Brown Butter Blondies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup semisweet or white chocolate chips

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
2. Melt the 3/4 cup butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan often, for 4 to 6 minutes, until the butter foams, then turns golden brown and smells nutty, with small brown flecks visible at the bottom. Watch closely in the last minute, since butter can go from browned to burnt very quickly.
3. Immediately pour the hot browned butter into a large heatproof bowl to stop the cooking, and let it cool for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk the 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar into the warm browned butter until fully combined and glossy.
5. Whisk in the 2 eggs one at a time, then the 2 tsp vanilla, until the mixture looks thick, smooth, and slightly lightened in color.
6. Sprinkle 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt over the wet mixture and fold in with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing will make the blondies tough instead of chewy, so stop as soon as the flour is incorporated.
7. Fold in the 1 cup chocolate chips, reserving a small handful to press on top for looks if desired.
8. Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan, pushing it into the corners with a spatula.
9. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the top is golden brown and set with a few cracks, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Pulling them slightly early keeps the centers chewy and fudgy rather than dry.
10. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 45 minutes, before lifting out with the parchment overhang and cutting into 16 squares.

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