Name: Blondies
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: Makes 36 blondies
Ingredients: 1 cup pecans or walnuts (4 ounces/113 grams); 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces/213 grams); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon table salt; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled; 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces/298 grams); 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 4 teaspoons vanilla extract; 6 ounces (170 grams) white chocolate chips (1 cup) or chopped bar, or 3 ounces (85 grams) each white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips

Time

1¼ hours, plus 20 minutes cooling

Yield

Makes 36 blondies

Ingredients

Ingredient check list

1 cup pecans or walnuts (4 ounces/113 grams)

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 ½ sticks), melted and cooled

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar (10 ½ ounces/298 grams)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 ounces (170 grams) white chocolate chips (1 cup) or chopped bar, or 3 ounces (85 grams) each white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips

Why This Recipe Works

For a blondie recipe that would produce bars that were chewy but not dense and sweet but not cloying, we used equal parts light brown sugar and flour but reduced the usual amounts of butter and eggs and added baking powder for extra lift. To boost the flavor of our blondie recipe, we added several stiff shots of vanilla, oven-toasted the nuts, and used a mixture of white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips.

Before You Begin

Be very careful not to overbake the blondies; they dry out easily and will turn hard. Start checking the oven a couple of minutes before they will be done. If you can't find our recommended brand of white chocolate chips, coarsely chop a good-quality white chocolate bar.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on large rimmed baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer nuts to cutting board to cool; chop coarsely and set aside.

While nuts toast, cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet (if using extra-wide foil, fold second sheet lengthwise to 12-inch width). Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together in medium bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Using rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate and nuts and turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula.

Bake until top is shiny, cracked, and light golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove bars from pan by lifting foil overhang and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.