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Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Blondies

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With school winding down for my kiddos, we are in the whirlwind time period formally known as May. Baseball games, end of year parties, recitals, and final test grades- it’s wilder than Christmas! Since when was May even busier than December?! Today, in honor of these final days of school, I’m sharing a super easy, sharable dessert that is perfect for those last minute gatherings and gifts: brown butter snickerdoodle blondies. YUM!

Just How Good are These Blondies?

To put it plainly: they’re amazing. Like, slap your mama good. Over the moon good. Fragrant, soft, and chewy, these brown butter snickerdoodle blondies make the perfect make-ahead treat to prepare for all your dessert needs. Teacher gifts? Sure. End of year parties? Yep. An early summer barbecue? Oh, yeah. These simple bars are as delicious as they are easy to make, and they’re such a crowd pleaser too.

Using Brown Butter in Blondies

First things first: you have to know how to make the best brown butter blondies! I may be biased, but brown butter makes just about everything better. If you’re unfamiliar with the process, be sure to learn how to brown butter in my previous post. Once browned, the butter adds a unique warm taste to the blondies that regular butter cannot offer. It pairs perfectly with the cozy cinnamon sugar snickerdoodle flavor, making these brown butter blondies the easiest comfort food dessert maybe ever.

How to Make Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Blondies

To make these treats, we start by browning the butter. Once golden and fragrant, we stir in the brown sugar, an egg, and vanilla extract. Next comes the dry ingredients which includes a pinch of salt and a bit of cinnamon. Finally, the dough presses into the pan before a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar tops the whole thing. The blondies bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted just barely comes out clean. Voila!

What to Serve with Blondies

Truth be told, I love to serve these blondies solo. They need no backup singer. But if you’re dying to make these a showstopper, here’s what you need: first, ice cream. Vanilla, to be precise. Serve it alongside a warm square of blondie. A drizzle of homemade caramel? Perhaps a sprinkling of candied nuts? Even more cinnamon sugar? Absolutely. Make it a modified sundae, and you’re good to go.

I hope you enjoy these brown butter snickerdoodle blondies. Be sure to check out a few of my other favorite blondie offerings below. Happy Wednesday and happy baking!

Five Blondie Recipes to Make Right Now

Easy Chewy Blondies
White Chocolate Coconut Blondies
Pecan Toffee Blondies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Bourbon Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Blondies

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These Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Blondies are chewy bars loaded with cinnamon sugar flavor and brown butter!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed into equals sized pieces
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8″ square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Add the butter to a light-bottomed pan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring regularly. Once the butter is melted and has stopped sizzling as frequently, begin to whisk constantly until the butter has browned to a medium-dark hue. (See notes for help.) Remove the butter to a separate large bowl. Allow to cool briefly, about 5 minutes.
Once slightly cooled, whisk the brown sugar into the brown butter. Add the eggs and the vanilla and whisk well to combine. In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ¾ teaspoons of the cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the brown butter mixture and fold to combine.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Stir the remaining cinnamon and the 2 teaspoons of sugar together. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the blondie batter. Bake in the preheated oven, about 25-30 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted to the center just barely comes out clean.

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Crispy Millionaire Bars

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You know what we’re not too good for? Homemade rice krispy treats. Look, I know we all grew up eating them, and maybe they feel kind of basic. You might be one of those people who is kinda freaked out by marshmallows, or perhaps you just hate delicious food (Who are you, anyways?). I for one LOVE Rice Krispies and, given the opportunity, would happily destroy a pan or two if you sent them my way. Today we’re paying tribute to those after-school favorites with these crispy millionaire bars: a shortbread crust filled with a soft salted caramel and topped with a crispy chocolate and rice cereal crunch. They’re a fun mash-up of two of my comforting faves, and I think you’re going to like them.

I have a friend who is basically a rice krispy all-star. If make rice treats was a sport, she would be, like, Michael Phelps or LeBron. At one point, she gave me her recipe and it was something hyper-specific that required me to count out the jumbo marshmallows one by one. I made them precisely how she told me to, and it was laughable. They were hard and sticky and not even nearly as good as hers. I want to believe I messed them up, but something tells me she just likes being the rice krispy wizard. The joke is on her anyways- I’d take eating krispies with a friend any day.

Crispy Millionaire Bars

This same friend also loves shortbread, so crispy millionaire bars are right up her alley. A buttery shortbread crust topped with salty caramelized filling and a snap-crackle-pop topping is the perfect combo of her two favorite things. Luckily, it’s a favorite of mine too, so even if I can’t make good rice krispies at least I now have crispy marshmallow bars. That’s what we call a glass-half-full kind of perspective, folks.

