Butterscotch Blondies

My recipe for butterscotch blondies is going to knock your socks off. Get ready for soft, chewy butterscotch bliss topped with a velvety buttercream frosting. And, you’ll hardly believe how simple this buttery, caramel-like masterpiece is to make!

If you are a fan of dense, delicious brownies but want to change it up a bit, today’s recipe for butterscotch blondies is your ticket to success. Blondies have all the rich decadence of brownies, but instead of cocoa for flavoring, they feature luscious brown sugar and vanilla. 

They are dense and rich while still being airy, soft, and chewy. And don’t even get me started on the buttercream frosting. It is so scrumptious that you might just swoon! 

If you catch blondie fever after trying these butterscotch blondies, I got you covered. Try out my  Chocolate Chip Blondie Recipe or these  Blonde Brownies with Rocky Road Topping.

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS 

• Butter – Adds richness and moisture to the batter and the frosting. 
• Brown Sugar – Choose dark for a rich and sweet blondie with a moist texture. You can use light if you prefer, but the caramel flavor won’t be as strong.
• Vanilla – Delicately enhances the natural sweetness of other ingredients. 
• Eggs – Add moisture while binding the batter together. 
• Flour – Regular, all-purpose flour provides structure and forms the base of the recipe. 
• Baking Soda – Promotes softer, airy baked goods.
• Baking Powder – Responsible for lightening the texture and adding volume. 
• Salt – Balances out the sweetness and enhances the flavor of other ingredients in the recipe. 
• Heavy Cream – Adds a rich creaminess to the frosting. 
• Powdered Sugar – Adds concentrated sweetness and a smooth consistency to the frosting. Do not substitute with another type of sugar.

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERSCOTCH BLONDIES

1. Prepare the Oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 square baking pan with parchment paper. Be sure to leave a bit of overhang to remove the blondies once they are finished. 

2. Mix the Batter. Use a large mixing bowl to cream together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Add in the egg and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Carefully add the dry mixture to the bowl with the wet mixture. Stir well until fully combined. 

3. Transfer to Pan. Transfer the batter to the baking pan and use a spatula to smooth it out to the corners. To prevent sticking, dip the spatula in cold water first.

4. Bake the Blondies. Bake for about 20 minutes. The blondies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow at least 15 minutes of cooling before applying the frosting. 

5. Start the Frosting. Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter until it begins to turn a light brown color. Butter should be cooked long enough for any water to evaporate and for the milk solids turn brown.

6. Add Other Frosting Ingredients. Once the butter is ready, stir in the brown sugar and continue cooking until it has dissolved and the mixture is bubbling. Next, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Be prepared for this to steam and rise up in the pan. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar. Mix vigorously until thick and well blended. You can add more powdered sugar if you want your frosting to be thicker. 

7. Frost the Blondies. Spread the butterscotch frosting all the way to the edges of the pan. Allow the pan to cool, placing it in the refrigerator for an hour. After that, use the overhanging parchment paper to lift the blondies out of the pan. Cut into 16 bars, serve, and enjoy!

Why Won’t My Blondies Cook in the Middle?

The most likely culprit here is an oven that is too hot. This causes the outsides of the blondies to rapidly cook while leaving the inside undone. Be sure that your oven is properly calibrated, and be certain to preheat before placing the pan in the oven. 

If your toothpick is coming out just about clean, but the blondies are sinking in the middle, put them back in the oven for about another 4-5 minutes, keeping a super close eye on them. A few extra minutes can make all the difference in the world. 

Can I Cook Butterscotch Blondies in a Glass Pan?

You can cook these butterscotch blondies in either a metal or glass pan. It is important to remember, however, that this will affect bake times and results. If you choose to go with a glass pan, you will likely need to bake your blondies for longer. Adjust accordingly and keep a close eye on the oven. 

Do Blondies Have to Be Refrigerated?

If stored in an airtight container, your butterscotch blondies will stay fresh for 5 days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.

If you are baking in advance, you can also opt to freeze your goodies. Wrap the entire batch of uncut blondies in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and store it in the freezer for up to a month. 

Butterscotch Blondies

These decadent butterscotch blondies are an absolute dream, featuring dark brown sugar, vanilla, and a rich buttercream frosting.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 262kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

Blondies

• 1/3 cup butter melted
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Butterscotch Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Blondies

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line an 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished blondies out.
• In a large mixing bowl, blend the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla together until combined. Add egg and mix well.
• In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir to combine.
• Spread evenly into prepared baking pan using a rubber spatula (dip in water if needed).
• Bake for 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 15 minutes before spreading frosting.

Frosting

• In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter until it starts getting brown (butter is cooked long enough to turn the milk solids brown while cooking out any water present in the butter).
• Stir in the dark brown sugar and continue cooking until the sugar dissolves and is bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream. This will steam and rise up. Add the vanilla, salt and powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly until blended and thick. Add more powdered sugar is you want a thicker frosting.
• Spread butterscotch frosting on cooled blondies, spreading to the edges. Let cool completely or refrigerate for an hour, then lift blondies from pan by edges of parchment over hang and cut into 16 bars.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this recipe? Let me know on InstagramTag @KevinIsCooking and hashtag me #keviniscooking!