Chocolate Hazelnut Blondies
So much flavor packed into these chocolate and hazelnut bites of goodness. Plus, they’re made in one bowl, and you probably have most of the ingredients you need on hand. If you’re looking for a quick treat, this is it.
These blondies are easy to make and come together in no time, in one bowl and with only a whisk and a spatula; they are perfect for a weeknight when you need your sweet fix yet don’t have a ton of time to whip something up. Loaded with chocolate chips and hazelnuts, these blondies are sure to hit anyone’s sweet spot.
It took me a few tries before I finally got the perfect crinkly top that is so coveted in blondies and brownies. The brown sugar gives these blondies their signature butterscotch flavor, and I love how well the cinnamon and cloves mixes with the other flavors in this blondie.
What is a blondie?
A blondie is basically a brownie without the chocolate powder, and blondies have brown sugar instead of white sugar. The brown sugar and vanilla give blondies their signature butterscotch flavor. Both blondies and brownies have a thin, crinkly top and can be chewy or cakey, depending on what you like. They are equally delicious and quick to make treats. The hardest part might be deciding which one you want to make! If you feel in the mood for a brownie, try my Easy One Bowl Brownies.
Tips and Substitutions
Ingredients
- Flour All-purpose is what we need.
- Brown sugar I used light brown, though you could try dark brown if that’s all you have. Just know that it will add a bit more moisture.
- Butter Unsalted, though if you do use salted, just omit the salt from this recipe.
- Eggs Room temperature
- Baking Powder
- Vanilla
- Cloves and cinnamon
- Chocolate chips I used milk chocolate, but you could use semi-sweet or even dark.
- Hazelnuts
Why I love this recipe…
Taste? These blondies are so delicious! The chocolate and hazelnut pair perfectly in this recipe. The cloves and cinnamon are the perfect enhancement to the rich butterscotch flavor. Such a simple, delicious dessert.
Smell? It’s really the smell of the cinnamon and cloves that does it for me. And the sweet/salty smell of the hazelnuts as you pour them into the batter.
Easy to make? These blondies are so easy to make. Just one bowl, a whisk and a spatula. It’s so nice to have a dessert that can be made without an electric mixer.
Would I make this again? I can see these being made many times in my house.
How to Make Chocolate Hazelnut Blondies
It couldn’t be much easier to make these blondies. First, you want to melt your butter. It’s the melted butter that helps us achieve the coveted crinkly, thin top and the fudgy center. Whisk the sugar into the butter until it’s all the way dissolved. Add the eggs and whisk until completely incorporated.
Using a spatula, mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon. Mix in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts.
Pour into a prepared 9×9 pan. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. The blondies will look slightly underbaked in the middle with a slight jiggle. They will continue to bake when you take them out of the oven due to the residual heat from the pan. I found that 30 minutes was the perfect time to still get a fudgy center without being undercooked. You could bake it a little longer if you want more of a cake like center, but be careful not to overcook it. You don’t want to end up with a chocolate chip cookie bar.
And there you have it, the perfect weeknight dessert. Easy as….. blondies.
Try them topped with ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
More One Bowl Recipes to Try
Frequently Asked Questions
Blondies can sit on the counter top for 2 days in an airtight container. They can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Blondies freeze very well. Let the blondies cool down fully before wrapping in plastic wrap and putting them in a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. You could also slice them into individual pieces, then wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
This is really up to personal preference, however, blondies shouldn’t be so gooey that they seem almost liquidy. They should be soft with the middle being slightly darker than the outer edges. They should be dense and not too cake like, or cookie like. Although, they would still be good even if they were. An overbaked blondie is basically a cookie bar, which you can still eat.
Chocolate Hazelnut Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup crushed hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9×9 metal baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. I cut out a square to line just the bottom of the pan.
- Melt the butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts until melted. I find this usually takes about 45 seconds, but be sure to watch the butter so it doesn't explode all over your microwave.
- Pour the melted butter (1/2 cup) and brown sugar (1 cup) into a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate.
- To the same bowl, add the two eggs and whisk until fully incorporated. Using a spatula, mix in the flour (1 cup), baking soda (1/4 teaspoon), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), cinnamon and cloves (1/2 teaspoon each), and salt (1/4 teaspoon), if using.
- Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. The blondies should look slightly underdone in the middle when they are done, and will jiggle a bit when you shake the pan. This will give you the delicious, soft center. You can bake them a bit longer if you want more of a firm blondie, but anything over 35 minutes and you will have more of a cookie bar than a blondie.
- Remove the blondies from the oven when they are done. The blondies will continue to cook for a bit due to the residual heat from the pan. Let them rest for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a baking rack to continue to cool. I like to flip them over onto a piece of parchment paper first, then put my hand underneath them to help flip them back over.
- Slice the blondies into 9 pieces once fully cooled. Enjoy plain or with ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Notes
- Store on the counter in an airtight container for up to 2 days; store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- To freeze blondies, be sure they are completely cooled. Wrap in plastic wrap and put into an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw out in the fridge overnight. You could also slice them and wrap them individually to enjoy one at a time.
- Use up to 2 cups of any mix-ins you like. Ex: white chocolate chips, peanuts, macadamia nuts, dried cranberries or cherries, butterscotch chips, etc.
Nutrition
About Author
Love the crinkly top on these blondies! So easy to make, too.