Making the Bars

To make crispy millionaire bars, we start with our shortbread. Softened butter is creamed with sugar until smooth, and flour and salt are added to the mix. The dry crumb comes together in a square metal pan and bakes in a preheated oven for a few minutes while you prep your filling. Although there’s many ways to make a caramel filling for this kind of bar, we’re taking the easy way out by opting for one made via sweetened condensed milk. Combined with butter, brown sugar, and a smidge of salt and corn syrup, the milk makes a thick, sweet and salty caramel that works every.single.time. Carefully pour the hot caramel over the baked shortbread and allow it to set up completely on the counter or in the fridge.

Once the caramel in your crispy millionaire bars has cooled, melt some chocolate and fold in your rice cereal. Be careful with the cereal so it stays crunchy and in tact. Spread the mixture on top of the cooled caramel and allow it all to firm up, again, in the fridge. When ready to eat, slice in into bite-sized bars and enjoy! I love to nibble on these crispy millionaire bars when they’re barely to room temperature, but be sure to store them in the fridge- the caramel is gooey and it will start to droop out if you let it.

I hope you get a chance to make these crispy millionaire bars this weekend. Maybe share them with a friend? Maybe not? Either way, get your sweet on and enjoy these treats ASAP. Happy Thursday and have a great finish to this short week! Cheers!

If you like these crispy millionaire bars you should check out:

Pretzel Millionaire Bars
Peanut Butter Brownies with Pretzel Shortbread Crust
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts
Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Crispy Millionaire Bars

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These crispy millionaire bars have a shortbread crust, a salted caramel filling, and a crispy rice cereal and chocolate topping! Perfect for making ahead and sharing!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 120
Yield: 16
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the shortbread:

¾ cup (170 gm) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
1–1/2 cups (210 gm) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt

For the caramel filling:

6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
1–14 ounce can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt

For the chocolate crunch:

8 ounces semisweet chocolate
¾ cup rice cereal

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Instructions

To prepare the shortbread:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and use a large sheet of aluminum foil to wrap the insides of an 8 or 9” square metal pan with overhang on the sides.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until well combined and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the flour and salt and stir just until combined into loose crumbs. Dump the mixture into the prepared lined pan and press it evenly into the bottom. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden, about 30-35 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the caramel filling.

To prepare the caramel filling:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter and sugar together, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted. Add the sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup and bring the mixture to a boil. Begin stirring continuously and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has turned lightly golden and has thickened to a mayonnaise consistency. Remove from the heat immediately and stir in the salt. Pour the mixture over the shortbread and set aside to cool completely. You can expedite this process by refrigerating it.

To prepare the chocolate crunch:

Once the caramel layer has set, place a large bowl over a slightly small saucepan filled with 1” of water. Place the pan over medium-low heat and add the chocolate to the bowl, stirring regularly to gently melt it. Be sure to not let the chocolate overheat or it may seize. Once melted and smooth, fold in the rice cereal and then spread the mixture over top of the set caramel layer. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.

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Pretzel Millionaire Bars

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Last week felt like fall. Outside, the air was cold and smelled of wood and ash- the kind of smell that reminds me of staring at friends across the glow of a fire, their faces all dancing with reds and yellows and golds from the flames. Those early bits of fall are always a welcome change of season from the relentless summers we experience in Alabama, but as soon as that first cold hits, my heart longs for the holidays. I dream of Thanksgiving hams and Christmas carols; I want Nat King Cole on my radio and peppermint babka in my oven. Fall starts and I immediately crave the flavors and sights and sounds that come with the holidays.

It’s not so much the holidays themselves as it is the feelings that they bring. I love the connection and joy that is inspired by time spent around a big table crowded with the faces of people I love. Gratitude, while accessible all year round, feels so tangible and easy to express during a time of year centered around just that- thanksgiving. Every year as the holidays approach, I do my best to soak up all the goodness as it starts trickling in, but often schedules, shopping lists, and dinner parties come between me and (what should be) a time of year when all is calm, all is bright. I want to change that.

This year, let’s spend less time fussing and more time loving. Let’s shy away from the grind and the work and the stress of the holidays and ease into observing the moment. Maybe we could use this season to sow into the people we love and decide to simplify the rest. Let’s make it easier on ourselves.

I’m starting in the kitchen. There’s no reason to go overboard on fussy menus (read: extravagant desserts) when delicious, indulgent treats can made quite easily. Take for instance these pretzel millionaire bars. A buttery pretzel shortbread crust topped with a gooey caramel filling and rich chocolate ganache, these pretzel millionaire bars are sweet and salty bites of goodness that can be made with few ingredients and in a short amount of time. Need to bring a dessert to your Friendsgiving party? Pretzel millionaire bars. Want to pack up some sweets as a gift for your neighbor? Pretzel millionaire bars. Decadence is only but a few minutes away when you’ve got a recipe like this on hand.

