Description
Easy Brown Butter Bourbon Blondies made with nutty brown butter, sweet bourbon, espresso powder, bittersweet chocolate chunks and topped with flaky sea salt!
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, browned
- 1 Cup (120g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon Fine Espresso Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Fine Salt
- 3/4 Cup (150g) Light or Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 Whole Large Egg
- 2 Tablespoons Bourbon
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- 3 to 4 Ounces (85g to 113g) Chocolate Bar, roughly chopped
- Flaky Sea Salt as garnish
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350ºF (176ºC).
- Prepare an 8x8 inch (20x20cm) square pan by buttering and lining with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Set aside.
- Make the Brown Butter - In a light colored saucepan and over medium heat, add unsalted butter. Swirl the pan and keep the butter moving around constantly. Once completely melted, the butter will foam and sizzle and gradually start to brown and deepen in color. You'll notice a nutty aroma and tiny brown specks at the bottom of the pan. The whole process should take about 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Once the butter is a done, quickly transfer to a large mixing bowl. Make sure to scrape in all the tiny brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
- Make Blondie Batter - Immediately add the brown sugar and whisk until well combined. Allow to sit on the counter for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, fine espresso powder and fine salt. Set aside.
- If you're using a chocolate bar, roughly chop it and set aside.
- Once the butter/sugar mixture has cooled (it should be lukewarm and not hot), add 1 whole egg and whisk until the batter is emulsified. Then add bourbon and vanilla and whisk until incorporated.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until there are very few flour streaks left. Do not overmix.
- Add chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks and gently fold into the batter. Reserve some chocolate to add on the top.
- Bake the Blondies - Transfer the batter to your prepared pan. You can either use an offset spatula to spread the batter to the corners or swirl the pan until the batter reaches the corners. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate right on top and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. It’s ready when the edges are golden and the middle is slightly puffy and shiny. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Do not overbake!
- Set on a wire rack and allow to cool completely in the pan, before cutting into small pieces. It should take about 2 hours. Top with flaky sea salt, cut into 16 equal pieces or 1-inch bites (2.5cm) and enjoy!!
Notes
Bourbon - You can use any Whiskey such as Bourbon, Rye or Scotch. You can also use any dark rum or cognac.
Chocolate - 3 to 4 ounces of chocolate is roughly equivalent to 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of chocolate chunks or chips. Use as much or as little as you like. I ended up using 3.5 ounces of the chocolate bar.
Baking Time - These blondies are thinner (1/2 inch tall) and should not take too long to bake, so keep an eye on them. Mine took 18 minutes. If you add more whiskey than written, or bake in a round 8-inch (20cm) pan, add a few extra minutes.
Storage - Store in an airtight container, on the counter for 3 days. See more storage instructions in the body of the post.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 18 to 20 Minutes