The BEST blondie recipe lives up to its name! This recipe yields buttery soft cookie bars with vanilla-caramel undertones. It come together quickly, no mixer needed. Include your favorite add-ins (white chocolate, dark chocolate, nuts) or enjoy plain! This carefully tested recipe has been a fan favorite for years and has garnered hundreds of five-star reviews! ⭐️
Actually *Perfect* Blondies
Buttery, soft, chewy, loaded with your favorite add-ins, my blondie recipe is perfectly decadent. With hints of butterscotch, vanilla, and caramel, you won’t miss the chocolate. Serve slightly warm, topped with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce for a truly indulgent experience.
I spent a great deal of time developing this blondie recipe (you can’t imagine how many batches of not-quite-perfect blondies I had to eat, it’s a tough life 😉) and I finally have the perfect version to share. My recipe includes lots of tips and tricks so you’ll get perfectly soft, chewy and buttery results every time. No dry or cakey blondies here! Let’s get right to it.
Blondie Ingredients
We don’t need to cover everything, but let’s chat a moment about some of our key players:
- Butter. Melted butter is the key to a softer, chewier blondie recipe that stays soft and chewy (it’s also a key ingredient in my best chocolate chip cookie recipe, if you’ve tried that you already know what a game changer it is).
- Sugar. A blend of brown and granulated sugar works best here. The higher ratio of brown sugar works well to impart a deep, rich, and subtly caramel-y flavor that makes these irresistible.
- Eggs. An extra egg yolk contributes to the tender, dense texture of the bar.
- Baking powder. Blondies ought to be dense and leaning toward fudgy territory, but just a pinch of baking powder adds a bit of lightness to the bar so it’s not too dense or difficult to chew. Note that the omission of baking soda is intentional, baking soda would create a lighter airier, and more cakey texture that we’re actively trying to avoid.
- Cornstarch helps make the bars tender and chewy.
- Add-ins (use your favorites!). Truth be told, you can add nothing, no nuts, no chocolate, and you’ll still have a darn good cookie bar. But I prefer to dress things up a bit. White chocolate chips and chopped walnuts are my favorite, but swap out the white chocolate for semisweet or a chopped baking bar, swap out the nuts for a different kind of nut or more chocolate, or if you want to toast your nuts before adding them, that works just fine, too!
For the full recipe and the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
How to Make Blondies
The blondie batter comes together quickly and easily. No mixer needed, no fancy equipment.
Start by melting your butter. It doesn’t need to cool completely, but if it’s still quite hot when you add the butter you can expect your blondies to be a bit greasier on the bottom after baking and to take longer to bake.
Add the sugars, eggs, yolk, and vanilla. Stir it well, but don’t go crazy. Mixing well can help create shiny/crackly tops, but over-doing it could make the blondies a bit cakier than I personally care for them to be. I never use a mixer for this step.
Add the dry ingredients. Always whisk them together separately (to make sure the baking powder and salt are well-distributed through the batter), then stir them into the batter. Once again, don’t go overboard with the mixing. Any add-ins you’re using get stirred in last.
Bake & enjoy. The very edges will turn lightly golden brown and a toothpick should come out clean. A sprinkling of flaky sea salt while they’re still warm is optional, but strongly encouraged 😉. Let the blondies cool completely before you cut into them, otherwise you may panic that you completely underbaked them (you likely didn’t).
Tips & Variations
- When it comes to sugar, a blend is best. For the brown sugar called for in the recipe, you can just use light brown sugar, but I personally prefer a blend of light and dark brown sugar. I don’t care to use all dark brown, though, as I feel it makes things a bit too rich and butterscotch-y.
- Adjust the add-ins. You can add up to 2 cups of your favorite add-ins to this blondie recipe. I listed a mix of chopped walnuts and white chocolate chips in the recipe. I found that this combination provided a nice balance of sweetness and crunch. Feel free to use all walnuts, all chocolate (completely fine to make this recipe nut-free), or swap out some or either of these. A chopped semisweet chocolate bar is quite delicious, in my opinion.
- Pay attention to your pan. A metal pan is best for this recipe and will ensure the quickest and most even baking. If you opt for a glass or ceramic pan, your blondies will almost certainly take longer to bake, and exactly how long will vary. I haven’t tried this blondie recipe in a silicone pan, but am not sure I’d recommend it.
