This is proof that I’m stubborn. This is proof that I believe in myself. This is proof that I’ll keep trying. This is proof that I have a sweet tooth that just won’t quit. This is proof that I want to throw the entire kitchen sink into an 8-inch square pan.
I once had a real problem with Blondie Brownies. The main problem … the big, embarrassing elephant in the room was simple: I couldn’t make a good Blondie to save my life. I’ve failed with so many greasy Blondie messes.
It was always Brunette (brownie) for life.
But I LOVE Blondie Brownies. LOVE with my heart. Blondie Brownies are like chocolate chip cookies, in bar form. Adding chocolate and walnuts is a natural and highly advised choice.
Because well enough is never enough… let’s add all sorts of goodness to our Blondies!
Toasted walnuts. Sweet and spicy candied ginger. Oooh so good vanilla beans. Ground ginger powder and coarse sea salt.
The basis of every good Blondie: brown sugar! Light or dark brown sugar. Choose your adventure.
Butter is a big deal too!
Butter is usually a big deal around these parts.
This is the part where you’re probably going to want to grab a spoon.
But reach for a baking pan instead.
These Blondie Brownies are everything they should be! Chewy, buttery, crisp and golden around the edges. I love how the ginger flavor acts with the butter and nuts. Candied ginger adds just a hint of spice.
These are the good life. Be stubborn. Get Blondies right.
Ginger Walnut Chocolate Blondies
makes 9 brownies
recipe adapted from Simply Recipes
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract plus scrapings from 1 vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons extract)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped candied ginger pieces
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
handful toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking sheet. Line with parchment paper, leaving two flaps hanging over the edges of the pan. Grease and flour the parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar. Mixture will be grainy. That’s ok.
Whisk in egg and beat by hand until mixture is slightly pale, about 2 minutes. Whisk in vanilla extract and bean.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir until just incorporated. Mixture will be fairly thick. Fold in ginger, chocolate and walnuts, reserving some of each to top the brownies before baking.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Top with remaining ginger, chocolate, and walnuts. Bake for 20 to 27 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean. Brownies will be golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing into 9 pieces. Brownies will keep, well wrapped at room temperature, for up to 4 days.
Shagun
Can i replace the egg in the recipe? What can the egg be substituted with?
joythebaker
I have never tried to replace the egg in this recipe. I think the egg is important to the structure.
Spencer @ Moo-Lolly-Bar
Looks absolutely delicious! I love a good chocolate blondie and this one looks amazing. I would love to try some.
Maddie
Made these two days ago and they were gone in literally five minutes, way before I had a chance to reserve a few for a photograph! I baked them in a pie pan and they took just under an hour. Delish!
Jessica
These look absolutely delicious! I will definitely be trying these this weekend, The pictures also look fantastic as usual. :)
Christina C
I just made these tonight and they are delicious!!! Thank goodness that I’m taking them to work tomorrow b/c I could see myself eating all of these by myself. The recipe is wonderfully simple and the ginger gives it a nice adult twist. I think this is a great blondie base recipe as well and am now thinking of how I can do dark chocolate and salted caramel, dark chocolate with dried blueberries, the combos are endless. Thanks for sharing!
micah rose
This is such a go-to recipe for me. This time, however, I’m making it with caramel and cinnamon apples. So good!
You rock, Joy!
Catherine
Hi Joy, my mum and I just made these and they were the best thing I’ve ever tasted! I love this recipe and I’ll definitely make these blondies again soon!
-Catherine, age 11
Sutchi
Hmmm, they look superyummy, definitely will try them out!
Dare to Dessert
I can’t lie, 9 times out of 10, I prefer the brownie to the blondie… I think it’s because I’m a chocohaulic. But sometimes I just don’t want a brownie but I’m still craving something sweet, warm, and chewy. That’s why these blondies satisfy all around! Chocolate chips, nuts, and that sweet, gooey baked goodness. Lord have mercy these look great!
Andrea ballard
Made these today. Love them but couldn’t get them to cook! Started at 24 minutes. Pretty much completely raw. Went another ten and still super gooey (but good!). What am I doing wrong?
Javelin Warrior
I’m so glad you persevered and arrived at success at last with these blondes – and shared the results! They look and sounds phenomenal. I love the addition of candied ginger… Every Friday, I share my favorite food finds in a series called Food Fetish Friday. I love this post so much I’m featuring it as part of the roundup (with a link-back and attribution) and I hope you have no objections. It’s a pleasure following your creations…
lisa likes pizza
i made these this afternoon and loved them. the flavor was amazing and the ginger gave it a hint of sparkle. thanks for the great recipe.
