Recipe video above. Think - butterscotch flavoured brownies! Thin crackly surface (like brownies!), crispy on the edges, chewy inside. Ridiculously easy, outrageously addictive, wonderfully versatile - add in whatever you want, see the Ingredients section in the post for ideas. I love the combination of white chocolate and walnuts or macadamia nuts.Don't skip the browned butter step. It really makes it. Recipe source: Smitten Kitchen, one of my most trusted recipe sources. A rare recipe where I have changed nothing!
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT25M
Rating
4.78 stars (58 reviews)
Keywords
blondies, butterscotch brownies
Ingredients
125g/8 tbsp (1 US stick) unsalted butter ((Note 1))
1 cup brown sugar (, (light brown sugar also ok, but not dark brown))
1 large egg ((~50g/2 oz))
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour (, plain/all-purpose)
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt ((halve for table salt))
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts (, roughly chopped)
1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
Categories
Sweet Baking
Cuisine
Western
Steps
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 20 cm/8" square pan with butter and line with baking paper (parchment paper).
Toast walnuts (Note 3) - Spread the walnuts on a tray and roast for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
Browned butter (don't skip this step): Place the butter in a silver saucepan (not black) over medium high heat. Once melted, lower the heat to medium so it's simmer gently. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring every now and then (it will go foamy), until it smells nutty and you see little golden specks in the butter. Immediately pour the butter and all the golden bits into a bowl.
Batter: Add the sugar into the hot butter and mix to combine using a wooden spoon. Leave to cool for 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until combined. Add the flour and salt, and mix to combine. It will be very thick, almost like roll-able cookie dough. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix through.
Bake: Scrape into the prepared pan, spread and smooth the surface (I use my hands). Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are lightly tinged with gold and the surface has a paper thin "crackly" layer.
Rest in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting onto a cutting board. Cool for at least another 10 minutes (else it's still a bit too soft and smeary), sprinkle with salt flakes (if using). Cut into 16 squares or 9 giant squares, then devour!
Reviews
Dianne Cox on 2026-05-02 (4 stars): I reduced the sugar by 1/3 and added chopped pecans, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries - that was what I had on hand. Loved the result. The consistency was not firm when it went into the pan - checked and double checked recipe and still don't know why that was yet it turned out delicious.
Betty on 2026-02-05 (5 stars): Hi it’s so good! I only used 1/4 c of brown sugar as we don’t care for sweet. Also baked it a little longer so turned out cross between cookie and shortbread. Very crunchy! Wondering tho when cooking the butter; do you wait til it starts turning brown? Wondering for next time!! ❤️❤️
Sandy Waugh on 2026-01-17 (5 stars): First time making them. Everyone loved them. Gone in minutes. Quick and easy to make. Great recipe thanks!
gill groom on 2025-12-14 (5 stars): Made exactly according to directions- so delicious. Made for a lunch for 6 and there was none left over! So good
Tasha on 2025-10-17 (5 stars): Thank you so much for the recipe Nagi! My first time making blondie and it’s absolutely delicious! I used toasted (unsalted) cashews and sliced almonds on top of the white chocolate chips and it came out absolutely divine, my sweet tooth was very pleased
Sarah on 2025-09-21 (5 stars): Made this with peanuts and blueberries and it was perfect for add ins! 🤩
Kirrily on 2025-09-18 (5 stars): I made these for my kids and they absolutely loved it!!! I will definitely be using this recipe again :DD
Anna on 2025-09-06 (5 stars): I was asked how these freeze.
I loved eating these frozen and personally I think they tasted better. Even defrosted, great.
Cyndy on 2025-08-10 (1 stars): Could you please give a weight for the flour and brown sugar? Especially the brown sugar, as that can be packed or unpacked in so many different ways.
Maryam Nur on 2025-08-09 (5 stars): I thought these brownies were incredibly fudgey! How did they freeze - thinking about doing the same! Thanks!
Eve Harvey on 2025-08-08 (5 stars): Love this recipe Nagi. Haven’t actually cooked your particular version of it as have been cooking my granny’s version of it for 40 years. It is known by my family and friends as Granny Rita’s fruit slice, and she used to bring it to every event. Hers just had sultanas in it, my version has dates and white choc chips, and my mum makes with sultanas and macadamia nuts. I can now point people to your recipe!!!
Eve on 2025-08-08 (5 stars): Love this recipe Nagi. Haven’t actually cooked your particular version of it as have been cooking my granny’s version of it for 40 years. It is known by my family and friends as Granny Rita’s fruit slice, and she used to bring it to every event. Hers just had sultanas in it, my version has dates and white choc chips, and my mum makes with sultanas and macadamia nuts. I can now point people to your recipe!!!
Anna on 2025-07-22 (4 stars): Absolutely love this recipe but it's annoying the grams are different between this and the original recipe so I've had to switch between this site and the original to work out the best amount. Luckily it's very forgiving and very popular! 😊 I added white chocolate chips and round sprinkles (100s and 1000s) to make fairy bread blondies for a friend's birthday which was a bit. Next up white chocolate and raspberry (freeze dried from the shops). Wish me luck!
Anna on 2025-07-14 (5 stars): I did make some changes
I did use almond flour for the first time
I’m trying to be low carb
They were a touch sweet for me and I did 150 grams of chocolate
When I make them again more macadamia less chocolate
The best part of this bake the centre like a brownie, lovely and gooey mmmmmmm
They are now cut into tiny pieces in my freezer and I hope they taste as good frozen as your brownie recipe which I will bake in the coming months when I run out of blondies with almond flour again it will be a another first for me
Tara on 2025-05-26 (5 stars): Really loved this recipe. So easy and delicious. Looking forward to switching it up and trying different flavour combinations.
Simonne on 2025-05-07 (5 stars): Absolutely delicious. Me and my sweet tooth enjoyed this thoroughly! So simple and quick. It will be a regular in my baking rotation now!
Shellie on 2025-05-05 (5 stars): Had to make a double batch didn’t have enough white chocolate chips or any walnuts. Husbear had my car because his was being serviced. So there was no saving myself. Resorted to using white chocolate chips. pecans, and chopped glacé cherries. Crikey! It was too delicious! The glace cherries gave it a hint of Christmas luxury. Christmas in May is the new Christmas in July! Whatever you do don’t do what I did. You’ll be craving them relentlessly and will have to make another batch next week. They were supposed to be a packed lunch treat for this week but there’s no way they’re going to last until Friday. Nobody can leave them alone. I’ve hidden them twice and they’ve been found and pilfered both times. These are unbelievably good! Thank you Nagi and Smitten Kitchen for bringing this joy into our lives!