- Brown your butter for a gourmet flavor. Brown 1 cup of butter (you do not need to brown extra to accommodate the lost liquid from browning). You will want to make sure it’s cooled a bit before adding the eggs, so the eggs don’t cook prematurely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Blondies are occasionally referred to as “blonde brownies”. They are made without cocoa powder and without melted chocolate and aspire to a rich, buttery brown-sugar-vanilla flavor rather than a deep chocolate one (so you can expect a higher ratio of brown sugar to granulated here).
White chocolate brownies are closer in nature to brownies than blondies are, while blondies are more similar to chocolate chip cookie bars.
Most often this is due to over-baking. Baking for too long or on too high of a temperature will quickly change the texture from fudgy/borderline gooey to crumbly and dry instead.
Other culprits include accidentally mis-measuring an ingredient, using the wrong kind of flour (you need all-purpose, and please do not use self-rising!), accidentally using baking soda instead of powder, or over-measuring your flour.
First, check your pan. If you used a glass, ceramic, or silicone pan the blondies will take longer to bake, and exactly how much longer can vary greatly depending on the particular material of your pan (some people have needed over 45 minutes to bake!). If you use a smaller pan, even if it’s metal, the blondies will also take longer to bake.
If you substituted or accidentally mis-measured any ingredients, this could also cause this issue.
Wait for the blondies to cool at least mostly before cutting into them, if cut into while warm they’ll look quite underbaked.
If a visual is helpful, see the video in the recipe card for exactly how this blondie recipe look in my kitchen every step of the way.
I’ve been in love with this recipe for years and am so excited for you to try it yourself. If you do, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
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Best Blondie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1 ¼ cup (250 g) brown sugar firmly packed (see note)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk room temperature preferred
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (285 g) all-purpose flour (note that in the video I accidentally said 2 ½ cups flour, that is incorrect, you only need 2 ¼ cups as written here)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup (115 g) white chocolate chips (see note)
- 1 cup (130 g) chopped walnuts (may omit, see note)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 13×9 metal baking pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease and flour the pan).
- Combine melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir well.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cup (250 g) brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until completely combined. Set aside.2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.2 ¼ cups (285 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- Gradually stir the dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
- Fold in white chocolate chips and nuts, if using.⅔ cup (115 g) white chocolate chips, 1 cup (130 g) chopped walnuts
- Spread blondie batter into prepared pan and transfer to oven.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few fudgy crumbs.
- Allow to cool before cutting and enjoying
Notes
Brown sugar
I like to use half dark and half light brown sugar in this recipe for a perfectly balanced flavor with butterscotch undertones. If you don’t have both, you can use just light brown sugar.Add-ins (nuts & chocolate), and making this recipe nut-free
You can use up to 2 cups of your favorite add-ins, feel free to swap out the white chocolate chips and nuts for your favorite additions (semisweet chocolate chips, pecans, a chopped baking bar, etc.). This recipe can certainly be made nut-free, just swap the nuts for an equal amount of white chocolate chips or your preferred add-in.Pan note
A metal baking pan is recommended. Using a glass, ceramic, silicone, or other material will increase the time needed to bake, sometimes significantly. Please also note that if you opt to use a smaller pan the baking time can be expected to be longer.Storing
Cover tightly (or cut and transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. These blondies may also be sliced, tightly wrapped and frozen for several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
More Cookie Bars to Try:
Anita
Fabulous
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Anita! I am so glad you enjoyed the Blondies. 🙂
louise
is it granulated sugar or caster sugar
Carolynn
Thanks for sharing. Turned out perfect. The helpful hints are nice to read to prevent problems. Had to cook the blondies for 35 minutes. Well definitely make them again and try different fillings.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the Blondie Recipe, Carolynn! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Carla
These are amazing, the only thing I have yet to master is the cooking time.
