The culinary maven behind Baked by Melissa has two words for you: Cookie butter.
Breaking news for foodies and anyone who loves delicious meals (aka pretty much everyone): Melissa Ben-Ishay, the superstar chef behind Baked by Melissa, has a new cookbook out. Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat is chock full of recipes both sweet and savory that balance nourishment with indulgence. To celebrate, Ben-Ishay 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.
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.
