If you’re searching for recipes that are both sweet and savory and can balance nourishment with indulgence, look no further than Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat.
This tome of deliciousness comes from Melissa Ben-Ishay, the superstar chef behind Baked by Melissa, and she shared with us a luscious dessert recipe that marries two guaranteed favorites: cookies and blondies. So warm up your oven, break out the mixing bowl, and prepare for a truly impressive treat.
If you thought you liked brownies before, this update will give your standard-issue version a run for their money. The cookie-butter base and cookie crumbs result in a rich, fudgy texture. I highly recommend that you use Biscoff for these, but any cookie butter would work. But the flaky sea salt at the end? Not optional.
Melissa Ben-Ishay’s Cookie Butter Blondies
Makes 16 blondies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
- 20 Biscoff cookies, crushed
- Two 14.1-ounce jars Biscoff cookie butter
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Flaky sea salt, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Stir in the vanilla, then the crushed cookies and cookie butter.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the dry mixture slowly to the stand mixer just until no streaks remain, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 60 minutes, until golden. Garnish with flaky sea salt. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
