Fudgy & Chewy Blondie Brownies

On any given day I will choose brownies over blondies. Easy. However, if there is an opportunity to have both, then why they heck not! It's like a twisted cone... vanilla and chocolate ice cream... no brainer. Sometimes variety is nice! My Blondie Brownies are super easy to make with a fudgy brownie base and brown sugar vanilla chocolate chip blondie swirled through. It's all mixed by hand and it has the nices contrast in texture. The brownie is dense and fudgy while the blondie is a bit softer and chewier. Delicious!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Fudgy brownies - the base of this recipe is an irresistible fudgy dark chocolate brownie.

• Chocolate chip blondie - I use mini dark chocolate chips so you get lots of little pockets of chocolate through the blondie batter. It is buttery with caramel undertones from the brown sugar.

• Chewy blondie texture - the blondie batter makes a soft and chewy cookie-like texture.

• Easy to make - both the brownie batter and the blondie batter are so easy to prepare with just a bowl and a whisk.

INGREDIENTS

• Unsalted butter - the best brownies that have a chewy fudgy texture are made with pure butter. Butter also forms the base of the blondie batter. You can use salted butter, and in that case I would recommend reducing the added salt by half.

• Bittersweet chocolate - I love to use bittersweet chocolate for brownies for rich chocolate taste. Bittersweet requires minimum 70% cocoa solids. You can also use dark chocolate with 60% cocoa, but they will be a bit sweeter.

• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps these brownies moist. If you reduce the sugar they will not be as fudgy.

• Egg - you'll need 2 whole eggs for this recipe. One will go into the brownie batter and another is for the blondie batter.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavour of the chocolate and it is the foundation of the blondie batter. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.

• Brown sugar - the blondie portion gets it's butterscotch flavour from the molasses in brown sugar.

• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy brownies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.

• Mini dark chocolate chips - I use mini chocolate chips since they distribute further in the batter so you get lots of little pockets of chocolate in every bite.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1.) Make the blondie batter. Combine wet ingredients. For the blondie batter, melt butter gently over low heat in a saucepan or in a medium bowl if using the microwave. While still warm (but not hot), add granulated sugar, brown sugars and vanilla and whisk to blend well. The mixture may look grainy and a bit separated. Add egg and whisk vigorously until well combined, smooth and glossy.
• STEP 2.) Add dry ingredients. Mix in salt and baking soda. Add flour and fold it in until evenly combined. Add the mini chocolate chips and fold them through; set this batter aside.

• STEP 3.) Make the brownie batter. Melt chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until melted, or you can do this in the microwave gently with frequent stirring so it doesn't burn.
• STEP 4.) Add egg. Add egg, sugar and salt and whisk until smooth and glossy. Adding the sugar on top of the egg will encourage the sugar to dissolve a bit into the egg white to promote the shiny crust with minimal steps.
• STEP 5.) Add dry ingredients. Add the flour and fold it in until evenly combined.
• STEP 6.) Swirl the batter. Dollop big spoonfuls of brownie batter alternately with blondie batter in the prepared pan to roughly cover the bottom of the pan. Then add spoonfuls of brownie batter over the blondie batter and vise versa. Do not spread it out. Use a knife to swirl the batters together and then just tilt the pan if you need the batter to move into the corners.
• STEP 7.) Bake! Bake for 24-26 minutes until the top of the blondie batter is evenly golden brown. It should puff up in the center and then fall slightly, and it will still feel just slightly soft in the middle. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting into squares.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR BLONDIE BROWNIES

• Do not over-bake the brownies. This recipe shouldn't take longer than 26 minutes to bake so make sure you check on them at 23 minutes. If over-baked, the blondie portion will be dry and crumbly instead of soft and tender.
• Measure flour accurately. Too much flour leads to a dry brownie and a crumbly blondie so use a scale or measure using the spoon and sweet method where you gently spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife.
• Use bittersweet chocolate for the best flavor and to control the sweetness. Dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids will also work in this recipe but it will taste sweeter. I definitely prefer with 70% chocolate.
• Swirl with restraint. The goal is to have distinct areas of brownie and blondie so that they don't bake into each other and become one batter. Swirl just slightly to maintain the differentiation.

RECIPE FAQ

What type of chocolate should I use for blondie brownies?

I use either bittersweet (70%) or intense 85% chocolate for this brownie recipe which makes perfectly chocolaty brownies and offsets the sweetness of the blondie batter.

Can I use regular chocolate chips?

You can absolutely use regular chocolate chips for the blondie batter if you can't find mini chips. I like the mini chips because it goes further throughout the batter since the batch is small (the other half is brownie batter). Feel free to use chocolate chips through the brownie batter too.

How do I know when blondie brownies are baked?

These blondie brownies are baked when a skewer inserted into the center where some brownie batter is comes out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached -- not wet batter, and NOT dry. If the skewer is dry then these brownies are over-baked and if the skewer has wet batter then they are still raw. The top of the blondie batter will also be shiny and golden brown.

How do I store blondie brownies?

These brownies will keep at a cool room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

If you love brownies, check out these recipes!

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