Gooey Chocolate Chip Blondies

I love a good chocolate chip cookie, but sometimes I do not feel like scooping dough, chilling dough, and babysitting multiple trays in the oven. That is where these brown butter chocolate chip blondies come in.

They give you all the buttery, brown sugar, chocolate chip cookie flavor, but in thick, gooey bar form. Think crispy edges, chewy centers, a slightly crackly top, and rich brown butter flavor that makes every bite taste as if it came straight from a bakery case. And yes, they are better than grandma’s.

This recipe took a little testing because I wanted the blondies to be dense and gooey without becoming greasy or overly sweet. I also wanted enough chocolate to make them feel indulgent, but not so much that the brown butter flavor disappeared. Chocolate chips ended up being the best choice because they hold their shape better than chopped chocolate, which keeps the blondies from tasting too chocolate-heavy.

The result is an easy chocolate chip blondie recipe that is rich, chewy, and simple enough for a weekday bake, but still good enough to bring to a party, bake sale, or family get-together. So, let’s get to baking!

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What Are Blondies?

Blondies are dessert bars that are similar to brownies, but without cocoa powder or melted chocolate in the batter. Instead of a chocolate base, blondies usually get their flavor from butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or white chocolate.

The best blondies should be chewy, dense, and a little gooey in the center. They should not taste like cake. If a blondie is too fluffy or dry, it usually has too much flour, too much leavening, or it was baked too long.

This chocolate chip blondies recipe is made with brown butter and an extra egg yolk to keep the texture rich, chewy, and soft.

Why You’ll Love These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

These chocolate chip blondies are everything I want in a dessert bar: buttery, chewy, gooey, and full of warm brown sugar flavor. They are simple to make, but taste like something you would get from a bakery.

• Dense, gooey texture: The centers stay soft and rich without turning cakey.
• Crispy golden edges: A metal pan helps the edges bake up beautifully crisp while the middle stays chewy.
• Rich brown butter flavor: Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty, caramel-like flavor that makes these blondies taste extra special.
• No mixer needed: Everything comes together with a whisk, a spatula, and one mixing bowl.
• No chilling required: Unlike cookies, these go straight into the pan and into the oven.
• Perfect chocolate balance: Chocolate chips give you melty pockets of chocolate without overpowering the brown butter flavor.

What Makes These Blondies So Gooey?

The secret to gooey chocolate chip blondies is the right balance of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour.

Brown butter adds richness and flavor. Brown sugar keeps the blondies moist and chewy. The extra egg yolk adds richness without making the blondies cakey. A small amount of baking powder gives just enough lift, but not so much that the blondies become fluffy.

The biggest key is not overbaking them. The center should still look slightly soft when you take the pan out of the oven. The blondies will continue to set as they cool, so if you wait until the center looks fully baked in the oven, they may end up dry… dry like my sister’s elbows (ifykyk hahhaha).

Ingredients You’ll Need for Chocolate Chip Blondies

• Salted Butter: Butter is the base of this recipe, and browning it makes a huge difference. Brown butter gives these blondies a deeper, toastier, almost caramel-like flavor. I use salted butter because I love the balance it gives to sweet desserts. If you only have unsalted butter, you can use it and increase the salt slightly.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is what gives these blondies their chewy texture and rich flavor. Dark brown sugar gives the deepest flavor, but light brown sugar also works.
• Granulated Sugar: A little granulated sugar helps the top and edges crisp up. It also helps create a slightly shinier top.
• Egg and Egg Yolk: One whole egg gives structure, while the extra egg yolk adds richness and chewiness. This helps keep the blondies dense and gooey instead of cakey.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: Vanilla is important here because blondies have a simple flavor base. I love using vanilla bean paste, but vanilla extract works too.
• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour gives the blondies structure. Make sure to measure it correctly. Too much flour can make the blondies dry or cakey.
• Baking Powder: Just a small amount of baking powder gives the blondies a little lift without making them too fluffy.
• Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chips work best in this recipe because they hold their shape and do not melt completely into the batter. Chopped chocolate can be delicious, but it makes the blondies much richer and more chocolatey.

Chocolate Chips vs Chopped Chocolate

For chocolate chip cookies, I usually love using a chopped baking chocolate bar. It melts into the dough, creates those beautiful chocolate puddles, and gives cookies that bakery-style look.

But with these chocolate chip blondies, I actually preferred chocolate chips.

I tested this recipe with chopped chocolate, and while it was still delicious, it made the blondies taste a little too chocolate-heavy. Since blondies are already rich, buttery, and full of brown sugar flavor, the melted chopped chocolate started to overpower the brown butter.

Chocolate chips give you the best balance. They create little pockets of chocolate throughout the blondies without taking over the whole bar. They also hold their shape better, which makes the blondies easier to slice and a little less messy.

If you love a super melty, rich blondie, you can use chopped chocolate. But if you want the brown butter, vanilla, and brown sugar flavor to shine, I recommend sticking with chocolate chips.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Blondies

1. Prepare your pan.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides.

2. Brown the butter.
Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the butter melts, foams, and turns golden brown. You should see little brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Those brown bits are flavor, so make sure they go into the batter too. Let cool.

3. Whisk in the sugars.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the brown butter. Whisk until the mixture looks glossy and combined.

4. Add the eggs and vanilla.
Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth, thick, glossy, and slightly lighter in color. This step helps create a better top and a chewier texture.

5. Fold in the dry ingredients.
Add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Fold everything together until just combined. Do not overmix, or the blondies may turn out cakey instead of dense and gooey.

6. Bake
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. The batter will be thick, so use a spatula to press it evenly into the corners. Bake until the edges are golden and set, but the center still looks slightly soft. Do not overbake. The blondies will continue to set as they cool.

How to Know When Blondies Are Done

Blondies are done when the edges look golden brown and set, but the center still looks a little soft. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs, not completely wet batter.

Do not wait for a totally clean toothpick. That usually means the blondies are overbaked.

The blondies will continue to set as they cool in the pan. This is what gives you that dense, gooey center without the bars being raw.

Why Did My Blondies Turn Out Cakey?

Blondies can turn cakey if there is too much flour, too much baking powder, or too much air mixed into the batter after the dry ingredients are added.

Make sure you spoon and level your flour, fluff up your flour before scooping, or use a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. For this recipe, you need 165 grams of all-purpose flour.

Also, do not overbake the blondies. Overbaking dries out the center and makes the texture more cake-like instead of chewy and gooey.

How to Store Chocolate Chip Blondies

Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For the best texture, place parchment paper between layers so they do not stick together.

You can also warm an individual blondie in the microwave for about 8 to 10 seconds if you want the center to taste extra gooey again.

Can You Freeze Blondies?

Yes, blondies freeze well. Let them cool completely, then slice them into squares. Wrap each blondie tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to enjoy one, let it thaw at room temperature or warm it briefly in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Desserts You’ll Love

• Oreo Rice Krispie Treats
• Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
• Best Key Lime Pie
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Get to Baking!

These brown butter chocolate chip blondies are the kind of dessert that tastes like you did way more work than you actually did. They are rich, chewy, gooey, and filled with chocolate chips, but still simple enough to make whenever you are craving something sweet.

The brown butter gives them a deep bakery-style flavor, the brown sugar keeps them soft and chewy, and the chocolate chips make every bite feel nostalgic. Basically, if a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie had a very buttery little baby, this would be it.

If you make these chocolate chip blondies, do not forget to leave a review and tag me on social media @everythingjustbaked. I love seeing what you create.