To make the bars, we start with the pretzel shortbread crust. Combine crumbled pretzels with flour, brown sugar, and some ice-cold butter and press the sandy mixture into the bottom of a square baking dish. Pop the crust in the oven while you get going on the caramel filling.

Although I typically employ a homemade caramel recipe, these bars keep it decadent and simple by using Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk. Combine the milky nectar with butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook it until the mixture has thickened, darkened slightly, and caramelized. That gooey goodness is spread over top of the shortbread crust and allowed to chill.

Once the bars have cooled, a rich, two-ingredient chocolate ganache comes next, prepared by stirring together warm cream and chopped chocolate. The ganache gets spread all over the cooled caramel and is garnished with a few more pretzels or a sprinkle of salt. Truly, if there’s anything more delicious than the sweet and salty combination of pretzels, caramel, and chocolate, I don’t want to know.

I’m sharing this recipe as part of Eagle Brand’s “UnCookie” exchange that they have launched to keep our holidays sweet and fuss-free. Treats like these pretzel millionaire bars are simple to make and fun to serve, leaving you with less time spent in the kitchen and more moments shared with the people you love. While planning your holiday menus this year, be sure to remember these bars and the many other UnCookie recipes that can be found right here. Enjoy these next few months and don’t forget to treat yo’ self to some UnCookies.

This post was sponsored by Eagle Brand. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make Wood and Spoon possible!

If you like these pretzel millionaire bars, be sure to check out:

Pretzel Shortbread Peanut Butter Brownies

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Derby Pie Bars

Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Pretzel Millionaire Bars

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These sweet and salty pretzel millionaire bars have a pretzel shortbread crust, a caramel filling, and a chocolate ganache topping.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 16

Ingredients

For the pretzel shortbread:

2 ounces (55 gm) salted pretzels (see notes)
½ cup (65 gm) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cold

For the caramel filling:

6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
1-14 ounce can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Pinch of salt

For the chocolate ganache:

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream.
3 ounces (85 gm) semisweet chocolate, chopped

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Instructions

To prepare the pretzel shortbread:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8” square metal pan with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Pulse the pretzels in a food processor or mini chopper until they are reduced to a coarse sandy mixture. You can leave a few small chunks, if desired. Pulse in the flour, brown sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until small clumps come together. Pat the mixture out into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until the shortbread is soft but slightly set, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool briefly while you prepare the caramel filling.

To prepare the caramel filling:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter and sugar together, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted. Add the sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup and bring the mixture to a boil. Begin stirring continuously and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has turned lightly golden and has thickened to a mayonnaise consistency. Remove from the heat immediately and stir in the salt. Pour the mixture over the pretzel shortbread and set aside to cool completely. You can expedite this process by refrigerating it.

To prepare the chocolate ganache:

Heat the heavy whipping cream until hot but not simmering. Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and pour the cream over top. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and allow the chocolate to melt for about 5 minutes. Stir the chocolate and cream together until smooth, microwaving in 10 second spurts as needed to help melt unmelted chocolate. Smooth the mixture over top of the caramel filling and garnish the top with extra pretzels or flecks of salt. Allow to cool completely before cutting into pieces.

Notes

I prefer to purchase mini salted pretzel twists. Avoid using thick pretzel rods. Flavor will differ if you use unsalted or fat-free pretzels.
If desired, feel free to stir 3/4 cup roasted chopped nuts into the caramel just before spreading on the shortbread. I have tried it with pecans and it is DELISH!

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White Chocolate Coconut Blondies

16 Comments / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

Happy Thursday from sweet home Alabama! This time of year, at least in these parts, means that college football season is near. Yes, in just a few short days I will kiss my husband goodbye and re-familiarize myself with that far-off gaze that only a football game and a plate of buffalo hot wings can render. So to start this season off on the right foot, I’m sharing an easy, crowd-pleasing, one-bowl recipes that you can show off at the tailgate nearest you. Yes, these white chocolate coconut blondies will make even the least interested college football fan (guilty) show up at your party tent ready to rumble.

Go Sports!

Growing up, I was not what you would call a football fan. At the time, I had a healthy interest in professional and college basketball (GO CATS!), but football really wasn’t on my radar. It wasn’t until I moved to Birmingham, Alabama for college that I learned of the vicious football rivalries that existed in my new state. “So who do you pull for? Auburn or Alabama?” I heard that question a time or two and I’m pretty sure I laughed every time. I could have written a dissertation on the birthplace of jorts (thats “jean shorts” for those of you not from North Florida) with more interest than I could have aligned myself to one of two schools that I knew or cared nothing about. BYE FELECIA.

