The BEST Blondie Recipe
This blondie recipe is chewy, rich, and studded with white chocolate chips! They have the same texture as brownies, but are flavored with vanilla rather than chocolate. This is an easy, one-bowl recipe that’s perfect for weeknight baking!
*Post and pictures updated October 2022*
What Is a Blondie?
If you’ve never tried blondie bars before, you’re in for a real treat! They’re essentially “blonde brownies,” aka brownies that are vanilla flavored rather than chocolatey.
This blondie recipe delivers the same fudgy texture of classic brownies, just with a strong vanilla flavor. I even managed to recreate the same crackly top that brownies have!
You can make this easy blondie recipe any time of year, for any occasion. The blondies can be customized with any mix-ins you’d like as well!
Ingredients for This Recipe
This truly is the best recipe for blondies, both because the flavor and texture is spot on, but also because the ingredients list is minimal and everything can be whisked together in one bowl!
I’ve given detailed instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the end of this post, but here’s an overview of the key ingredients needed for this recipe:
- Unsalted Butter: As always, it’s best to stick with unsalted butter in your recipes so that you can control the amount of salt. If you only have salted butter on hand, then just reduce the salt to 1/8 teaspoon or a tiny pinch.
- Brown & Granulated Sugar: I love to use a mix of sugars in these blondies. The brown sugar adds flavor, moisture, and makes these bars chewier.
- Flour: When measuring your flour, make sure to use the spoon and level method. This will ensure that they end up dense like a blondie should be and not too cakey.
- Baking Powder: I don’t use any baking powder in my classic brownies, but I do in these blondies. It adds a little lift, but not too much.
- White Chocolate Chips: An optional mix-in, but I love the flavor and texture they add to the bars. If desired, you can swap out the white chocolate chips for another baking chip.
How to Make Blondies
I love that the batter for this blondie recipe comes together in one bowl. The fewer dishes I have to clean after baking, the better! Let’s quickly go over how this recipe comes together:
- Prep the baking pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. I prefer leaving a bit of overhang to make removing the bars easier.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: Combine the melted butter and both types of sugar in a large mixing bowl, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients: In the same bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, followed by the white chocolate chips.
- Bake the blondies: Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake until the top is set and lightly browned.
- Cool completely: Remove the bars from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The bars need time to set up before they can be sliced!
Recipe Variations
You can easily swap out the white chocolate chips for your favorite mix-ins. Here are a few variations you can try:
- Chocolate Chip: Use 1 cup semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips
- Butterscotch: Use 1 cup butterscotch baking chips
- Peanut Butter: Use 1 cup peanut butter baking chips
- Chocolate Pecan: Use 3/4 cup of your favorite chocolate chips and 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- M&M Chocolate Chip: Use 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3/4 cup M&M’s candies
Should This Recipe Be Made in a Glass or Metal Baking Dish?
Either will work! If using a glass pan, you shouldn’t have to increase the bake time of these blondies at all. I’ve made this recipe in a glass 9×13-inch pan a few times and never had any issues.
If using a metal pan, I recommend choosing a light metal pan rather than a dark one. Light metal pans reflect heat whereas dark metal pans tend to absorb it, which can cause the edges of your blondies to brown more quickly (and possibly burn them).
What Causes Blondies to Sink in the Middle?
If your blondies look perfect around the edges but the middle sunk down after being pulled from the oven, it could be for a couple of reasons.
- Over mixing the eggs: If you over mix the eggs, that can incorporate more air into the batter and cause them to sink.
- Underbaking the bars: Pulling the blondies out of the oven before the center has had time to bake through can also cause them to sink in the middle. Try baking them for a couple extra minutes next time!
Can This Recipe Be Made in Advance?
Absolutely! I don’t recommend making the batter in advance (i.e. preparing the batter and then refrigerating it to bake at a later date). However, you can certainly bake the bars to enjoy throughout the week!
Can This Blondie Recipe Be Halved?
Yes, you can halve the ingredients and bake the blondies in an 8×8-inch pan. The bake time should remain roughly the same, but use your best judgement!
Baking Tips
- Be sure to line your baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Leave some overhang to make removing the blondies from the pan easier.
- Spoon and level the flour when measuring it; do NOT scoop the flour straight from the bag with your measuring cup. This will compact the flour, causing you to measure out too much by mistake.
- Let the melted butter cool for a couple of minutes before adding it to the mixing bowl. If the butter is still piping hot when you stir it in, you may end up scrambling the eggs!
More Easy Dessert Bar Recipes to Try!
Recipe Video
Blondie Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (170 grams)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200 grams)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (250 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips optional (190 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving some overhang for easy removal, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined, then fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared 9x13 pan and spread it around into one even layer.
- Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until the top is set and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into bars.
Hi is it okay to make the batter ahead of time and leave it sit for a few hours in the fridge before cooking them?
I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. If you mix the batter together and wait a few hours, they won’t rise very much. They do take a couple of hours to cool though, so I’d recommend just baking them ahead of time.
THANK YOU!!!!!!! FINALLY a recipe I can “tweek” for high altitude and they are perfect. 8500ft 33 min 350 degrees I added 1 extra tablespoon of flour. I really appreciate you taking the time to perfect this recipe. I had done 5 previous recipes and they were fails.
Thank you!
Hi! I’m at 6000ft. So, you only added an extra tbsp of flour? Did you decrease the leavening agent at all? Thanks In advance!
Hi I want to try your recipe but I’d like to add raspberries aswell as white chocolate chip. Can I do that? If so frozen on non frozen? And will I need to bake them for longer if I add the raspberries?
The batter is really thick, so fresh raspberries may not mix very well into it. You could probably use frozen raspberries and increase the baking time by a few minutes if needed.
