You ask and you shall receive!
A couple of weeks ago, I did a poll on my Instagram stories about your preferred version of a boozy blondie.
While amaretto was a close second (and something I’ll definitely be revisiting in the future), bourbon and/or whiskey won by a landslide!
You guys want to get down with the brown liquor! I dig it.
I give you brown butter whiskey blondies! Complete with a super boozy whiskey glaze and loads of chewy goodness.
These are just in time for St. Patrick’s Day next week! It worked out perfectly. Love when that happens.
So here’s the deal: these are BOOZY. Like, you actually taste the alcohol here. So many spiked treats that I have had don’t have a prominent alcohol flavor. But these do. Just a warning!
A big contributing factor to that is the whiskey glaze that goes on top. It’s basically just pure whiskey mixed with softened butter and powdered sugar. So yeah, it’s going to have a kick.
If you DON’T want the whiskey flavor to be as strong, I suggest skipping the glaze altogether. The blondies themselves still have that whiskey flavor but without the strong kick.
Whichever way you decide to go, I can promise you this: these are DELICIOUS. The whiskey and brown butter work SO well together and with the caramely notes from the dark brown sugar and vanilla as well. It’s truly a flavor match made in heaven.
I always worry about adding extra liquid to baked goods. Baking is so finicky, and messing with the proportions of a recipe can really affect the outcome. In this case, I was concerned that the extra moisture from the whiskey would make these cakey and not chewy.
But! The use of dark brown sugar and an extra egg yolk did the trick in that area. The extra moisture from the brown sugar really helps with the chew factor, and the extra fat of the egg yolk helps counterbalance that extra liquid. While I don’t quite have all the science of baking down yet, I do love to test and test until I get things just right.
And I can say with confidence that these came out wonderfully soft and chewy with crispy edges – just like all blondies should have!
I added some chopped bittersweet chocolate to these because I thought it would also complement all the other warm and caramely flavors going on, and I’m so happy I did. The melted pools of chocolate throughout these made them extra gooey and indulgent.
Again, just like all blondies should be!
Gosh, I love a blondie. And if it has a little extra kick, you won’t see me turning it down.
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Brown Butter Whiskey Blondies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
These Brown Butter Whiskey Blondies are sweet, chewy, caramely, and with a strong kick of brown booze! You can make these with bourbon or whiskey – pick your poison – these are so much fun! The whiskey glaze really sets these over the top. They are STRONG – you’ve been warned!
Ingredients
For the Blondies:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup whiskey or bourbon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips
For the Whiskey Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or bourbon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar (plus an additional ¼ cup, as needed)
- Splash of milk or cream, if needed
- Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)
Instructions
For the Blondies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spritz with nonstick cooking spray.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stirring or swirling the pan frequently, cook the butter until the solids have lightly browned and the butter smells nutty. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Add the cooled butter to a large bowl and stir in the dark brown sugar, whiskey, and vanilla. Mix well to combine and then stir in the egg and egg yolk.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until a dough forms. Fold in the chocolate.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are set and golden and the center is no longer gooey. Cool the blondies completely before topping with the glaze.
For the Whiskey Glaze:
- In a bowl, whisk together the whiskey, softened butter, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add more powdered sugar, as needed, until a thick and spreadable consistency is achieved.
- Sometimes, depending on the weather that day or the brand of powdered sugar I am using, I will need to add a splash of milk to the glaze to get it the right consistency. Start with a teaspoon and add more if you need to.
- Spread the glaze evenly over the cooled blondies. If preferred, you can sprinkle the glaze with a little bit of flaky sea salt.
- Allow the glaze to set for at least 30 minutes before slicing into bars. I like to transfer the pan to the fridge so the glaze really firms up. This makes it easy to slice into neat bars.
Notes
- I recommend using dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar for this recipe. The added moisture of the dark brown sugar will lend itself to that wonderful “chew” we all know and love about blondies.
- The whiskey glaze is optional here. It really drives home that boozy, whiskey flavor. If that’s not your thing, you can skip it. The blondies are still delicious without it! The glaze DEFINITELY adds a strong alcohol flavor – just a word of warning.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: dessert
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
what a fun blondie recipe, so much more interesting to me than a brownie, I’m just not into the chocolate overload and the texture much better with a glaze like this, even whiskey flavored to break up the sweetness, thank you!
First, i am not a big whiskey drinker. I made these more for my boyfriend than myself…BUT they were so incredible. The glaze definitely puts them on the boozy side, which is fun, but the actual blondie is chewy and buttery and delicious. I plan on making these many times over! Oh, and my boyfriend LOVED them.