I use an electric over and cooked on fan assisted for 30 mins at 175 and they needed another few minutes but went crispy around the edges – they tasted amazing though
Tried a second time at 175 for 30mins but without fan assisted and they are nowhere near done
I have weighed everything as precisely as I could so not sure what I’ve done
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Carla! I am glad that you enjoyed the blondie recipe but sorry that cooking time is off. If they are gooey in the center, they just need to bake longer as every oven is different. I hope you master it the next time around. Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Nancy
I tried your recipe and everyone loved them! super easy and delicious, not too dry not too chewy. The only thing with mine is that they came out a little crumbly, would you know why? Could it be the eggs not being at room temperature? (I forgot to take them out of the fridge sooner)
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Nancy! I am glad that you enjoyed the Blondie Recipe. I am sorry that they came out slightly crumbly. Usually, if this is the case the flour was just overmeasured. When measuring flour you want to spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level off. I hope that you give this recipe a try again. 🙂
gary walter
These were great! I made sugar substitutions for someone on a modified sugar consumption diet in our family: baking Splenda for white sugar; brown sugar split between 1/2 measure of brown sugar, and 1/2 measure coconut brown sugar. Baking time remained the same. Easy to cut, texture was great, tasted great!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that the Blondie recipe worked well with the sugar substitutions and that they tasted great. Thanks for your comment, Gary! Enjoy! 🙂
Sheena
Nice but very much like a chocolate chip cake from the outside and undercooked in the middle. Thanks though, it was still nice to make something different with my son.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Sheena! I hope that you enjoyed the Blondie Recipe and am happy that it gave you something new to bake with your son. Enjoy the weekend and thanks for giving this recipe a try! 🙂
Sheena
And thank YOU for publishing it 😊
Kathy Colarusso
Made these just as directed, with half dark brown, half light brown sugar, and no other changes. Used glass pyrex baking dish, with parchment, and they baked in 24 minutes. But the consistency of these were more like cake than a brownie??? I am disappointed.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Kathy! I’m sorry to hear that the brownies were on the cakey side. I’m wondering if it is a result of too much flour. When measuring the flour it is best to weigh it or spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. Either way, I am sorry that you were disappointed.
Erin
I love this recipe. This is my go to recipe at work. I just substitute semi sweet chocolate chips for the white chocolate chips. I work at an assisted living facility, and the residents and employees just rave about these blonde brownies. I just made a batch at home and I can’t wait for my daughter to get home from class tonight to try them. Thank you for this recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Erin! I am so happy to hear that the blondies have been a hit! I hope that youe daughter enjoys them too. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Isaac
I work in a kitchen at a nursing home and make these. The residents love them here too!
Kirsten
These were freaking phenomenal!! Followed the recipe (minus walnuts) and they came out perfectly!! Huge hit at the bake sale for my cheerleaders, my hubby and kids loved them too, thanks so much def keeping this one for the books 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Kirsten! I am so glad that they Blondies were such a hit at the bake sale and among your family. Enjoy! 🙂
Angelica Vazquez
I was really looking forward to these but they turned out very greasy and hardly a crust on the outside. I followed the recipe all the way through and did gram measurements. Only added white chocolate chips. I would really like to know what went wrong.
Sam
Hi Angelica! I am wondering if maybe they just needed to bake a bit longer? Or, if the butter was very hot when the sugar was added sometimes that can melt the sugar and cause the end result to be greasier than desired.
Kat Jung
Amazing recipe… thank you!!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Kat! I am so glad that you enjoyed the Blondie Recipe. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Nick
Perfect recipe, thanks for sharing! We followed it exactly except we replaced the walnuts with butterscotch chips and it came out fantastic!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the blondie recipe, Nick! I love that you substituted butterscotch chips too. Enjoy! 🙂
Jaime
These were FANTASTIC! My kids loved them. I added chocolate chips and peanut butter chips to mine because, well, I love the combination and couldn’t help myself. It was very simple and easy to do. Will definitely be saving this one for a later date.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Jaime! I am glad that the blondies were such a hit. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Sheri
These came out great. I used walnuts and chocolate chips. Perfect!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks, Sheri! I am so glad that you enjoyed the blondies. I love the additional walnuts and chocolate chips. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Cindy
These blondies turned out dry. I undercooked them – only cooked them for 22 minutes and they were still dry. I think there are better blondie recipes out there.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Cindy. I’m sorry that the blondies turned out dry! I’m wondering if you could have possibly added too much flour? When measuring flour you want to use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with a straight end. If the flour is scooped into the measuring cup, this could cause it to be packed into the cup, resulting in too much flour. Regardless, I am so sorry that this happened. 🙁