Thank you so much. I’ve put it in for an extra 10 mins and it is light golden brown on the top but when I put the knife in should it still be moist/wet or should it come out clean?
Hi my blondies seem to take longer than recommended time. I’m cooking in a gas oven middle shelf gas mark 4 should the shelf be higher
Many thanks
I always cook mine on the middle shelf. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out with a few moist crumbs, but the bars will continue to set up as they cool.
Hi I’m just wondering how you know when it is ready. It is light golden brown on top but when I put a knife in it’s still moist/wet. Should it be or does this mean it needs baking longer? Just asking because I don’t want to over bake it.
The top will be lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out with a few moist crumbs. The bars will continue to set up as they cool though.
2 cups does not equal 250grams. Is this correct?
2 cups of all-purpose flour weighs 250 grams. You can refer to my post on how to measure flour here.
The look and taste great but not sure why they don’t come out as thick as your picture. Is there anything I can do to make them thicker. They come out quite flat
Have you checked your baking powder to make sure it’s still fresh? Or did you happen to over mix the eggs or under bake the blondies?
I’ve made these in the past and they are delicious! I need to make a lot for a party. Can I double or triple the recipe and bake in a sheet pan? Thanks for the help!
I haven’t tried it, but I would probably double the recipe for that.
Hey there ! Have you tried to triple the recipe in a sheet pan? How did it go?
Hi, would it be okay to add bourbon to these? If so how much? I don’t want to throw off the consistency of the batter. Thanks!
I haven’t tried it, but it may be okay to add one to two tablespoons. Or you could try a bourbon extract instead.
Delicious! I love that it is a one mixing bowl recipe! I added 1/2 cup butterscotch chips and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. Turned out perfectly gooey and chewy. My new favorite recipe.
Fab recipe. Lovely tasty blondies
Absolutely love these blondies! However mine always dip in the middle once taken out of the oven – any tips?
Hi, Alys! If they’re slightly under baked, that could cause them to sink. You could try baking them longer and see if that helps. Also, over mixing the eggs can incorporate more air into the batter and cause them to sink. When you’re mixing in the eggs, you only want to mix them in until just combined. I hope that helps!
Really easy, simple ingredients, baked perfectly 🙂
What if I only have salted butter?
Just reduce the salt to 1/8 teaspoon.
If I use half quantities in an 8 x 8 pan – do they require the same baking time as your full-size batch?
Thanks, Peter Benson
The baking time should be pretty similar.
Hi could i swirl jam on top before baking these?
Yes, that would be fine!
Hi,
My blondies came out but more like cookies?? I don’t knwo if I undercooked them or did something wrong but they were golden brown on top and they aren’t as light in colour in the middle as yours looked. Is there anything I can do to stop this from happening? Thank you!!
Did you make sure to spoon and level your flour? Or did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
I made this recipe this evening and I was worried because the “batter” was so thick, much more so than any brownie I’ve made before. They smelled delicious while baking, and my partner LOVES them! Obviously, they came out just fine.
Great, but the edges really burn and this leaves an uneven cook. I had to take mine out of the oven as the edges were burning rather than browning which made the edges hard but rest sunk and soft. Is there a solution to this?
Are you using a dark metal pan? If so, that can cause the edges to brown faster. If you’re not using a darker pan, you may want to check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. The edges of these bars will brown more, but they shouldn’t burn before the bars are finished baking.
If I use a glass baking dish should I adjust the cooking time? The glass has a slight blue tint to it.
You shouldn’t need to adjust the baking time. I’ve used a glass dish for these bars without any issues!
Can these be used as a base for an ice cream cake?
Yes, absolutely! Just be sure to bake it and let it cool completely before adding any ice cream.
Amazing it actually is the best blondies literally everyone at my work is obsessed, I never leave reviews but this recipe 10/10 I normally leave in the oven for 23 mins so it’s still gooey.
First time making blondies and these are delicious. We can’t eating them warm. And it was so quick to make. I’ll be coming back for more recipes, THANKS 🙂
We can’t STOP eating them warm.
it’s not easy to access or find how much of each item to include in the recipe, also this recipe doesn’t have how many blondies it bakes for? i also feel like this recipe was (although not badly written) too long and i felt like i were reading a high school essay on how to make them?
Hi, Charlie! You can find the full list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card towards the bottom of the post. If you can’t find it, there’s a jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
I found it worktops m easily. It’s right at the end… like she said.
P.s. Some pple need and appreciate longer, more detailed steps.
what happens when they are not ready in 32 mins how much longer do u bake them
This will depend on your oven, they will be done once the top is set and lightly browned.
Danielle, this looks amazing!! I LOVE how versatile you can make this recipe with the add-ins. Your recipes are always the best. Going to make the Butterscotch Blondies today because it’s what I have on hand. Thanks a bunch for sharing!
Do we have to line our glass baking dish as well… it just the metal one?
I recommend lining either type of pan, just so it’s easier to remove the bars and slice them, but it’s not necessary. If you don’t line the pan, I do recommend greasing it first.
Don’t know what I did wrong but mine turned out very dry
Did you make any adjustments to the recipe and did you spoon and level your flour?
I made this recipe and it turned out all cakey. Is suppose to be taste like cake? I thought it supposed to taste like gooey and soft. Is it not? 🙂
No, they shouldn’t be cakey. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe? Did you spoon and level your flour? And did you make sure to use baking powder?
I just made these!! They’re delicious!! I only had bread flour so I used less flour but they still turned out delish!! Thank you!!
And my were soft and gooey!!
Hi, the batter came out SUPER thick so I added a tiny bit of milk can I do that? Also they are VERY sweet. Can I cut down on the sugar?
It’s meant to be thick, like the pictures in the post. It probably won’t hurt to add a little milk, but it’s not necessary. You can reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup and reduce the white chocolate chips.