My Own Sports Career

By junior year, I had dated one (okay, one and a half) players from our school’s football team, so my knowledge in the sport had increased by at least 250%. I joined my sorority’s C-list flag football team, bought some knee socks and a fresh pair of Sophies, and determined I was ready to go pro.

Our team was, to say the least, bad. Okay, we were terrible. AWFUL. In one particular game, a girl on our team lost her shorts (and panties) to a flag pull gone wrong. Later, we executed our best play dubbed “The Eagle” where we all stopped running and began dancing on the field as some sort of means of distraction; it was not successful. The single time I touched the ball that evening was on a punt return where I caught the ball and ran towards the wrong end zone. I realized my mistake at the 15 yard line, immediatlely panicked, and hurled the ball at an unassuming teammate. (Spoiler alert: she didn’t catch the ball. We lost the game. I’m told that everything I did was wrong.)

If you, like me, aren’t a savvy football fan or wouldn’t know a tailgate if it sat on your face, let me help you. Learn from the mistakes of the diehards and wannabes that have gone before you. Here are a few football fan fun facts that will keep you on the invite list for games to come.

How To Not Be A Loser At A Football Game:

DO know which teams are playing in the game. People will laugh if you show up sporting your Keyshawn Johnson jersey and you don’t even know what team the Bucs are playing for the ring. Not like I know from experience or anything.
DO try to sit with people you know. You’ll regret that single scalped ticket if you wind up in the opposing team’s section next to a bunch of potty mouths.
DON’T show up to a tailgate empty-handed! Cookies, a dip, or Chex mix are always appropriate.
DO wear your team colors, but avoid silks, rayon, and form-fitting clothes that will most certainly show off your pit stains and swamp butt. That is not winning.
DON’T drink too much in first quarter of the game. The bleachers are no place to sleep one off.
DO avoid the concession stand at halftime. No amount of chili dogs are worth those lines.
DON’T sit next to the shirtless guys with the body paint unless you’re totally okay with the potential of this happening.
DON’T leave a game early. It only takes one second to miss something.
DO remember that tailgating is a marathon, not a sprint. Those Frito’s and sausage balls might go down smooth, but you don’t want to lug that with you to the upper bowl.
DO make all the brown butter blondies, all the time. FACT: people who bring blondies have more fun.

White Chocolate Coconut Blondies

These white chocolate coconut blondies are tailgating staples. This recipe make a huge pan of treats, perfect for sharing, toting across the quad, and shoving in your pockets to get through game day security. Even better, this same batter can be adapted to meet your preferences, so with the same handful of ingredients you can have a variety of chewy goodies to share with the world. Ya welcome.

Making the Blondies

To make these white chocolate coconut blondies, we start by browning some butter. Lucky for you, you’re a pro at browning butter, so you whip that up quickly and let the golden fat cool. From there, it’s a one bowl and done kind of recipe. Stir some brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla into your butter and then fold in the dry ingredients. That’s it! The batter is done. Just toss in the shredded coconut and white chocolate chips and voila! They’re finished!

After baking, these brown butter blondies are chewy and oh-so flavorful. Coconut and white chocolate makes a perfect pairing, but you could also opt for dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips as well. Maybe a little lime zest? Maybe sub in some of the coconut for chopped macadamia nuts? Whatever works for you. They’re always delish!

Don’t be a loser at this year’s football games. Don’t be like me. Just make these white chocolate coconut blondies and thank the heavens that someone (*raises hand*) has figured out the hard stuff for you. Get your game on this weekend and think of me when you sink your teeth into these bad boys.

Also, there’s only ONE MORE WEEK to vote for your favorite bloggers in the Saveur Blog Awards. You’ll find me in the best baking and sweets category. Click here to vote today and as often as you’d like!

If you like these treats, be sure to check out:

Pecan Toffee Blondies

Derby Pie Bars

Pretzel Shortbread Peanut Butter Brownie

Blueberry Lemon Bars

Trail Mix Cookies

White Chocolate Coconut Blondies

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These white chocolate coconut blondies feature chewy insides, shredded coconut, and a brown butter dough!

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 16

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed into equals sized pieces
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8″ square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Add the butter to a light-bottomed pan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring regularly. Once the butter is melted and has stopped sizzling as frequently, begin to whisk constantly until the butter has browned to a medium-dark hue. (See notes for help.) Remove the butter to a separate large bowl. Allow to cool briefly, about 5 minutes.
Once slightly cooled, whisk the brown sugar into the brown butter. Add the eggs and the vanilla and whisk well to combine. In a seprate small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the brown butter mixture and fold to combine. Add the coconut and white chocolate chips and fold just until combined.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and then bake in the preheated oven, about 25-30 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted to the center just barely comes out clean.

Notes

See my previous post on browning butter if you need a little help in this area.

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