Brown Butter Toffee Blondies (with Homemade Toffee!)
It’s certainly no secret that I love brown butter, but I’m not sure that I have fully expressed my adoration for the oh-so-simple spin on something so common. There is nothing better than the nutty smell of browning butter on the stove; I love the way the aroma wafts through the house. The only thing better than the smell of brown butter is the taste :P!
These blondies may not look like much, but they are beyond amazing. I know I say that sort of thing a lot, but honestly, I took my first bite of the still slightly warm bar and was in sheer awe… “OH MY GOD!” I exclaimed. “What?!” Mikey questioned sounding somewhat concerned. “This is the best thing I have ever put in my mouth,” I answered. And while I’m sure that isn’t entirely true, it certainly is in the top 5. And Mikey felt the same way. After his first bite he couldn’t speak for at least 10 full seconds and then declared, “These are jaw-dropping.”
I’d like to think that my homemade toffee had something to do with how these babies turned out :). Making your own toffee is actually surprisingly simple and far more delectable than the bags of stuff you find on the baking aisle of your local supermarket. I suggest trying your had at making some yourself even if you don’t make these incredible blondies. Just spread some melted chocolate over the cooled toffee (skip the part where you break it up) and then sprinkle some chopped nuts on top- pure delight!
- 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter + more to grease pan
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup homemade toffee bits (recipe below)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty (the butter should foam up and then mostly subside).
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and toffee. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugars and brown butter until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat for around 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and then slice and serve!
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan (I used a dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture turns a deep golden and the mixture is at about 300 degrees, stirring constantly. If you don’t have a candy thermometer just use color to guide you. Basically you want it a bit darker than this:
- Pour the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes
- Using a large knife, break up the toffee into very small pieces. Store in tupperware.
I would have to make two batches of toffee, one to eat while I make the blondies!! what a perfect blondie recipe, I can't wait to try it!
These look to die for!! I just found your blog and love it… I'm moving to Seattle in a couple of months…I can't wait!
Aw you will LOVE it here! Especially if you love food, hah. The great fresh food here (and Pike's Place Market" is really what inspired me to start cooking and baking as much as I now do!
I am sure I can smell these if I close my eyes! They look delicious.
What happened to the toffee when baked with the blondies? Did it kind of disintegrate or did it stay hard? Thanks š
Micah, the toffee melts into the batter making them even more decadent!
OooOOooo! Homemade toffee?! Great addition! Glad you enjoyed. š
I tried making the toffee and it went wrong twice. It didnt turn anywhere near as golden as yours look, if it changed colour at all. I put in the right ingredients into a thick bottomed saucepan and cooked on 3 out of 6 on the stove. I would mix it for a while then it would get thicker and bubble and then id mix it some more. It stayed like this without changing colour and then when I turned up the heat the butter just came out of the sugar and turned into a gloopy mess. What am I doing wrong?
It sounds like you're doing it absolutely right. The same thing happened to me- the butter separating out (see note in recipe), but I just continued to cook and whisk and, even though I had absolutely no faith in it to, it ended up coming together. However, if yours isn't browning at all then I would suggest possibly turning up the heat a bit on the stove.But, like I said, as for the separation issue, just keep stirring :)Let me know if this helps!
I just found your blog and I am completely in love. This recipe looks amazing!
Rachel (heh same name :D), I'm so glad you like my blog! I definitely recommend trying this recipe as it is UH-mazing!