepared pan, it's thick and I find an off-set spatula helps to even it out in the pan. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

📝 tips for the best brown butter blondies

• Don't over bake the brown butter blondies! No one likes a dry blondie. It's better to err on the side of less done than over done. The blondies will firm up and continue to cook as they cool. This is how you will get a fudgy and chewy texture.
• Remember your oven is different than mine and the baking time may be slightly different. I use this oven thermometer to ensure my oven is at the temperature I think it is.
• For less dishes to wash, use a food scale and skip the measuring cups! This is the scale that I use and love.
• If you need to speed up the cooling process, once the blondies have cooled enough that you can pick up the pan with your bare hands, place the pan in the refrigerator to cool completely.
• Browned butter blondies taste best at room temperature.

🥣 mix-in and serving ideas

This recipe is written with mix-ins of either toffee chips or peanut butter chips. My family loves them both ways! You can also make the browned butter blondies with ~

chocolate chips

white chocolate chips

pecans or your favorite nuts

your favorite chocolate based candies; just chop them into small, bite size pieces.

You can also chose to not add any mix-in and just enjoy the nutty brown butter flavor.

These browned butter blondies taste amazing with a scoop of ice cream OR broken into pieces that you mix-in your ice cream.

💬 frequently asked questions

are blondies brownies without cocoa?

The main difference is chocolate. Blondies are made without cocoa powder or chocolate. Blondies typically rely on brown sugar and vanilla for their rich and indulgent taste. 

why use brown butter for baking?

Brown butter adds a wonderful depth, richness and nutty flavor to baked goods. It's also amazing in shortbread, cookies and other foods; sweet and savory.

By browning the butter, it creates a whole other depth to the taste. The butter is no longer just a background ingredient, but instead takes on a leading role.

can I make them gluten free?

I haven't tested this blondie recipe with gluten free flour. I suspect a 1 to 1 gluten free can be substituted. Please let me know if you try this.

can I double the recipe?

Yes! Double the ingredients and bake in a 9x13 baking pan. The bake time should be about the same.

🫙 how to store

Browned butter blondies can be stored in an airtight at room temperature for 2 - 3 days or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

They also freeze well in an airtight container for up to three months.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Browned Butter Blondies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more blondie bars to enjoy

• Blueberry Blondies
• Nordy Bars
• Cinnamon Blondies
• Nutter Butter Bars

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!