These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies are exactly what you want in a bar cookie, with deep, nutty richness from browned butter and gooey, melty chocolate chips in every bite. Lightly crisp on the outside, soft and chewy inside, they hit that perfect texture balance between cookie and fudgy brownie.
Best of all, these blondies are in the oven in minutes. After you brown the butter, simply whisk everything together, pour it in a pan and give it a quick bake. It’s the perfect treat for when you’ve got a craving but little energy to bake and clean.
Recipe highlights
- Deep toffee flavor. Browning the butter gives these blondies a caramelized, toasty depth.
- Chewy, fudgy texture. Brownie-like interior with lightly crinkled tops.
- Easy as it gets. One bowl, a whisk, no mixer required, minimal fuss.
- Chocolatey indulgence. Melty chocolate pockets balance out the flavors perfectly.
- Teff flour power. The secret ingredient that adds extra depth of flavor. (No teff flour? Find substitution ideas below.)
- Flexible & adaptable. With some easy substitutions and tweaks, you can adjust these blondies for diet & flavor preferences.
Recipe overview
⏱️ Prep: ~10 minutes • Bake: 25–30 minutes • Total: ~40 minutes
🍴 Yield: ~16 squares (8×8″ pan)
💪 Skill level: Beginner
😋 Flavor profile: Notes of toffee, caramel, butter, and chocolate with just the right balance of sweet & salty. Pairs well with: Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce, espresso, or a Nocino Black Manhattan.
How to make brown butter blondies
Find the full ingredients list and detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick step-by-step overview:
- Brown the butter. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and cook, swirling occasionally, until foam subsides and small brown bits form on the bottom. Remove from heat when the butter has a deep golden-brown color and nutty aroma.
- Cool slightly & whisk with sugar. Pour the brown butter into a mixing bowl, then whisk in the brown sugar until smooth. Let it cool just a bit so it doesn’t cook the eggs when you add them.
- Add egg & vanilla. Whisk until the batter is silky.
Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour(s), baking soda, and salt. - Fold together. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Bake. Pour batter into prepared 8×8″ pan, smooth the top, and bake until the edges are set and the top is golden and slightly crackly (about 25–30 min).
- Cool completely, then cut. Allow blondies to cool entirely before slicing into squares for clean cuts.
Pro baking tips for the best blondies
Don’t rush the brown butter. Use moderate heat, as the butter can go from perfect to burnt in seconds. Swirl often so the milk solids brown evenly without burning.
Cool the butter slightly before adding eggs. If the butter is too hot, you risk cooking the eggs, which can cause them to “scramble” in your cookie dough. Nobody wants scrambled egg blondies.
Whisk the eggs in well. After adding the eggs and vanilla, whisk vigorously for a minute or two, until the mixture falls from the whisk in a smooth, continuous ribbon that sits on the surface for a few seconds before slowly sinking back in. This is key for that final chewy texture and crinkly tops.
Whisk dry ingredients separately. To ensure even distribution of dry ingredients and prevent clumps, whisk the dry ingredients together before adding to the butter mixture.
Under-bake slightly for gooey centers. Take blondies out of the oven when a toothpick shows moist crumbs but not wet batter. They’ll finish setting as they cool.
Let them cool fully before slicing. This helps the middle set so you get clean, neat squares instead of a gooey mess.
Why brown butter makes all the difference
Brown butter isn’t just a flavor upgrade — it transforms the entire character of blondies. The caramelized milk solids give depth, complexity, and a toasty warmth that plain melted butter can’t match. Combined with brown sugar and chocolate, it layers rich, nutty, almost butterscotchy notes under that fudgy base. It’s what takes these from simple bars to something extra special.
Variations & substitutions
Teff flour alternatives: If you don’t have teff flour, substitute with another nutty gluten-free flour. Some great options are: oat, buckwheat, and almond flour.
Or, substitute for an extra 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour. The blondies will still be delicious, just a bit less earthy and slightly different in texture.
Why teff flour?
Teff is a tiny ancient grain (originally from Ethiopia) known for its earthy, nutty flavor and high nutritional value. Its flour is naturally gluten-free, rich in fiber, minerals, and complete protein, which makes it an excellent alternative or addition to wheat flour.
I like Maskal Teff ivory teff flour because it’s freshly ground, 100% whole-grain, and offers a subtle nutty depth that pairs beautifully with the brown butter and chocolate in these blondies. The flour adds texture and contributes a subtle whole-grain sweetness without overpowering the flavor.
Nutty additions: Boost the nutty flavor of your brown butter blondies! Stir in chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts for crunch and extra depth. Toast the nuts first for best flavor.
Salted caramel twist: Add a swirl of homemade caramel (or store-bought) before baking, and top with flaky sea salt after baking for a sweet-salty edge.
Chocolate swap: Use dark chocolate chunks, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate. Or skip the chocolate and go with butterscotch chips, cacao nibs, or nuts instead.
Add a wild twist: Throw in a few candy cap mushrooms when browning the butter. Strain the mushrooms out before using. This will add more earthiness + a natural maple syrup flavor! Read more about using candy caps for baking in this guide.
Gluten-free option: To make these blondies gluten-free, a high-quality 1-to-1 gluten-free blend can work, but the texture may be a little different (less fudgy, a bit more crumbly). It may also take a little longer to bake.
Double the recipe: Yes, you can double this recipe and bake it in a 13×9-inch pan. The final blondies will be a bit thicker and may require some extra baking time, so keep an eye on them.
Serving & storage
Store brown butter blondies at room temperature. Keep them in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for up to 5 days.
Serve warm. Blondies are lovely served slightly warm. Great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce or candy cap caramel.
To freeze: Freeze cooled blondies, sliced into individual squares and tightly wrapped, in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight or warm briefly for a fresh-from-oven feeling.
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Did you make these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies? Please leave a star rating and review below the recipe card. It means everything to me!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
Equipment
- 8×8 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 6 ounces unsalted butter , (1 stick + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup teff flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Butter an 8 by 8 inch pan and preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Start by browning your butter. Place butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until melted. Continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter becomes brown. It will pop and sputter a lot at first, but then it will quiet down. It's ready when the popping has calmed down, there are brown specks at the bottom of the pan, and it smells toasty and nutty.
- Add brown butter to a bowl and whisk in brown sugar. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla, whisking thoroughly until batter is silky smooth.
- Whisk together all purpose flour, teff flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, folding until almost combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake until edges are set and top is golden brown and crinkly, about 25-30 minutes.
- Allow blondies to cool and set completely before slicing into squares. I cut mine into 16 squares, but you can make them any size you like!
Did you try this recipe?
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