Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies: Chewy & Golden Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, bring the egg to room temperature by setting it on the counter for 30 minutes or placing it in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Measure all ingredients. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy lifting.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) when you begin browning the butter. Have all your tools ready: a small saucepan, a large mixing bowl, a whisk, a rubber spatula, and measuring cups and spoons.

Instructions

Brown Butter and Mix Wet Ingredients

1. 1Brown the Butter
   Melt the salted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
   Look for The butter will foam, then the foam subsides and brown specks appear at the bottom. The aroma becomes intensely nutty.
   Tip Use a light-colored saucepan to see the color change clearly. The butter browns quickly after the foaming stops.
2. 2Mix Wet Ingredients
   In a large bowl, combine the browned butter, neutral oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until well blended. Add the room-temperature egg and vanilla bean paste, and whisk vigorously until the mixture is glossy and thickened, about 1 minute.
   Look for The mixture should look shiny and slightly thickened, with the sugar mostly dissolved.
   Tip Make sure the browned butter is not too hot when adding the egg, or the egg may scramble. Let it cool for a few minutes.

The butter should be a deep golden brown with a nutty fragrance. The wet mixture should look glossy and thickened, with the sugar mostly dissolved. The egg should be fully incorporated without any streaks. The mixture will be warm but not hot to the touch, safe to add the egg.

Fold Dry Ingredients and Chocolate

3. 3Add Dry Ingredients
   Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay.
   Look for The batter should be thick and glossy with no dry patches. Overmixing develops gluten and makes blondies tough.
   Tip For even distribution, whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl before folding in.
4. 4Fold in Chocolate Chips
   Add 1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter and fold until evenly distributed. The batter will be thick and studded with chocolate.
   Look for The chocolate chips should be evenly distributed without being crushed.
   Tip Reserve a few extra chips to press on top before baking for a shiny, melty finish.

The batter should be thick, glossy, and uniform, with no dry flour patches. The chocolate chips should be evenly distributed. The batter will be quite stiff, similar to a cookie dough. It should hold its shape when scooped.

Bake and Cool

5. 5Bake the Blondies
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the batter evenly into the pan. Press extra chocolate chips on top if desired. Bake for 20 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is set but still soft. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs.
   Look for The edges will be golden brown and pull away slightly from the pan. The center will look set but still soft to the touch.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Do not overbake; the blondies continue to set as they cool. The center should be moist and chewy, not dry.
6. 6Cool and Slice
   Let the blondies cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before lifting out and slicing into squares. For clean slices, use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts. Serve warm for molten chocolate pools.
   Look for The blondies will be firm enough to slice cleanly after cooling, but still soft and chewy inside.
   Tip For extra gooeyness, serve warm. For cleaner cuts, cool completely before slicing.

The edges will be golden brown and slightly crisp, while the center will look set but still soft. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with a few moist crumbs.

The kitchen will smell of brown butter and chocolate. After cooling, the blondies should lift cleanly from the pan using the parchment overhang.

Common mistakes

Overmixing the batter after adding the flour develops gluten, resulting in tough, cakey blondies instead of chewy ones. Mix just until the flour disappears. Overbaking is another common issue: blondies continue to set as they cool, so pull them out when the center is still soft.

Burning the butter is a risk too—watch it closely, as it can go from golden to burnt in seconds. Finally, using cold eggs can cause the batter to seize; bring the egg to room temperature.

How to tell it’s done

The blondies are done when the edges are golden brown and pull away from the sides of the pan. The center should look set but still soft and slightly puffed.

A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not wet batter. The internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C) to ensure the egg is fully cooked. Let them cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part