Caramel Blondies
These caramel chocolate chip blondies use brown butter and a swirled caramel layer to deliver rich, fudgy bars with real depth of flavor. Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips distribute evenly through the dense batter for bittersweet pockets in every bite. A single bowl and one pan is all it takes.
Servings: 16 people
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter — 1 ½ sticks
- 2 cups light brown sugar — packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Makes: 13 x 9inch rectangle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 13x9 baking pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, swirling the pan several times a minute, until browned bits cling to the bottom and the butter smells nutty. Transfer brown butter to a medium bowl, scraping in all the browned bits.
- Add brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer until well combined and the mixture resembles wet sand, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat until the batter looks noticeably paler. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. The batter will be very thick.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips, then turn the batter out into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Pour the caramel over the batter and use an offset spatula to swirl it in. Do not add warm caramel or it will sink into the batter rather than holding distinct ribbons.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and the center no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan, 20 to 25 minutes. Start checking at 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting.
Notes
Yield: 16 bars
Doneness Cue: The jiggle test is your best signal here. Skip the toothpick entirely since caramel and chocolate will coat it regardless of whether the bars are done.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. The caramel swirl stays soft at room temperature rather than hardening the way it would in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead: Bake and cool completely, then store in the pan covered with plastic wrap. The bars hold well at room temperature and can be cut to order.
Doneness Cue: The jiggle test is your best signal here. Skip the toothpick entirely since caramel and chocolate will coat it regardless of whether the bars are done.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. The caramel swirl stays soft at room temperature rather than hardening the way it would in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead: Bake and cool completely, then store in the pan covered with plastic wrap. The bars hold well at room temperature and can be cut to order.
Nutrition
Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg