Irresistibly Chewy Brown Butter Toffee Blondies: Your New Favorite Dessert Bar Recipe
Prepare to fall in love with these incredibly chewy brown butter toffee blondies! They’re a sublime upgrade from your typical blondie, infused with the rich, nutty aroma of browned butter and studded generously with the caramelized, buttery crunch of chocolate-covered toffee bits. This recipe promises a harmonious blend of textures and flavors, making every bite an unforgettable experience.
Why These Brown Butter Toffee Blondies are a Must-Try
The moment these brown butter toffee blondies start baking, your kitchen will be filled with an intoxicating aroma – a delightful blend of nutty, caramelized butter and sweet toffee. This alone is reason enough to make them a permanent fixture in your dessert collection!
At their core, these blondies feature a classic chewy blondie base, but with an exquisite twist. The butter is first browned, which infuses the entire batch with a deep, toasted, almost caramel-like flavor that elevates the blondies from good to extraordinary. Then, we fold in generous amounts of crunchy, chocolate-coated toffee bits, adding layers of buttery sweetness and a satisfying textural contrast. The result is a bar that boasts golden, slightly crisp edges and an incredibly moist, chewy center, making every mouthful a pure delight. Seriously, when isn’t it a good time for such a decadent treat? These blondies strike the perfect balance between sophisticated flavor and comforting indulgence.
Gather Your Ingredients for the Best Brown Butter Toffee Blondies
Crafting these delectable blondies requires a few simple, high-quality ingredients that, when combined, create magic. You’ll find a detailed list of all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe version at the end of this post. For now, let’s take a look at the star components.
Ingredient Deep Dive & Substitution Suggestions for Perfect Blondies
Understanding each ingredient’s role is key to baking success. Here’s a closer look, along with helpful tips and substitution options:
The Magic of Brown Butter
The unsalted butter in this recipe isn’t just melted; it’s browned to perfection. This simple step is a game-changer, transforming the butter from a mild, creamy flavor to a deeply nutty, toasty, and caramel-infused essence. It adds incredible depth to the blondies that regular melted butter simply can’t achieve. Make sure to watch it carefully as it browns to prevent burning!
Toffee Bits
The star crunch! You can typically find chocolate-covered toffee bits in the baking aisle, often near the chocolate chips. These provide a delightful chew and a burst of buttery caramel flavor, perfectly complemented by the chocolate coating. If you can’t locate them, don’t worry! You can easily chop up some Heath candy bars for a similar, fantastic result. Alternatively, plain toffee bits work wonderfully too, offering that pure caramelized sugar crunch.
Flour
Accuracy is paramount when it comes to flour in baking. For the best possible outcome in your baked goods, it’s highly recommended to use a kitchen scale to measure your all-purpose flour. This prevents common errors that can lead to dry or crumbly blondies. If a scale isn’t available, employ the ‘scoop and sweep’ method: gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then level it off with the back of a butter knife. Never pack your flour down or tap the cup, as this compresses the flour, adding too much and resulting in a dense, dry texture.
Sugars
This recipe calls for a balanced blend of both granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar. Granulated sugar contributes to the crisp edges and overall sweetness, while light brown sugar adds moisture, chewiness, and that signature hint of molasses flavor that pairs so well with brown butter. You can substitute the light brown sugar with dark brown sugar if you prefer an even deeper, more robust molasses flavor and a slightly darker blondie. Just be aware that this will alter the color and intensity of the final product.
Eggs
Large eggs act as a crucial binder in our blondies, contributing to their structure, richness, and moist texture. They help create the chewy consistency we all love in a good blondie. Ensure your eggs are at room temperature for better emulsification with the butter and sugar mixture, leading to a smoother batter.
Vanilla Extract
Pure vanilla extract is essential for enhancing all the other flavors in the blondies. Its warm, aromatic notes complement the brown butter and toffee beautifully. Opt for a good quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor payoff.
Baking Powder & Salt
Baking powder provides the necessary lift to give the blondies their soft, tender crumb, preventing them from being too dense. Salt, often overlooked, is critical for balancing and enhancing the sweetness, bringing out the complex flavors of the brown butter and toffee.
Nuts
For these blondies, we recommend pecans due to their buttery texture and complementary flavor profile with brown butter and toffee. Walnuts are another excellent choice, offering a slightly more earthy note. However, the beauty of this recipe is its versatility: feel free to use your favorite nuts, omit them entirely if you prefer a nut-free dessert, or replace them with extra chocolate chips or additional toffee bits for an even more indulgent treat.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Irresistible Brown Butter Toffee Blondies
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Prepare Your Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter or spray a 9×13-inch baking pan. For easy removal and clean-up, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Butter and flour the parchment paper (or spray with baking spray) to ensure nothing sticks.
- Brown the Butter: In a skillet (a light-colored bottom is best for easily monitoring the color change) over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir frequently. The butter will bubble, then foam. Continue stirring continuously until the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn a beautiful golden brown and the butter emits a nutty, fragrant aroma. This usually takes 5-8 minutes. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and pour the browned butter, including the delicious browned bits, into a heat-safe bowl to prevent further cooking. Let it cool slightly while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. This ensures the leavening agent is evenly distributed. Then, add the chopped pecans and chocolate-covered toffee bits to the dry ingredients and toss to coat them. Coating them in flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the blondie batter during baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of an electric mixer (stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer), combine the cooled browned butter and both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until they are just combined.
- Add Eggs: Attach the bowl to the mixer and add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and noticeably paler in color. This creaming process, which should take about 3 minutes, incorporates air, contributing to the blondies’ chewy texture.
- Incorporate Vanilla & Dry Mix: Add the pure vanilla extract and beat until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture (with the nuts and toffee). Mix until just thoroughly combined; be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough blondies. Once the batter is ready, spread it evenly into your prepared 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Bake & Cool: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs attached (not wet batter). Be careful not to overbake, as this will result in dry blondies. Once baked, transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Allowing them to cool fully in the pan is crucial for them to set properly and achieve that perfect chewy texture. Once cool, carefully invert the blondies out of the pan onto a cutting board, peel off the parchment paper, and cut into 2-inch squares.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips for Blondie Perfection
To maintain their incredible chewiness and freshness, store the fully cooled brown butter toffee blondies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully delicious for 4-5 days. Be sure the container is tightly sealed to prevent them from drying out.
Absolutely! These blondies freeze beautifully. Once they have completely cooled, wrap individual squares or small batches tightly in plastic wrap. Then, place the wrapped blondies in a large gallon-sized zip-top freezer bag or an airtight freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply transfer them to the refrigerator overnight or let them sit at room temperature for a few hours. If you prefer a warm, gooey treat, you can gently reheat the thawed bars in the microwave for a few seconds or in a low oven until warmed through.
Brown butter, also known as beurre noisette, is butter that has been gently cooked until its milk solids caramelize and turn golden brown. This process imparts a rich, nutty, and toasted flavor to the butter, reminiscent of caramel and hazelnuts. It adds incredible depth and complexity to baked goods like these blondies, offering a more sophisticated flavor profile than plain melted butter.
The most common culprit for dry blondies is overbaking. Keep a close eye on them during the last few minutes of baking. They should be just set in the center, and a toothpick inserted should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter, but definitely not completely clean. Another factor is accurately measuring flour; too much flour can also lead to a dry texture. Using a kitchen scale for flour is highly recommended.
Yes, this recipe is quite flexible! While chocolate-covered toffee bits and pecans are a fantastic combination, feel free to experiment. You can use different types of nuts (walnuts, almonds), various chocolate chips (milk, dark, white chocolate), or even other candies. Just ensure the total quantity of mix-ins remains similar to avoid altering the batter consistency too much.
The main difference lies in their primary flavor. Brownies are essentially chocolate cakes in bar form, featuring a rich cocoa or melted chocolate base. Blondies, on the other hand, are vanilla-based, relying on brown sugar and butter for their signature butterscotch-like flavor. Think of blondies as the vanilla counterpart to a chocolate brownie, offering a distinctively chewy and rich experience without the chocolate dominance.
Once you add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense blondies rather than the desired chewy texture.
Using room temperature eggs helps them emulsify better with the browned butter and sugars, creating a smoother, more uniform batter. This leads to a more consistent and tender blondie. If you forget to take them out ahead of time, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions & Perfect Pairings
While these brown butter toffee blondies are undeniably perfect on their own, a tall glass of cold milk is their classic companion, cutting through the richness beautifully. For a sophisticated morning treat, I’ve been known to secretly enjoy a bar with a warm cup of coffee or tea. To truly indulge, serve them slightly warm from the oven so the chocolate bits are still delightfully melty and the blondies are wonderfully soft. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream would also take these over the top. But rest assured, they are equally divine at room temperature, making them perfect for picnics, potlucks, or simply a sweet moment to yourself. Enjoy!
Discover More Irresistible Dessert Bar Recipes
If you’ve fallen in love with these brown butter toffee blondies, you’re sure to enjoy our other delightful dessert bar recipes. They’re perfect for sharing, parties, or simply satisfying that sweet tooth!
- Millionaire’s Bars
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!
Brown Butter Toffee Blondies
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter 2 1/2 sticks
- 11 ounces all-purpose flour 2.25 cups, 314 g
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 4 ounces chopped pecans 1 cup, 115 g
- 6 ounces chocolate covered toffee bits 1 cup, 170 g
- 15.6 ounces packed light-brown sugar 2 cups, 442 g
- 4.5 ounces granulated sugar 1/2 cup, 128 g
- 3 large eggs
- 2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Things You’ll Need
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13×9 baking pan
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Skillet
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Stand mixer or hand mixer
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Wire cooling rack
Before You Begin
- It’s best to use a kitchen scale when measuring for the best possible outcome in your baked goods. If you do not own a scale, I would recommend using the scoop and sweep method when it comes to flour. Scoop the flour into a measuring cup using a spoon and level it off gently with the back end of a butter knife. Never pack your flour or tap the cup on the counter to condense. Too much flour will result in dry, crumbly baked goods.
- You can typically find chocolate covered toffee bits in the baking aisle next to the chocolate chips. If you can’t seem to find them, you can easily chop up some Heath candy bars for the same result or substitute them with regular toffee bits.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Butter or spray a 9×13-inch baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, extending it over the sides for easy lifting; butter and flour the parchment paper (or spray generously with baking spray).
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In a skillet (preferably with a white bottom for visibility) over medium heat, cook the butter, stirring frequently until it bubbles, then foams. Continue stirring continuously until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl, letting it cool slightly.1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and table salt. Add the chopped pecans and chocolate-covered toffee bits to the dry ingredients and toss to coat thoroughly, ensuring they don’t clump together or sink during baking.11 ounces all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, 4 ounces chopped pecans, 6 ounces chocolate covered toffee bits
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In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), combine the cooled browned butter and both the packed light-brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.15.6 ounces packed light-brown sugar, 4.5 ounces granulated sugar
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Attach the bowl to the mixer; add the large eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and significantly paler, about 3 minutes. This incorporates air for a chewy texture.3 large eggs
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Add the pure vanilla extract and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Be careful not to overmix. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan.2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (do not overbake, as this will lead to dry blondies). Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the blondies to cool completely before attempting to remove them. Once fully cooled, invert the blondies onto a cutting board, peel off the parchment paper, and cut into 2-inch squares.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Storage – Store the fully cooled blondies in an air-tight container kept at room temperature for 4-5 days. Be sure to keep them tightly sealed to preserve the texture and freshness.
- Freezing – Wrap the fully cooled squares in plastic wrap then place them in a large gallon-sized zip-top bag or air-tight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature. You can gently reheat the bars in the microwave or oven if desired.
Nutrition
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The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This post originally appeared here on Sept 19, 2010 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips. Recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart.