[Expletive!] Blondie Bars
Okay. The crying and insomnia of the last few days seems to have abated. Are you ready for some relief?
Let's hear it for bar cookies. Just dump that dough in a pan and see what happens. No rolling, no fretting about burnt edges or how big to make those "Tablespoonfuls" that recipes jauntily call for. Once cooked, you can make them as big or little as you want (there's danger in both), and their sturdiness makes them forgiving on car trips, in lunches, or packed up for firefighters (in this case.)
Blondies are basically a tricked-out, dense chocolate chip cookie, made with more brown sugar than white, and subject to variations like coconut, nuts or no nuts, butterscotch chips or toffee bits. My favorite Blondies around town are at Oddfellows, but Columbia City Bakery is right on their heels. By now, you know about my thing for cookies. The Temptation Hour is 3:00 in the afternoon, when my lids are starting to droop and I'm getting bummed about not accomplishing more in my day. Good cup of coffee; little bit of sweet gooeyness--dinner and day's end don't seem so far away.
[Expletive!] Blondie Bars
This is a Dorie Greenspan recipe, retrieved from somewhere in the great Interwebbing Blogdom. Don't ask me where. I think by now it's changed somewhat from the original. All you need to know is--YUM. I used chocolate and butterscotch chips and walnuts, but can imagine so many other variations--coconut, macadamia nuts, corn flakes. You name it.
2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 c. butterscotch chips or toffee bits
1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 325 and butter a 9x13 pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
In in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, bat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until well-incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until they just disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips, nuts, or anything else you're adding. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to even the top.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. They should pull away from the sides of the pan and the top should be a nice honey brown.
Cool to room temperature before cutting into bars.
January 19, 2010
Reader Comments (19)
I went through a chocolate chip cookie bar phase. In fact, I didn't make drop cookies for years. YEARS. Making the cheddar fondue tonight. Am excited about it.
Nom nom nom. My body (mind) always asks for a cookie and latte around 3pm too ; )
Bless you woman. For some reason I NEED cookies in January and Sydney asked if we could make cookies for dessert tonight. Thankfully I think I have all of this tucked away in the cupboards. And, how awesome is anything that calls for 2 sticks of butter?! I think you could add ants and leaves and it would be grand. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
i was going to make peanut butter blondes today, but decided for yesterday and here you are making some that I'm salivating over. YUM!
Hi Tiffany! I hope they turned out beautifully.
These look wonderful! I was going to make oatmeal cookies but I think I will be making bar cookies instead!!:)
Those look to-die-for good! Going to whip up a batch tonight. Thanks!
I haven't made Blondies in years. They used to be a staple for my Christmas baking. Hmm might have to make some this weekend...
all i can say is that i wish i was at your house right now!
I have been doing a lot of "stress" baking the last few weeks. Going through some pretty hard things at work - I haven't even been able to keep up with your blog, I have been in such a funk. Which is really sad for me...I love your blog and visit daily. Sometimes even more! SO, I am gong to bake these to night to help cheer folks up at the office. THANK YOU, Sarah!
Beth, I'm sorry thing have been hard. Sometimes, there ARE more important things than this blog :) I hope you and your co-workers come into a clearing soon. xo
Hey Sarah! Jackie and I are making these cookies right now but in the recipe it only lists light brown sugar, but later you talk about the adding both sugars. Can you tell us what second sugar there should be and how much? P.S. The batter w/o the second sugar still tastes AMAZING!!
Hi guys! Sorry I couldn't reply sooner. The recipe should have 1/2 c. white sugar in it. I'll bet they turned out just fine without it, though.
I made these! Very easy and the first sound that came out of Steve's mouth was, "hmmmmm...these are good. Where did you get the recipe?" Really, does he still need to ask?
By the way, can I just blame you for the roll that is forming around the mid section of my tummy? ;)
I made these this weekend. Absolutely wonderful. Jared had to work all weekend so one day I actually had one for breakfast, one for lunch and one for dinner.
Hi Liz! Hey, that's what nursing mothers are allowed to do, right?!
This recipe is dangerous. I've made it twice since it was posted. SO (insert expletive) good! The next batch is a birthday present. I just hope I can hide them away so that they make it to the party. Thanks!
Уважаемый автор блога, а вы случайно не из Москвы?
Oh for heaven's sake...these are everything you said they would be.