Kevin (Closet Cooking)
I like the sound of using candied ginger in blondies like this!
Deirdre
Oh yum! Blondies. They aren’t as easy to get wrong as brownies. But these look perfect. And I like the idea of a touch of ginger.
cory
oops! The flour is just called “Mama’s Coconut Blend” by gluten free mama.
Sorry about that!
cory
These look and sound amazing and I can’t wait to try them! I have gone back and forth with the gluten-free thing because I love to bake and have thrown away more gluten-free disasters than I care to admit. I have found that Mama Gena’s Coconut Blend Flour (I have no association with them) is the one gluten-free flour that usually makes really good baked goods–cookies, cakes. (It depends, of course what the other ingredients are–lots of butter = you can’t go wrong, right?!? :)
I can’t wait to see what my family says about the ginger in these–I happen to have some because my 9-year-old daughter impulse bought some candied ginger. She is an artist in her soul :)
Namaste and many blessings***
et
Why unsalted butter if you’re going to add salt? Why both baking powder and soda?
Rachel
I made these Sunday afternoon to bring in as a staff appreciation treat on Monday. They sat on my counter and sang a siren song to me and my dinner guests Sunday evening while they cooled. We gave in…a couple of times. These are amazing! There were still enough left over for everyone at work to feel mighty appreciated today. Way to persevere.
Christine
I made these and they were fantastic tasting – everyone loved them! I have never been a blondie person – even if i have “blond hair” but u have opened my eyes to a new thing! Your receipes make my mouth water and cause me to run to my kitchen to cool!
Grace (Graceful Eats)
Looks. Scrumptious. Thanks to your Candied Ginger Cranberry Scones, I’m now obsessed with all things ginger, Joy. Love your blog! Keep it up, girlie. :)
Liz
WOW. I was searching for a blondie recipe just yesterday. This looks terrific!!! Can’t wait to try it out~ :)
chefroommate
I, too have been baffled by blondies! So glad you’ve persevered! I look forward to making these tasty treats.
Sophia
These look so amazing!
I want I want!!
I am a high school student cooking my way on up to culinary school and if people could check out my blog it would mean to much to me!
https://afoodfrenzy-sophia.blogspot.com/
thank you so much! keep cooking :)
Gen
I just love the color!
Nikki
This looks so good. I think that I will be making the addition of dry cherries, because I love them with the chocolates.
Much love from Germany!
Kate
Wow! I have too always struggled with blondies. They always come out either undercooked or hard as a rock. These were perfectly crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. I love the addition of fresh ginger!
Redd H from Salted Spoon
And here this is on my regular Whilst I’m Not Cooking Post!
https://saltedspoon.blogspot.com/2012/06/whilst-im-not-cooking-9.html
Holly
Love it. I need to buy some ginger ASAP.
Nancy @ CouponClippingCook
Wow. These blondies sound seriously delicious. Love the idea of candied ginger along with all of the other goodies in this recipe. Sounds amazing.
anna
brownies are always my baking nemesis! makes me not even want to TRY blondies. but then these came along. mmmmm.
Redd H from Salted Spoon
These look lovely and, even more shockingly, I have all the ingredients! Crazy!
I think I know what I’m up to this weekend!
Dana @ My Little Celebration
Joy, this is why I love you. I have some ginger I’d love to use up. I think I’ll try a variation of these. Lovely!
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See
I got so excited when a spoon was mentioned, but because you are the all-knowing baking goddess, I will opt for the baking pan instead ;)
Célèste of Fashion is Evolution
I like to think of the chocolate chops as the blondies’ dark roots showing, because how many natural blondes are their really?
Tasha @Tashasdish
My mom used to make blondies when I was a little girl, and I loved them because I’ve never been a big chocolate person (I know, I’m a weirdo). I really like the idea of adding nuts and ginger, I feel like the ginger really would give it something special.
Monique @ Ambitious Kitchen
I am going to make these… with browned butter. Ohhhh man.
Nichole@Dulce Delicious
Are you sure I can’t just reach for a spoon? These sound amazing! I love the addition of the candied ginger. Yum!
Beatrice Jakobsson (foto)
Mums vad gott det ser ut att vara! :)
Bridget
Bringing these to a girls weekend — yummy! Just noticed in the pic you’ve got a 1/2 cup of diced candied ginger, but the recipe calls for 1/3 cup. Is 1/3 correct?
Like the new blog theme too!
elena
This looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it out.
https://www.randomlyhappytoday.blogspot.co.uk
Elizabeth
I can never decide whether I like blondies or brownies better!
rachel @ sweettarte
ohhhhh man. ginger and chocolate is my favorite. i need these now!
