Browned Butter Chai Blondies
/This soft, chewy blondie recipe is filled with nutty browned butter and fall chai spices. They are swirled with homemade salted caramel.
We went to the apple orchard this week and it was magical. I was thinking about it last week and I don’t think I’d ever been to an apple orchard before, at least not that I can remember. I’ve been to plenty a pumpkin patches and U-Pick farms, but never an apple orchard and never in prime fall weather.
It was 72° and sunny the day we went to the orchard and all of leaves in Minnesota had just begun to change colors, the edges tinged with reds and oranges. It was just so nice to sit in the sun, amongst the apple trees and grape vines (because yes, this orchard is also a winery and I learned all about hybrid grapes developed by the University of Minnesota to grow in this specific climate and landscape and now I might be a Minnesota-wine connoisseur), soaking up fall like a little autumnal sponge. And no, this recipe really has nothing to do with apples or the apple orchard, I just wanted to tell you about it. So now that I have, let’s talk blondies!
what is a blondie?
I like to think of it as a cross between a brownie and a cookie, blondies are thick and fudge-y in the center, but with less chocolate and more of a cookie-dough flavor. They are super simple to mix up and need no special tools or fancy equipment. The batter consists of melted butter, sugars and/or brown sugars, eggs, flour and leavening agents and the base is super versatile—you can easily swirl in caramel, white chocolate, or nut butters, swap out flavorings, and add or subtract chocolate chunks depending on your mood or preference.
an easy, browned butter and chai blondie recipe
If I could describe these blondies in one word, it would be cozy. They are the definition of cozy and the addition of nutty browned butter, homemade chai spice, and salted caramel kind of just makes you want to curl up in a blanket and eat them straight out of the pan.
We start by browning butter for 6-7 minutes until it is foamy and fragrant and those little brown specks appear on the bottom of the pot. Right when it reaches that golden brown color, we’ll transfer it to a bowl to stop the cooking and whisk in the chai spice blend and some ground espresso. Then it’s just a matter of whisking and baking. Add sugar, vanilla, and eggs, followed by dry ingredients and transfer it all to a baking pan. Before baking, dollop caramel (store-bought or homemade) over the top, swirl it in, and bake them off.
Letting the blondies cool completely is really important, so that they continue to set up and you’re not left with a gooey, doughy, mess (not necessarily a bad thing, but also not what we’re going for). For really clean slicing, chill the blondies overnight and then use a sharp knife to ensure clean cuts.
Browned Butter Chai Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup (200 g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, browned
- 1 tbsp chai spice blend
- 1 tbsp espresso
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup (250 g) brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 oz dark chocolate, chopped or dark chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp caramel sauce, recipe below
- flaky salt
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cook, without stirring, until sugar is completely melted and deeply brown in color.
- When the caramel reaches that deep amber color, carefully stream in heavy cream while whisking continually. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, and then remove from the heat.
- Whisk in the butter and the salt and transfer to a bowl to cool. You can store leftover caramel in a jar in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
- Preheat oven to 325° F and line an 8x8” baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place butter in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until butter is foamy and smells nutty and little brown flecks have appeared at the bottom of the pot, then remove from heat. Stir in chai spice and espresso and let cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled butter/chai mixture and brown sugar. Whisk to combine and then add eggs and vanilla, whisking until mixture is thick and smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and gently stir the batter until no flour streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate pieces, reserving some for sprinkling on top.
- Transfer the dough to a prepared baking pan and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate pieces.
- Dollop caramel over the blondies and use a knife or skewer to swirl it into the batter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and there is no wiggle in the center. Let cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving. *For clean slices, chill the blondies overnight and slice cold.*
