These blondies are chewy, soft, and rich with loads of caramel flavor. Blondies great with add-ins (I’m using salted caramel and pecans), but can be just as delicious without the additions. These bars come together pretty easily, you don’t even need a stand mixer!
Blondies are kind of like brownies without the chocolate. The method for putting them together is basically the same. But in this case you end up with a chewy vanilla forward bar instead of chocolate. And I’ve taken my bars a step further to make them caramel forward. In addition to a salted caramel topping, I’ve upped the brown sugar and added browned butter to help bring out the caramel hint that you’d get in a traditional blondie.
In my recipe I’m using a homemade salted caramel (recipe coming soon!). You can use a store bought caramel, but like most things in the kitchen, homemade is better.
Salted Caramel Pecan Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 c brown butter
- 1¼ c light brown sugar
- ½ c dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ c all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¼ c pecans
- ¼ c salted caramel sauce
- flaked salt to sprinkle
Instructions
- Brown your butter:Add butter to a saucepan and place over medium heat. The butter will begin to crackle, and start to foam. Whisk constantly during at this point. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin turn a golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan. Continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to touch.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare baking pans with non-stick spray, or other pan release method.
- In a medium bowl whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, add your browned butter and brown sugars. Whisk you have a smooth mixture with no lumps.
- Next add your eggs and vanilla. Whisk the mixture vigorously making sure the eggs are fully combined. The mixture will lighten in color.
- Now add you dry ingredients to the wet. Mix just until the flour has combined. Do not overmix. Fold in your pecans
- Add the batter to your prepared dish and smooth into an even layer.
- Drizzle your caramel sauce evenly over the batter.
- Bake for about 35 minutes at 350F. The cookie bars are done when the edges are set and golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Sprinkle with flaked salt.Let the cookie bars cool in the pan for about an hour before removing and cutting.
