Start by preheating your oven to 350F (175C). This ensures that your blondies bake evenly. Next, prepare an 8-by-8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil. Remember to spray it with cooking spray to prevent sticking. This small step goes a long way!
Now, let’s turn our attention to the browned butter. In a large skillet, add the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir continuously as it melts, watching it transform. At first, it will foam and then become clear. Soon enough, it will turn golden, and that’s when the magic happens. Keep an eye on it, as it will begin to smell nutty. When you see brown specks forming, take it off the heat immediately. Pour the browned butter into a large bowl and stir for about a minute to prevent burning. Set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes to avoid scrambling the egg.
Once cooled, add the large egg to the bowl along with the light brown sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk them together until the mixture is smooth and well combined. The texture should be silky, and the color a lovely light brown.
Next, we’ll incorporate our dry ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour and salt to the mixture. Stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the blondies tough. You want a soft batter that still has a few lumps.
Now comes the fun part—fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use a spatula to gently mix them into the batter, ensuring they’re evenly distributed. The anticipation of those gooey chocolate morsels melting in your mouth is just too good!
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Make sure it’s evenly spread out, so it bakes uniformly. Place the pan in your preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the top is set and no longer jiggly in the center. Don’t overbake; blondies will firm up as they cool.
Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for at least one hour. This cooling time allows the blondies to set properly, making them easier to slice. Resist the temptation to dig in immediately!
After cooling, lift the blondies out of the pan using the edges of the foil. Place them on a cutting board and slice into generous squares. The Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies are now ready to be devoured!
Finally, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. If you have any left after a few days, you can freeze them for up to six months.
