Vietnamese Coffee Blondies
Traditional sweet Vietnamese coffee and classic blondies come together in these fudgy Vietnamese Coffee Blondies! If you love coffee, and especially if you love a latte, then you will love these! They're simple to make with the classic blondie method and sweetened with condensed milk. There are white chocolate chips throughout to add to the creaminess with plenty of coffee flavor from instant espresso powder. If you love making blondies, be sure to check out my Brown Butter Hazelnut Blondies, Salted Espresso Chocolate Chunk Blondies and my Classic Chocolate Chip Blondies recipe.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - this is a super easy no-fuss recipe that uses basic pantry ingredients.
- No mixer - you can make this recipe with just a bowl and a whisk! You don't need a mixer.
- White chocolate chip blondies - milky white chocolate adds to the creamy flavor.
- Fudgy blondies - these blondies have a fudgy moist texture with slightly chewy edges that is irresistible.
- Rich coffee taste - for the best coffee flavor, seek out espresso powder or use traditional Vietnamese coffee grounds.
- Condensed milk blondies - these wouldn't be "Vietnamese Coffee" blondies without condensed milk. It adds to the soft texture and the brown sugar notes enhance the coffee flavor.
WHAT IS VIETNAMESE COFFEE?
Vietnamese coffee is a hot or cold beverage made with select coffee beans grown in Vietnam and prepared a certain way with added flavors. This Trung Nguyen brand is the one I always use. The coffee is always prepared via the drip method through a small metal pour-over coffee filter, although you can also prepare it in a French press. Vietnamese coffee is always served over sweetened condensed milk which gives it a really rich and delicious flavor.
WHAT ARE BLONDIES AND HOW ARE BLONDIES DIFFERENT THAN BROWNIES?
The main difference between blondies and brownies is a major ingredient: chocolate. Brownies are made with chocolate or cocoa powder, while blondies do not have melted chocolate or cocoa powder in the batter. The main flavor in blondies is vanilla with caramel undertones from brown sugar.
The method for making them is similar in that the eggs, sugar and melted butter are combined before mixing in the dry ingredients. Although I'm a brownie fan forever (these are the BEST homemade brownies), a blondie can also hit the spot. These also have that shiny top just like my Perfect Shiny Crust Fudge Brownies.
INGREDIENTS FOR VIETNAMESE COFFEE BLONDIES
Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- All purpose flour - regular all-purpose flour is perfect to make chewy blondies, just like chewy chocolate chip cookies. I only ever use unbleached flour.
- Unsalted butter - there's no substitute for butter in these blondies. It gives them a wonderful butterscotch flavor and chewy texture.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla adds to the rich taste of Vietnamese coffee. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Brown sugar - you can use light brown or dark brown sugar. I like light brown sugar here so that the taste of molasses isn't too strong to over-power the milky coffee flavor.
- Condensed milk - the most signature ingredient in Vietnamese coffee is sweetened condensed milk. It gives body, rich dairy notes and milky sweetness as well as makes these blondies soft and chewy.
- Egg - 1 whole egg will provide majority of the structure in these blondies and 1 egg yolk is the key to ensuring they have a fudgy texture instead of being cakey.
- Salt - don't skip this otherwise the these blondies will be too sweet.
- White chocolate - the quality of your white chocolate make a huge difference in this recipe since the milky flavor really stands out. Seek out pure white chocolate (not compound chocolate) which has only cocoa butter as the fat. There should not be any other vegetable oils added in the ingredient list. This is the one I use here.
- Espresso powder - this is a great ingredient for coffee-flavored desserts as it dissolves readily and adds a lot of concentrated flavor.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Melt butter. Melt butter gently over the stove or in the microwave and add it to a large bowl with brown sugar, vanilla, condensed milk, egg, egg yolk, espresso powder and salt. Whisk vigorously to blend well until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- STEP 2). Add dry ingredients. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder over the batter and fold it in gently.
- STEP 3). Fold in chocolate chips. Add white chocolate chunks and fold them in.
- STEP 4). Bake. Spread the thick batter evenly into your prepared pan. Scatter extra white chocolate chunks on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is evenly golden brown and the edges are deeply browned. It should puff up in the center and then fall slightly, and it will still feel slightly soft in the middle. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting into squares. These are best served the same day.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Measure flour accurately. Too much flour leads to dry and crumbly blondies so be sure to use a scale or use the spoon and sweep method without packing the flour into the measuring cup.
- Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs will make it difficult to dissolve the sugar which is what helps create the glossy top.
- Watch the baking time. These blondies will not take long to bake and over-baking will definitely create a drier texture. A skewer should come out with a few moist sticky bits attached but not wet batter.
RECIPE FAQ
Blondies get their chewiness from the right amount of sugar, and a higher ratio of sugar:butter, as well as an additional egg yolk that adds fat and protein without excess moisture which would make them too cakey. More sugar gives a chewier texture since it is a humectant, which means it is a functional ingredient that binds moisture.
It's all about dissolved sugar and also the right concentration of sugar. Whisk the sugar into the eggs first. This will help it dissolve a bit, and to help this along, always use room temperature (not cold) eggs. The warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve. TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.
You can use instant coffee granules instead of espresso powder, but you will need to use more since it is less dense.
Use high quality pure white chocolate as it has the cleanest milky flavor. Real white chocolate should have only 4 ingredients: cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder and vanilla.
These blondies are ready when a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached - not wet batter, and NOT clean. If the skewer is clean then the blondies are over-baked and if the skewer has wet batter then they are still raw. If your blondies turn out dry and cakey, then it is most likely because they are over-baked.
The number one reason why these would turn out dry is if they are over-baked. Check on the blondies at 20 minutes. Also, take care to measure the flour accurately.
Blondies keep really well at room temperature as long as they are stored in an airtight container to prevent drying out. If you plan to keep them for more than a couple of days, then store them in the fridge.
If you love brownies, check out these recipes!
Triple Chocolate Brownies Fudgy Grain Free Brownies Olive Oil Brownies with Date Fudge Frosting Fudgy Buckeye Brownies Outrageous Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies The BEST Small Batch Fudge Brownies Homemade Cosmic Brownies Recipe!More bar recipes please!
Looking for more easy squares and bar recipes? Try these:
Baking with coffee
If you love coffee-flavored desserts, try these:
Video
Vietnamese Coffee Blondies
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon (84g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup plus 1 tbsp (125g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon (7ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (142g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (85g) pure white chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at all sides.
- Melt butter gently over the stove in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave and add it to a large bowl with brown sugar, vanilla, condensed milk, egg, egg yolk, espresso powder and salt. Whisk vigorously to blend well until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk to blend well. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the batter and fold it in gently. Add white chocolate chunks and fold them in.
- Spread the thick batter evenly into your prepared pan using a small offset spatula. Scatter extra white chocolate chunks on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is evenly golden brown and the edges are deeply browned. It should puff up in the center and then fall slightly, and it will still feel slightly soft in the middle. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting into squares. These are best served the same day.
How can I incorporate real Vietnamese coffee into the recipe? If I grind up the coffee, it wouldn’t dissolve like instant coffee or expresso powder.
Hi Vanyda! Yes you are right, it won't dissolve so you will see the grind specks in the batter. However if it is finely ground, it provide the flavor without interfering with the texture.
Id like to use Trang Nguyen. How can i incorporate that into this recipe?
Thanks much for sharing so many recipes!
Hi Leann! You can try to finely grind the Trang Nguyen in a mortar and pestle or spice/coffee grinder and use in place of espresso powder.
This is one of my favorite recipes! I make them all the time for potlucks because everyone loves them, and they just so happen to be so easy to make. I started adding some bittersweet chocolate chips on top at the end before baking along with the extra white chocolate on top, and I think it goes nicely with the coffee flavor. They’re fantastic as is too. Cannot recommend enough!
Thank you Daisy! Glad you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Curious, is there a way to turn this recipe into cookies?
Hi Amanda! That is a great idea! But I would need to develop an entirely new recipe to make them into cookies.
These are really good! My sister loves Vietnamese coffee so I made a batch and she went nuts for them.
Thanks Paisley! So glad you guys enjoyed them!
Can I use instant coffee in place of espresso powder? Or do you have any alternative ideas? I don't have an espresso powder but I really want to try this recipe! Thank you!
Not the recipe writer, but I make my own espresso powder! You can use coffee beans, and there are methods to even use coffee grounds! Espresso is the same kind of bean as coffee, but it's typically a darker roast. I'm trying this recipe tonight with my own powder
This is SUCH a creative recipe! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I love your work.
Thank you so much Lori!