Salted Toffee and Brown Butter Blondies

Blondies go from mixing bowl to oven in minutes, making them one of the easiest cookies I know (yes, blondies are cookies!). But as simple as they are to whip up, blondies can be a bit boring, often tasting just of brown sugar and not much else.

In an attempt to inject blondies with bold, exciting flavor, I reimagined the classic recipe, adding nutty brown butter, a generous pinch of salt, and a handful of chocolate-coated toffee pieces. The result is perfectly chewy blondies with a pop of texture and rich, caramel flavor. Here, I’ll show you how to make them in four simple steps.

Browning the butter gives these blondies an added layer of flavor that brings out their rich caramel notes — and it couldn’t be easier to do. Just cook your butter over medium heat, stirring often to prevent the bottom from burning, until the butter turns golden-brown and smells nutty. It’s a simple upgrade that makes a huge difference, and it doesn’t even require additional ingredients. After the butter is browned, let it cool for at least 15 minutes before making the batter. The butter will be very hot at this point, so be careful.

Read more: How To Brown Butter

The great thing about these blondies is that they come together in just one bowl without having to bust out an electric mixer. After your butter has cooled you just add brown sugar, water (to compensate for the water lost during browning), eggs, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, and flour directly to the bowl and mix it together by hand. By not creaming the butter and sugar, you avoid adding excessive air to the blondies that would otherwise make them cakey. We want these blondies to be dense and decadent, so skip the mixer and do it by hand. It’s easier and tastier — a true win-win.

The star of these blondies is definitely the chopped toffee bars. In addition to the welcomed crunch, the toffee melts slightly and combines with the batter to lend it a bold caramel flavor that makes these blondies sing.

My favorite brand of chocolate-coated toffee is Heath bars, which can be found in most grocery stores (often near the checkout) or at pharmacies such as CVS. Skor brand toffee bars are also a great option, although a bit harder to find in my experience. Two standard 1.4-ounce bars of either brand yields the perfect amount of chopped toffee for these blondies (Pro tip: Save about two tablespoons of the chopped toffee to sprinkle on top of the batter to make them photo-worthy.)

Right before you pop your blondies in the oven, sprinkle the top with a tablespoon of granulated sugar. This gives the blondies a crunchy texture that contrasts wonderfully against the soft and chewy interior. It also makes the blondies sparkle — which is always a plus.

If you have flaky sea salt on hand, sprinkle it on after you bake the blondies. I find that sprinkling the salt on before baking tends to make it melt and lose its crunchy texture, so it’s best to hold off until the last minute. My favorite brand is Maldon, but any large, flaky salt will work wonderfully. After that, they are done!

Read more: The Flaky Sea Salt with Thousands of Near-Perfect Amazon Reviews

Ready to bake these cookies? Tag your photos #Jessescookieclub to join in the fun!

Welcome to Jesse’s Cookie Club, where Studio Food Editor (and resident cookie expert) Jesse Szewczyk shares a brand-new monthly recipe that transforms a classic cookie into something new, bold, and exciting. From nutty brown butter blondies to chewy sweet potato snickerdoodles, these treats are anything but boring — and every recipe includes step-by-step photos so any level of baker can make them. Follow along and share your cookie creations using #Jessescookieclub.