April 6, 2021
Who said Blondies have more fun? Well hopefully today they do! These blondies have followed me around for many years, from apartment, to house, to house. They are always my go to blondie when I am in the mood for a little chocolate, but not a brownie. They are sort of like a chocolate chip cookie disguised as a bar. I like that because sometimes it’s easier to just put the batter in the pan rather than deal with each individual cookie.
Even though I’ve been making these for years, I decided to try other recipes to see what’s out there these days. Theres’s lots of recipes with lemon zest or orange zest in them, but my kids strongly disliked them. Blondies are like kids food. It would be like putting lemon zest on a chicken nugget.
So back to my tried and true blondie recipe I went. With the help of an old cookbook by Nick Malgieri I saw the smiles on my kids’ faces brighten. No lemon zest, no almond extract, just a straight forward blondie. Even if you are a brunette.
Blondies
Adapted from Nick Malgieri’s Chocolate
Ingredients:
2 1/2 (300 grams) cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150 grams) packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (75 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted first (optional)
2 cups (240 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Prepare a 13 x 9 inch pan sprayed with baking spray and lined with a parchment sling.
In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, salt and baking soda.
In a large bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment beat the butter with the sugars until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract.
On low, stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. The batter will be very thick. Stir in the chips and nuts if you are using.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan. You may have to use your hands. Dampen your hands with some water, so the batter doesn’t stick to your fingers. Next use a spatula to smooth the batter down.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch in the center. A skewer placed in the center should come out clean.
Cool in the pan on a rack. Run a knife along the 9” edge of the pan. After the blondies are cool, lift them out of the pan with the parchment paper sling and place on cutting board. Cut into squares.