Featured Recipe
Brown Sugar Blondies with Creamy Swirl
By Kate
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Dense bar cookies with brown sugar and a rich cream cheese swirl. Uses light brown sugar and buttery dough base; swapped white sugar for coconut sugar to add depth. Cornstarch added for chewiness replacing some flour. The cream swirl—cream cheese plus dulce de leche—for unexpected caramel notes. Bakes on middle rack until golden, cracks form. Visual cues for doneness are more reliable than timer. Soft edges, slightly springy center. A dessert that fixes itself when you overbake it—but watch those edges. Easy sub: butter for ghee, cream cheese for mascarpone; tweak sweetness to taste.
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Prep:
22 min
Cook:
34 min
Total:
56 min
Serves:
16 servings
desserts
baking
sweet treats
Introduction
Dark brown sugar melting into hot butter, air thick with caramel notes. Swirling cream cheese dollops like trapped pockets of silk in dense dough. Crackling heat from oven, edges turning golden brown—snap of crisp top under fork. The jiggle test ruling how done. Blondies dense, chewy, not cakey. Less sugar than classic for restraint; coconut sugar contributes a woodsy tone. Cornstarch keeps them tender, adds chew. Cream cheese and dulce de leche swirl brings unexpected twist—sweet richness balanced by slight tang from cheese. No fluff here—simple ingredients, precision in mixing, timing flexible if you know the tells. Overbake, rescues with buttered moist crumb; underbake—gooey center will hold. No guesswork if you hear that oven hum and smell the sugar browning. Practical, straightforward dessert bars with a creamy caramel signature.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Modifying sugars shifts texture and flavor. Coconut sugar lowers sweetness, adds earthy notes; substitute brown for more traditional. Cornstarch included to mitigate toughness that comes from quick baking, traps moisture. Using melted butter ensures even texture and richer flavor—cold butter breaks the batter apart. Cream cheese soft but not warm—softened enough to mix but firm to avoid runny swirl. Dulce de leche adds browned milk sugar flavor but can be swapped with caramel sauce or maple syrup for variations. Powdered sugar in swirl levels sweetness and smooths texture. Vanilla extract from quality source matters; skip imitation. Flour measured by weight for consistency—eye measurement leads to dry or heavy blondies. Salt is small but vital to balance sweet and deepen overall flavor. Rest eggs before use to prevent curdling in warm butter mixture.
Method
Technique Tips
Start with butter melted and warm to dissolve sugar evenly—hot spots cause lumps. Whisk eggs separately so you can temper them into warm fats—avoid scrambled bits. Fold dry ingredients gently; overmixing toughens with extra gluten. The rear of the spoon is your friend for light mixing. Swirl with knife tip, not full mixing, to trap visual pockets of flavor. Watch for color changes on edges, they darken first. Middle jiggling under finger signals near done; carryover cooking finishes them. Cooling is crucial—hot blondies are fragile, slice too early and crumble; duration depends on air temp and pan. Use parchment for easy removal and cleaner edges. Leftovers keep best sealed; refrigeration stiffens but is fine—bring to room temp before serving to soften butter. Common problem: too hot oven burns edges before center cooks – move rack or reduce temp slightly. Overbaking leads to very dry blondies; underbaking leaves them gooey but forgiving if slightly jiggly in center.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Watch your butter. Melt till clear but no brown bits. Ensures even mixing. Warm fat helps incorporate sugar without lumps. But don't rush; lumps are stubborn. Whisk eggs separate; temper them. Use a guide for swirling. Knife tips work for marbling—don’t overdo it.
- 💡 Check for underbaking first. If edges firm but center has jiggle, fine. You're close. If middle's stiff, risk dryness ahead. Moisture pays off. Use parchment! It eliminates stickiness. Just lift them out; no mess. Saves scraping.
- 💡 Get your eggs to room temp. Cold ones toughen batter. Short rest improves fluffiness—don’t skip that. Cornstarch adds chew; it’s key. Swirl should be textured, pockets of cream and dulce de leche. Don't overmix; tender is what you're after.
- 💡 Consider substitutions strategically. Butter for clarified for nuttier notes. Cream cheese can switch to mascarpone for richness. Coconut sugar lends earthiness; swap all brown if preferred. It balances sweetness well. Baking's flexible; keep an eye on visual cues.
- 💡 Cooling is crucial here. Cut when cool for neat slices. Warm blondies crumble. Storage? Airtight containers work best. They hold moisture, prevent drying. Can chill; soften before serving. Dough can rest too—relaxes gluten, helps with tough bites.
