I’m having a total blondies moment. And, not to get too controversial or anything, but I’m lately preferring them to brownies. I know, WHAT?! I’m someone who can handle my chocolate, but sometimes a whole thing of brownies gets a little much, you know? With blondies, they’re essentially ooey-gooey cookie bars. And if you know me, I’ve been obsessed with making cookies for years (recipe to come in the future, I promise)! It makes sense I fell in love with blondies when I first tried one just a couple of years ago. Oh, and let me take a second to shout-out one of the sweet treats I still dream of despite having it over a year and many months ago: the ‘Salted Caramel Blondie’ at Beaucoup Bakery in Vancouver. Often times I go somewhere, see something on the menu, order it, and am met with disappointment after the first bite when I realize the taste does not live up to the name or appearance. Well, this baby was different and it is still one of my favourite things I’ve tried in recent-ish memory. It’s packed with all the gooey caramel flavour you could hope for; that’s my kinda sweet thang.
On the note of blondie shout-outs, the following Chewy Mini Egg Blondies recipe I’m sharing gets its foundation from Inspired Taste’s version. It’s a totally solid recipe, I’ve only made minor tweaks here and there for this pastel-coloured version! Feel free to add in anything else as well — dark chocolate and nuts would be a delicious alternative!
Now, I’ll keep this post short and get on to the recipe, but I will say there are a few notes to keep in mind when following the recipe. Don’t panic, the whole thing is so quick and easy that you’ll be surprised how well it turned out. The notes are just there for gently guiding you on to the path of blondie success! Please let me know if you try out this Mini Egg twist. It’s perfect for Spring, or anytime, really. Long gone are the days that Mini Eggs were only to be seen near Easter. Thank goodness and happy baking!
CHEWY MINI EGG BLONDIES
Makes 9 large squares, or 16 smaller ones
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar (dark brown works too)
1 large cold egg
1/8 TSP & an extra pinch of salt
2 TSP vanilla extract (see note below)
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned (see note below)
Heaping ½ cup of chopped Cadbury Mini Eggs & enough whole Mini Eggs to sprinkle on top at the end, about ½ cup
Directions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line an 8 inch x 8 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. The best method for easy removal is to cut two pieces of the same size that will overlap in opposite directions in the pan, with enough paper at the ends to create flaps to hold on to. You can also use aluminum foil.
- Chop enough Mini Eggs so you are left with a heaping ½ cup that will be mixed into the batter later. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together vigorously so no hard clumps of sugar remain. Do this for about 1 minute; after this is done you will shortly see the mixture emulsify and settle into a thick paste-like consistency.
- Mix the egg in a separate bowl and add it to the sugar mixture, along with the salt and vanilla. Mix well.
- Switching to a spatula, add the flour and fold it in. When only a few streaks of flour remain add the chopped Mini Eggs (or whichever add-ins you are using). Mix until everything looks evenly incorporated.
- Spread batter evenly into the lined baking pan. This may be difficult if using the overlapping parchment paper as it will slide around; it helps to crumple down the flaps over the sides so they don’t get in the way.
- Sprinkle the remaining whole Mini Eggs on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. You are looking for a shiny thin “crust” to form on top and the inside to be a little underdone for that perfect gooey bite! (Around 22 minutes was the sweet spot for me.) Let cool in the pan until you are able to lift them out without cracking, then keep on a wire rack to finish cooling. Cut and enjoy!
Notes:
- While the sweetness is just right for me, feel free to decrease the amount of sugar just a bit if you prefer things on the less-sweet side since Mini Eggs are quite sweet, too. However, the full amount of sugar may be needed if you’re not using sweet milk chocolate, and are instead using semi-sweet chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
- Do take the time to whisk the melted butter and sugar together well. This will allow a better texture and prevent the butter from separating during baking. Mixing well in this step will mean less mixing is needed after the flour is added, and so, the flour won’t become over-worked. Just remember: mix the butter and sugar for about 1 minute. It may look like the butter’s already separating, but let it sit for a minute or so and you will see the butter cool and the sugar blending better to form a thick paste. If this doesn’t happen, a quick save is to just mix a few extra times for insurance after adding the flour at the end.
- If using dark brown sugar, you can use 1 ½ TSP of vanilla extract instead of 2 TSP. The original recipe calls for 1 ½ TSP and uses dark brown sugar, but since I used light brown sugar, I believe the extra vanilla adds a bit more richness to supplement what may be lost without dark brown sugar.
- To prevent a cakier and non-gooey texture, be sure to fill your measuring cup of flour by spooning it in. Doing this allows for less to be packed into your measuring cup, and therefore creates a “more wet” batter, resulting in that classic fudge-y brownie texture!