These ooey-gooey Salted Brown Butter Pecan Blondies turn a simple blondie recipe into a decadent dessert that’s crunchy, sweet, and salty. This flavorful brown butter treat is the perfect dessert for anyone who enjoys a soft cookie in bar form!
Sometimes you just need a blondie. It’s everything you love about a gooey chocolate chip cookie but in bar form and who wouldn’t enjoy that?
This recipe starts with a simple brown butter made from scratch. It’s simple to make and involves cooking down the butter until the milk solids drop to the bottom where they get brown. This gives the butter a caramel toffee-like flavor that tastes truly amazing in these blondies.
A simple blondie batter is made using easy pantry ingredients with freshly cooled brown butter. Fold in some toasted pecans and chocolate and bake for a decadent treat that’s irresistible!
The best part about this dessert is that it can be customized in so many different ways. You can add your favorite type of chocolate or change up the crunch factor by adding toasted nuts or even a handful of shredded coconut. Dried fruit also makes a great addition. But most importantly, don’t forget the salt!
A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of these brownies is what truly tops off the flavor and brings it to the next level of sweet and salty goodness.
Ingredients //
- Butter – Adds a rich buttery flavor and smooth texture to the blondies.
- Brown Sugar – Gives these blondies a sweet caramel flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – Infuses this treat with a hint of vanilla flavor.
- Eggs – Helps bind and set the blondie batter when baked.
- Flour – Flour brings all the ingredients together and gives the blondies a baked cookie texture.
- Salt – Enhances the flavor in the blondies and helps the baking powder react.
- Baking Powder – Gives a slight rise to the blondies.
- Pecans – Adds a nutty crunch and texture.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips & Milk Chocolate – Adds sweet gems of chocolate flavor.
- Flaked Sea Salt – Added to the top of the blondies for a salty layer of flavor that pairs well with sweet chocolate.
How to Make // The Steps
Step 1: Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, and grease with cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the brown butter: To make brown butter, you’ll need to heat a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and stir it until melted. Continue stirring the butter even as it begins to foam and pop. Brown butter can turn into burnt butter easily, so keep stirring! After about 5-8 minutes, the milk solids will separate and fall to the bottom of the pan. Remove the brown butter from the pan and let it cool in a separate container as it can still continue to cook on a hot pan.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients: Add brown sugar to a mixing bowl, and pour cooled brown butter in. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved into the butter. Mix in the egg and vanilla until combined.
Step 4: Mix with the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder until combined. Combine the dry mixture with the wet mixture being careful not to overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and toasted pecans.
Step 5: Assemble and bake: Pour the blondie batter into the prepared baking pan, then sprinkle the top with additional toasted pecans and chocolate. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the center is set and the edges golden brown. Cool in the pan, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.
Tips & Tricks
- When making brown butter, make sure you are always keeping an eye on it. It can burn easily and needs constant stirring.
- It’s also important to make sure you remove the brown butter from the heated saucepan as soon as it’s finished as it will continue to cook with residual heat.
- When mixing wet and dry ingredients, be sure to not overwork the batter. This could cause the gluten strands to become tough and will change the texture of the blondie.
- Do not overbake these blondies. The best texture comes from slightly underbaking the cookie just until set. This leaves the blondies with a classic soft ooey-gooey texture.
- Make sure you reserve some chocolate and chopped pecans to put on top of the blondies before baking for a beautiful presentation and crunchy sweet topping.
- Add the flaked sea salt just after baking to make sure it sticks to the blondies.
Why are Salted Brown Butter Pecan Blondies So Good?
- They have a wonderful soft cookie texture and a crunch from the toasted pecans.
- The salt helps enhance the flavor and sweetness of the chocolate for a salty-sweet flavor combination.
- A great dessert to bring to a party or to have at home when you need a sweet treat.
- You can customize this dessert by mixing in your favorite nuts, fruit, or any type of chocolate.
Variations on Salted Brown Butter Pecan Blondies //
- Add any variety of nuts including chopped walnuts, cashews, or even salted and caramelized peanuts.
- Use different types of chocolate. You can opt for dark or white chocolate, or even change it up to use peanut butter or butterscotch chips for sweetness and texture.
- Dried fruit makes a great addition to these blondies. Feel free to mix in some raisins, dried cranberries, or dried blueberries.
- Instead of using vanilla extract, try using maple or almond extract for a unique flavor twist.
- A couple of tablespoons of bourbon gives these blondies a smoky delicious twist.
- Throw in some shredded coconut for a sweet coconut taste and texture.
How to Store and Reheat //
Storing: Any leftover pecan blondies can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Make-Ahead and Freezer Options
Freezing: To freeze pecan blondies, add them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw on the countertop for a couple of hours before serving.
FAQs for Making Salted Brown Butter Pecan Blondies //
The texture of a blondie highly depends on how baked it is. A perfect blondie should be soft on the inside similar to a brownie, so make sure you don’t overbake them!
Brownies are traditionally made with cocoa powder in the batter offering a rich chocolate flavor whereas a blondie uses no cocoa powder and swaps the white sugar for brown sugar giving it a baked cookie texture in bar form.
Since these brown sugar treats are made without cocoa powder, they have a lighter color and contrast to chocolate with a blonde-like color.
More Blondie and Brownie Recipes //
Cookie Butter Cheesecake Brownies
Salted Brown Butter Pecan Blondies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter
- 1 ¾ cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup pecans chopped and toasted
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup milk chocolate chopped
- Flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, while stirring. Once melted, it will foam, pop, and sizzle, this is normal. Keep stirring and do not step away from the stove, it can burn very quickly and then you will need to start over.
- The milk solids will separate and be on the bottom of the pan, and will get brown. The butter should smell toasted and nutty. It takes about 5 to 8 minutes for this to happen.
- Remove from the pan and pour the brown butter into a bowl to cool. If you do not remove it from the pan, it will continue to cook and can burn.
- Add brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Pour in browned butter and whisk until combined and the sugar begins to dissolve and is smooth.
- Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
- Mix together flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined and you cannot see streaks of flour.
- Add toasted pecans and chocolate chips and fold through. I reserve some for the top of the blondies. Pour batter into prepared pan. Add reserved pecans and chocolate chips and arrange on the top of the blondies. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, being careful to not overbake.The center should be set and the edges golden brown. Cool in the pan, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.
