These are bombshell blondies.
I bake a lot for other people: my toddler, my friends, my family, my coworkers. But every once in a while, I take a “treat yo self” moment to make something just for me. Ever since I developed the recipe for my cookbook, these blondies have been a favorite.
They are lunchbox-style cakey, just how I like them, and filled with butterscotch chips, roasted cashews, and flaky sea salt.
Oh, and WINE. You know how I love my wine 🙂
That’s right. Go ahead. Be generous. Pour and entire 1/2 cup of chardonnay right into the batter. It’s rich, oaky flavor is the perfect match for these buttery bars.
The wine you use doesn’t have to be expensive, but pick something good enough that you will want to drink the rest. I used Marc Mondavi’s The Divining Rod.
I mean, you could eat your dessert with a cup of milk, decaf, or herbal tea. But… you could also indulge. It is the holidays after all. You deserve it. Have two, even. Blondies and glasses.
The recipe for these butterscotch blondies is a little bit different than the one in The Boozy Baker. First of all, I doubled it so instead of an 8-x-8-inch pan, these are baked in a 9-x-13-inch pan. More blondies = better. I also added a shower of flaky sea salt, because it is my deeply held belief that there is no dessert that will not be greatly improved by copious amounts of fleur de sel. Finally, I changed the method so that everything is mixed in a single bowl, so cleanup is a breeze.
This is a great recipe for the holidays because it’s fun and indulgent, but also because it’s a super way to use up leftover wine. I find that, especially at this time of year, we frequently end up with bottles of wine with a little bit left that we never get around to drinking. Rather than pour it down the drain, why not bake dessert?
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chardonnay
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup roasted salted cashews, chopped
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as fluer de sel
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil so that it extends up the sides. Spray with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a rectangle of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and chardonnay. Beat in the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. With a wooden spoon, stir in the butterscotch chips and cashews.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the flaky sea salt. Bake until the edges are golden-brown and the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into bars. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
I was crazy intrigued by this recipe–chardonnay in blondies?! WOW! I must try these!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
You got my attention with Chardonnay! I definitely need to try these!!
Lauren @ Create Bake Make says
Ooh these sound amazing, I would love one (ok, two!) of them right now! thanks for linking up with us for Fabulous Foodie Fridays, have a great weekend 🙂
Kaylin@EnticingHealthyEating says
You had me at butterscotch because that’s one of my most favorite flavors of anything! But the chardonnay?! Way to kick it up a notch. Love this!
Sara | Belly Rumbles says
May have to make some of these and leave them out for Santa.