These easy Chocolate Chip Blondies are a brown sugar dream come true!
Blondie Bars are one of the easiest one-bowl recipes you will ever make
They take just 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to bake which makes them one of our favorite types of treats!
Our recipe includes the option of mixing in extras like chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and chopped nuts. You don’t even need a mixer for this recipe!
Ready to get started? Just click on our “jump to recipe” button below to go straight to the recipe card. For tips, processes, and substitutions keep reading.
Jump to RecipeBy the way, these Blondie bars taste terrific without any add-ins too (which actually makes them a true Blondie). Read below for more mix-in ideas.
What is the difference between a Brownie and a Blondie?
Chocolate! Blondies are also called “blond brownies” because of their light color. They have no cocoa in them but they have the same texture as brownies and taste like vanilla and brown sugar rather than chocolate. Speaking of brownies – ours are also a one-bowl treat!
Chocolate Chip Blondies also differ from chocolate chip cookie bars because they have more brown sugar which gives them more of a butterscotch flavor (yum!). We use dark brown sugar to get a deeper flavor but you can easily substitute light brown sugar if you prefer a lighter color and flavor.
Ingredients needed:
- Dark Brown Sugar – sub in light brown if you want
- White Sugar – helps balance the sugar taste
- Butter (unsalted) – if you use salted you may want to omit the extra teaspoon of salt
- Vanilla Extract ~ we like to make our own! Don’t skip the vanilla in the recipe – it’s a must!
- Eggs – our version has 2 eggs for a super moist Blondie
- All-Purpose Flour – give it a stir before you toss it in to aerate it
- Baking Powder – this gives the Blondies a little lift
- Cornstarch – don’t skip this secret ingredient because it helps makes the bars soft and chewy
- Salt – just a teaspoon to balance the sweetness
- Optional Mix-ins ~ chocolate chips or chunks are our top choice but more on that below!
How to make the best Blondies from scratch:
- Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare a pan by greasing and flouring a 9″ x 13″ or a 7″ x 13″ baking pan, or to make removing bars easy after baking, line with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl and mix well to combine.
- Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can also mix by hand.
- Place softened (or melted and cooled) butter plus both sugars in the mixing bowl and mix until well blended, about 1 minute.
- Add vanilla plus 1 egg and briefly mix to combine. Add additional egg and mix lightly.
- Add the flour mixture and mix only until everything is incorporated. Do not overmix as this will cause a less tender finished product.
- If adding mix-ins now is the time to gently fold them in by hand.
- Spread evenly into pan and bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out almost dry but not quite. You want the middle to look just slightly underdone.
- Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars.
What makes a Blondie recipe chewy rather than cakey?
We like our chewy blondies chewy, rather than cakey. There are two factors that help get us there.
- Egg yolks: We use 2 eggs in this recipe and the extra yolk helps make these bars chewier as a result.
- Cornstarch: Too much flour can cause dry baked goods. Cornstarch allows us to cut back just a little on the flour but gives us a tender crumb as a reward
Tips for the best soft blondies:
Although this is a very simple recipe there are a few key tips to follow to ensure the best soft chewy Blondies
- Do not over mix! This recipe really benefits from a gentle hand when mixing. If you over mix these blondies they will not be nearly as moist or tender. Just mix the batter until it is combined. This holds true for brownies and any type of cookie bars, as well.
- Be careful not to overbake. The color should be golden brown and while the edges will be fully cooked the center of the pan should still be a little soft. Blondies will continue to cook as they cool. The cooking time will vary depending on the pan size noted in the recipe card below.
- Choose the best quality ingredients. There are just a few simple ingredients in these brown sugary bars so the flavor of each ingredient really shines through.
- The most important ingredient is good quality vanilla extract. If you want to learn how to make your own, try our easy 2 ingredient pure vanilla extract. It’s amazing and more economical in the long run.
- I like to use dark brown sugar to get a deeper flavor. However, you can use all light, all dark, or half of each with good results. If you use all dark brown sugar the blondies will be richer, sweeter, darker in color, and a bit more moiste.
Plain and Chocolate Chip Blondies
What are the best mix-ins for classic Blondies?
Blondies are like a blank canvas because almost everything tastes great mixed into them. You can add up to 1 cup of mix-ins to this recipe.
Here are some of the most popular choices:
- White Chocolate Chip Blondies are a favorite of any white chocolate fan!
- Dark Chocolate Chips or chunks are the choice in my house, but you can use chopped chocolate, as well.
- Butterscotch Chips are a marriage made in heaven with these Blondies because they add to the caramel type flavor.
- Try a mixture or combo of any of the above chips.
- Any type of chopped nuts will work such as walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, or peanuts. Be sure to chop roughly before adding.
Other easy sweets and treats:
- Our One Bowl Espresso Brownies and Sugar Cookie Bars are Blondie’s cool cousins
- Pair these Easy Blondies with a Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Imagine these Blondies drizzled with Salted Caramel Sauce or our 10-minute Hot Fudge Sauce
- If you’ve never tried Cowboy Cookies or Double Chocolate Chip Cookies then you are in for a delicious treat!
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Easy Blondie Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter very soft or melted
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup chocolate chips white or dark, Optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.Grease and flour a 9"x13" or a 7"x11" baking pan, or line with parchment paper.
- Stir together flour, salt, baking powder, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Melt butter (alternately use very soft butter) and add to a large electric mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Add both sugars to the bowl and mix until completely combined.
- Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, mixing lightly between each addition.
- Add flour mixture to mixing bowl, and gently combine until just mixed together. If adding chocolate chips, or any other mix-ins, fold in by hand.
- Spread batter into prepared pan and transfer to oven.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes for a 9"x13" pan or 25-27 minutes for a 7"x11" pan, or until a toothpick inserted around edges comes out clean, but the center is still slightly soft.Cool completely on a wire rack to allow the center to finish cooking before cutting into bars, at least 30 minutes.
Amy
Quick and easy, they were delicious!!
Heather Johnson
loved this – so easy and yum!!!!!
SenaMarie DeJesus
Yummy and addictive
Debi
I’ve always thought that brown sugar treats were way better than white sugar treats, and these blondies prove me right! They are so good and so easy to make!
Jacqueline Meldrum
I haven’t made blondies for years but you have tempted me!
Brianna
I love blondies and your recipe looks super easy to make!
Tara
These blondies look amazing! I love that texture paired with the chocolate chips. So easy too!