Francesca's One-Pot Blondies

I LOVE these blondies. I’m always trying to find the perfect blondie recipe, and I think I’ve finally got it. These are gooey like brownies, but have the smooth brown butter and vanilla notes that I crave in a good cookie. They also have some peanut butter, but if you have allergies in your family, I encourage you to try tahini! It will give your blondies a more mature flavour profile.

Now, I’ve used a few healthier ingredients in these blondies (like maple and spelt) but let me be clear: these are not healthy. These are mostly butter and are meant to be an occasional sweet treat. But when you’re really craving an indulgent snack, these are it! Plus, I make them in one pot (yes, that’s right I said pot) so there’s fewer dishes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted cultured butter

1/2 cup of peanut butter (I use the kind without added sugar)

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of maple syrup

2 eggs

2 tsps of vanilla extract

2 cups of light spelt flour (you can use all purpose)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 milk or dark chocolate chips

Flakey salt for finishing

Method:

Start by preheating your oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 inch rectangular pan.

I like to make these blondies in a pot, because I start the process over the stove and I can finish the whole recipe right in that pot. Yay for fewer dishes! Find a large pot that you won’t scratch with your whisk. I used a non-stick pot because I have a whisk with silicone, but if you have regular wire whisk then try to use a pot without any non-stick coating. Start by adding the butter to the pot and placing it on a burner on medium-low heat.

Melt the butter and wait until it browns. You’ll see the milk solids turn brown within about 5 minutes. Brown butter is AMAZING and if you haven’t tried it, this will change your life. Once the butter has browned, take the pot off of the heat and add the peanut butter, sugar, and maple syrup. Whisk until smooth.

At this stage you’ll want to give the pot just a few minutes to cool down before you add the eggs. We’re not looking for scrambled eggs here. Once the pot has cooled for a few minutes, add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat again until smooth.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until combined. Then add your white and milk/dark chocolate chips. Give it a quick stir to mix everything through, and then tip the batter into your greased baking dish. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the centre is JUST set. Remove them and sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top, and then return them to the oven for just one minute, until the chocolate chips on top melt a bit. Do NOT over-bake! These should have a slightly gooey centre. Once they're out of the oven, sprinkle with a bit of flakey salt.

You should let these cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, so they can finish setting. Enjoy with tea or milk! These make a great holiday dessert if you’re hosting friends/family!