Description
Speculoos cookie butter elevates this otherwise simple recipe for blondies. Packed with brown sugar and browned butter, these cookie bars are rich, caramelly and chewy. Shredded coconut adds a bit of toasty depth that pairs beautifully with the lightly spiced cookie butter, and a generous amount of salt helps these blondies from being overly sweet.
Ingredients
- ½ cup/113 grams butter, plus more for the pan
- ½ lightly packed cup/100 grams dark brown sugar
- ½ cup/150 grams cookie butter
- 1 large egg, cold from the fridge
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup/128 grams all-purpose flour
- ½ cup/85 grams bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup/45 grams sweetened shredded coconut
- Flaky salt, for sprinkling
Method
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter an 8-by-8-inch metal baking pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over.
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Being careful to not let it burn, stir constantly until all of the milk solids turn golden and the butter has a nutty fragrance, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the hot browned butter to a large bowl.
- Add the brown sugar and cookie butter and whisk to combine, then whisk in the egg, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until incorporated.
- Next, whisk in the baking powder and baking soda, then fold in the flour using a rubber spatula. When a few streaks of flour remain, fold in the chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons of the coconut.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, evenly smoothing the top.
- Sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut and a bit of flaky salt.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until set on the edges and still slightly soft in the center.
- Cool the blondies to room temperature in the pan set on a rack.