Cookie Monster
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[Photograph: Carrie Vasios]

Adding brown butter to traditional blondies increases their caramel flavor.

About the author: Carrie Vasios is the editor of Serious Eats: Sweets. She likes to peruse her large collection of cookbooks while eating jam from the jar. You can follow her on Twitter @carrievasios

About This Recipe

Yield: makes 12 blondies
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Special equipment: 8- by 8-inch baking pan, whisk, saucepan

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Procedures

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease pan with butter.

  2. Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted. Continue to cook (the butter will foam) until it is fragrant and a nutty brown color. Take off the heat and pour through a sieve into a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature.

  3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

  4. Add brown sugar to bowl with butter and whisk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and whisk to combine. Stir in dry ingredients until just incorporated. Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 20-30 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.