Coffee Blondies

When an amazing baker like Sarah Kieffer says that she’s been making these blondies for almost two decades, I had to try them. Right? They did not disappoint.

The recipe was adapted from The Vanilla Bean Baking Book: Recipes for Irresistible Everyday Favorites and Reinvented Classics by Sarah Kieffer of The Vanilla Bean Blog. I used espresso, fine sea salt, and dark chocolate chips. We ate them with and without (caramel) ice cream. 🙂

Yield: one 9×13-inch pan of blondies (about 12 large or 24 small)

• 213 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 12 T (1 1/2 sticks; 170 g) unsalted butter, cold
• 297 g (1 1/2 cups) light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 T strong coffee, room temperature (I used espresso)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 T pure vanilla extract
• 86 g (3/4 cup) pecan halves, toasted and chopped
• 128 g (3/4 cup) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (I used 72% dark chocolate chips)

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, preferably on convection.
2. Grease a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with cooking oil spray. Line the pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang on 2 sides. (I clip the overhang with binder clips to keep it in place.)
3. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool and then chop; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder.
5. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and salt.
6. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the coffee until well combined. Let the mixture come to room temperature. (I transferred it to a large bowl to expedite the process at this point.)
7. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl (if you haven’t already).
8. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
9. Add the pecans and chocolate chips and stir gently until incorporated.
10. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
11. Bake 18 to 24 minutes, until the blondies are set on the edges and the top is golden brown and just beginning to form cracks. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with just a couple of crumbs.
12. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Use the parchment sling to gently lift the blondies from the pan. Cut into squares.

Butter Pecan Blondies

Butter pecan is one of my favorite ice cream flavors. This flavor combination is also absolutely perfect in a buttery blondie. This easy recipe uses pantry staples to create a quick dessert without even using a mixer!

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living. I omitted the rum and substituted an additional teaspoon of vanilla extract in its place. I baked mine long enough to achieve light golden brown color but may increase the baking time next time to heighten the depth of flavor.

Yield: Makes 24 bars

• 1 1/2 cups whole raw pecans
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups light-brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon dark rum, optional (can substitute 1 additional tsp of vanilla extract)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant, 6 to 7 minutes. Let cool, then chop.
3. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter (or coat with cooking oil spray), then dust with flour, tapping out excess.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together butter and 2 cups brown sugar until combined.
6. Add eggs to the butter and sugar mixture; whisk until combined. Add vanilla and rum.
7. Fold in flour mixture with a spatula until just combined (do not overmix).
8. Fold in half of nuts.
9. Transfer batter to prepared dish; smooth top with an offset spatula.
10. Sprinkle top with remaining nuts and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
11. Bake until golden around edges and a tester inserted in center comes out with very few crumbs, 22 to 24 minutes. (Watching carefully- Next time I may increase the baking time up to 28 to 30 minutes.)
12. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Note: Blondies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Variations: If you’d rather not use rum, increase the amount of vanilla to 4 teaspoons.

Tate’s Shortbread

My way of celebrating a friend’s birthday is to bake something for her… This is difficult for one of my buddies because she isn’t really a fan of desserts. It’s terrible. 😉 (One year I actually just gave her butter! – it was special butter…) Well, lucky for me, I was able to find the recipe for her absolute favorite cookies this year. Yay! Shortbread from Southampton, New York’s Tate’s Bake Shop.

This super simple recipe results in perfect, slightly crunchy, crumbly cookies. The recipe was adapted from Baking for Friends by Kathleen King, owner and founder of Tate’s Bake Shop, via redtri.com. I used unsalted butter and coarse salt instead of salted butter. Delicious!

Yield: Makes 32 cookies

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 3/4 lb (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 to 1 tsp coarse salt

1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (on convection). Line the bottom and 2 short ends of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or a 20-inch length of aluminum foil, pleating the foil as needed, and letting the excess foil hang over the ends. Butter or lightly spray the parchment with cooking oil.
2. In the bowl of a standing, heavy-duty electric mixer, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and mix with the paddle attachment on low-speed until the mixture looks crumbly, about 1-½ minutes. (Add any of the variation flavorings listed below at this point.) Press firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. (I use the base of a dry measuring cup.)
3. Bake until the shortbread is golden brown on top and slightly darker around the edges, about 1 hour. Cut into 32 pieces while still warm. (If cooled before cutting, the shortbread will break.) Let cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
4. Run a dinner knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the shortbread. Lift up the parchment or foil “handles” to remove the shortbread from the pan. Cut through the previously cut marks into 32 pieces.

Other variations:

Lemon Ginger Shortbread: Add 1 cup chopped crystallized ginger, 1 cup minced candied lemon peel (or the grated zest of 1 lemon), and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

Brown Sugar Ginger Shortbread: Substitute 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar for the granulated sugar, and add 1 cup crystallized ginger.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread: Add 1-cup (6 ounces) miniature chocolate chips

Pecan Shortbread: Add 1 cup toasted and finely chopped pecans.

One Year Ago:

• Warm Chocolate Puddings

Two Years Ago:

• Pretzel-Shortbread Bars

If you like this you may also like:

• Bouchon Bakery Shortbread
• Tate’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Tate’s Banana Flaxseed Muffins