Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Blondies
Need a dessert that feeds a crowd without having to bake tray after tray of cookies?
Grab a 9 × 13 pan and whip up these Brown Butter Blondies. Browning the butter adds a toasted, nutty caramel flavor, and the single-pan bake turns that rich dough into twenty-four delicious, chewy bars. Perfect for PTO meetings, potlucks, or any occasion where you need a big batch dessert.
A friend once nudged me to try brown butter in cookies, and the moment I smelled that nutty, toasted aroma, I was hooked.
This blondie dough is my mother-in-law’s fifty-year-old cookie recipe, the one my husband always licked from the bowl growing up. Swapping in brown butter felt risky, but the flavor payoff was totally worth it. Next-level caramel notes that make everyone pause after the first bite and say, “What is that?”
My first test batch went into an 8 × 8 pan and baked up super thick. They were tasty, but more cake-like than brownie-like in texture. A 9 × 13 pan provides each bar with the perfect mix of chewy edges and soft centers, yielding 24 squares.
Do you prefer white chocolate? Take a peek at my Birthday Cake Blondies. They trade the semisweet chocolate chips for white chocolate and cute sprinkles.
Pecan Cookie Bar Ingredients
Recipe Notes
- Baking Soda provides a chewier, crispier cookie than baking powder, which gives cookies a more cake-like texture.
- Here I’m using my friend’s vanilla paste brand, but you can use any type of vanilla you have on hand.
- I always use all-purpose flour for my cookies and bars.
- Just a little bit of milk helps make the cookies moist.
Variations
Substitute butterscotch chips for the chocolate, bourbon for the milk, or add some pretzels or dried cherries for an extra twist. Additionally, you can make a half-batch and bake it in an 8×8 pan. Mix and match any of these ideas, then finish with a sprinkle of coarse salt on top. One batter, endless possibilities.
How to make Chocolate Chip Blondies with Brown Butter
Step 1: Brown the butter
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients.
Pro Tip – Be sure to cool the butter completely before adding it to the dough.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Step 5: Fold in pecans and chocolate chips.
Step 6: Spread the batter into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake and cool.
FAQ
I highly recommend browning the butter, which significantly alters the flavor profile, but if you are short on time, you can use softened butter to make the bars.
You can swap out the pecans for walnuts, or if you don’t have any nuts on hand, you can omit them and add more chocolate chips.
You can brown the butter in the microwave, but you must be very careful and watch it closely. Use short intervals and stir between each interval until the butter browns and you can smell the nutty aroma. My preferred method is on the stovetop.
Did you make the recipe? Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook! Thanks so much!
Recipe
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Large Batch Brown-Butter Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ½ tablespoon Milk
- 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans
- 1 teaspoon Course Salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes.1 cup Butter
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the browned butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk, and mix until smooth.1 cup Brown Sugar, ½ cup Granulated Sugar, 2 Eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract, ½ tablespoon Milk
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually stir the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until a thick batter forms.2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- Gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and chopped pecans.1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips, 1 cup Chopped Pecans
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle coarse salt evenly over the top.1 teaspoon Course Salt
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the blondies cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares.
Notes
- Cook until the milk solids turn deep golden and smell nutty.
- Cool for about 10 minutes before adding to the bowl so you do not scramble the eggs.
- Scrape every browned bit into the batter. That is pure flavor!
- A metal 9 x 13 pan bakes faster and more evenly than glass. If using glass, add 3 to 5 minutes.
- Line with a parchment sling for easy lifting and clean cuts.
- Start checking at 18 minutes. You want set edges and a slightly soft center.
- A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- After the blondies cool, store them in an airtight container. They should be good for about 4 days on the counter.
- To freeze, wrap the blondies in plastic wrap and then put them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
These look SO good!
These were a huge hit with my entire family! The brown butter makes all the difference. Didn’t have pecans, so I substituted toasted walnuts. Worked great. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. Will definitely make again.