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Recently I made these Gooey Chocolate Chunk Blondies step-by-step on my
Instagram story.
It’s quite a simple recipe, but you know I always have to add in some special tweaks and tricks to make it that much better. The magic and science of baking is my speciality. Keep reading to learn how I improve upon a basic recipe!
I took my go-to standard blondie recipe and added in an extra egg yolk for richness and chewiness. Dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar for even more butterscotch flavor, and even more molasses to really make these as moist and flavorful as possible.
Also, I swapped in bread flour for half of the all-purpose flour. Bread flour’s higher protein content will make these extra chewy and wonderful.
What if I don’t have molasses? Do I have to use bread flour?
If you don’t have bread flour, feel free to use all-purpose. They’ll just be slightly less chewy. Same for the molasses. If you must omit that, it won’t ruin the recipe.
But often times it’s these little details that add up that make the difference between good and GREAT.
Lastly, to really hit the flavor home, I used bars of Ghirardelli chocolate chopped into large pieces. They get super melty and delicious, and really make a world of difference.
Chocolate chips have ingredients added in to help them keep their fun chip shape, so I’d really recommend taking the time to chop chocolate bars for the best results.
For a finishing touch, I sprinkled with a little flaky sea salt to give these a delightful salty sweet flavor. If you don’t like that, then just skip it!
Photos by Sarah Fennel.
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1
stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
-
1
cup
(200 grams) dark brown sugar
-
1
large egg plus 1 egg yolk
-
1
tablespoon
molasses, optional
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla
-
1/8
teaspoon
fine salt
-
1/2
cup
(64 grams) all-purpose flour
-
1/2
cup
(64 grams) bread flour
-
6
ounces
semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks
-
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
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In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar with a rubber spatula. Add the egg, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla and stir until combined. Stir in the salt and flours. Stir in 3/4 of the chocolate chunks.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chunks, pressing into the batter slightly. Bake for 25 minutes, or until set but still gooey. Allow to cool before cutting. Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.
Can I make these blondies with margarine instead of butter?
Thanks
Hi Laurie! We don’t recommend that, because margarine is oil-based, contains less water than butter, and therefore does not bake quite the same as butter – but of course, feel free to experiment as you like! Happy baking 🙂
If I double this recipe, what size pan should I use??
Hi Beth! Double this recipe in a 9×13-inch light colored metal pan for best results. You may need to add a few minutes to the bake time. Let us know what you think of these blondies once you’ve given them a try!
My husband couldn’t wait to tear into this… that he did I’m like it is supposed to set!! It was delicious didn’t use molasses not a fan. I’m going to do Individual ramekins next time!! I have all your books and there isn’t one recipe I haven’t liked from you!! We’ll done!!
I replaced half the sugar with stevia and added a teaspoon of baking powder and it was amazing
These are delicious! I left out the molasses and subbed coconut sugar for brown sugar (measuring by weight). Thanks for the recipe!
Happy to hear your substitutions worked well, Sarah!
This was amazing. Will be making again and again.
I have always loved your recipes and this one is no exception!! We just need to know our oven and we may need to extend or decrease the time. For mine, i needed 35 mins or else it wasn’t set in the middle. Thanks so much for sharing fab recipes!!!
Excellent recipe. If the molasses flavor is too much, scale it back. Half a tbsp or even just a teaspoon or two would impart some flavor. My kids absolutely love it. I make sure not to over bake them!
So happy to hear this recipe is a hit with your family, Caitlin!
Made these today. I love molasses cookies, but i didn’t care for the molasses in these. They’re easy to make, so I will try them without the molasses next time.
Can’t wait to hear what you think next time, without the molasses, Lani!
I made this today and it came out so well! The mixture thickened a bit while I was cutting the chocolate, but it came out fine, and now I see I should do it before 🙂
My family enjoyed it, so thank you!
So wonderful to hear you and your family enjoyed these blondies, Rae! 🙂
I have made this recipe probably a dozen times, and I always get serious compliments. It is sooooo easy to follow and yummy
These did not work for me. The butter was bubbling all over the place when I checked it at 20, and the scattered chocolate chips on the top were completely melted. I kept it in for longer, maybe 30 minutes, and it was still bubbling all over but the blondies were then more crunchy than chewy. Could this be because the butter was melted instead of creamed?
Sorry to hear of your issues, Katie! It sounds to me like maybe an ingredient was forgotten, or is it possible too much butter was added in? We’ve not experienced this issue, so it’s hard to say what went wrong without having baked alongside you. I definitely hope you give this recipe another try, please let us know how it goes if you do!
If I don’t have bread flour, what flour can I use as a substitute?
Hi Lew! Feel free to use all all-purpose flour, they’ll just be slightly less chewy!
I just made these today, and found the molasses too noticeable and unpleasant. I might try them again without it.
These are very good! I made these for a Valentine’s Day treat, and I will definitely be making them again. Satisfied my sweet tooth perfectly♥️
I didn’t have bread flour, so I used all purpose flour and chopped up a Lindt milk chocolate bar for the recipe.
So happy you loved this recipe, thanks for taking the time to comment! 🙂
Is there no baking powder or baking soda? I’ve never made blondies or any cookie recipe without either. Just curious if it’s a typo.
Thanks! I’ve made many of your recipes and loved them!!
Hi Debra! No leavener in these, the egg helps to provide structure and a little bit of rise, but keeps them extra chewy and less cakey. Can’t wait for you to enjoy these!
Can the batter be frozen, or the finished blondies? I want to do as much pre-Christmas baking as I can!
Sure! You’ll want to freeze after baking, just keep in mind that because of their fudgy texture, they might become a little bit more moist after thawing. Cut them into portions, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge. Please let us know what you think of this recipe when you give it a try 🙂