Live a Sweet Life
So good! I never made blondies before, for some reason it was just always one of those things I never attempted. Thanks for the inspiration!!
Marilyn
Joy,
I love your life messages in all of your posts! Thanks for being the Joyful baker you are :)
Julia {The Roasted Root}
I think I may have made a blondie by accident once but other than that, I’m pretty new to the blondie world. Your recipe looks delicious and I admire your throw-it-all-in-ness. ;) It clearly creates one mean blondie! Crystalized ginger is definitely a fave and I have so many walnuts in my freezer – they must all go in this recipe! Looks great!
Cookie and Kate
I’m in a bit of a funk at the moment and I’m pretty these blondies are just what I need to get out of it. I’m a chocolate girl myself, but add chocolate chips and walnuts and I am sold.
Katherines Corner
Ginger and walnuts, you know how to rock a recipe! yum Hugs
Christina
Looks so delish. I made a brownie recipe from your book and was married a few months later. Ok, we had already planned the marriage thing but still. he totally dug them.
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy
your treats always look so tempting and delicious! i love the combo of ginger and walnut! mmm! thanks for sharing!
Valerie {all mussed up}
I ADORE chocolate and ginger — it’s a sexy knock-out combo! Add the caramel undertones of a Blondie and you have a seriously crazy threesome. YUM.
HairBowsandButter
Wow Joy those are gorgeous!
I love the idea of blondies, they are so fun and unique and you can put almost anything in them, how perfect! These look delicious and the flavor combination sounds spot on. I will have to remember these for my next blondie craving!
Sarah H B
Yum. I just finished my M-F baking job—- plus baking 4 pies this week for my baking business.. and yet I still want to run down to my kitchen and bake up a batch of these. This must mean: 1. I love my job. And 2. Your recipes are awesome. Thanks for this!
Birgit
just cleaned the kitchen from baking chocolate-chip-cookies, I saw the recipe, all brought back from the cupboard…Blondies are in the oven now … wow, smells good and looks good … I’m looking forward to try them in….30 minutes :-)) Thank you for this recipe!
Jamie @ green beans & grapefruit
I have a hard time believing that you couldn’t make a great blonde blondie! These look terrific and like the ginger twist!
Meghan @ After the Ivy League
My sweet tooth will not quit either! Such is life. I’ve been craving blondies for weeks now, but haven’t made them because I didn’t think they’d be a big crowd pleaser. Um? I realize now I’m being completely irrationally, and I need to make some this weekend. These look divine!
Rocky Mountain Woman
Making these for my little grandson this weekend!
Griselda
Guess What’s For Breakfast Saturday Morning… Yumm!!!
You Are Fabulous!!!
Jenna
Did you purposefully mean to make (what appears to be a smug aristocratic) smiley face in that third picture from the top? Because that’s what I’m seeing…
Living The Sweet Life
I love these!! They sound delicious, sometimes I find blondies a little too sweet ( … I know, sometimes I have problems :( lol) – but I love that these sound really well balanced with the ginger … yum!!
Ann P.
Ginger!!! What an awesome thing to put in a blondie! Joy, you’re genius. :)
Becca - Cookie Jar Treats
mmm I haven’t had blondies in a while, and you’re right, blondies are just like square cookies! These look fabulous, like a kitchen sink cookie bar :)
Ana
I thought so too that blondies were hopeless to make. Now you definitely changed my mind! Shame I am trying to be on a diet right now but I’ll keep this recipe in mind. Thanks!
Barb @ Profiteroles & Ponytails
Note to self: Don’t read Joy’s posts when hungry!
Michelle @ Brown Eyed Baker
Love the combination of flavors here!
Michele
Yum! I’ve tried the Simply Recipes version (which was great), but I really can’t wait to try this one.
Lauren
Anything with ginger, Joy. ANYthing.
Bryn
The last time I made blondies I browned the butter first, which turned out to be the correct decision :) I love ginger, so these little morsels I think would also merit good decision status. I’m excited to try this recipe!
Stephanie
oh my stars! i’m drooling…serious, serious drooling here.
Lindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen
I love a good blondie. Is greasy bad? I think it just means buttery in this case, which is just fine with me.
Pastrychef23
Amen to that!
Jennifer
I think I’ll reach for the spoon instead of the pan. It’s Friday after all, and sometimes it’s okay to live dangerously. Great recipe!
jenny
blondies are probably my very favorite dessert in the entire universe. (if asked to pick just one, that is.) I’ve had good success with the recipe from “baking illustrated’ (by christopher kimball of the cook’s illustrated crew). but there’s always room in my repertoire for another version. :)
Rachael B
I’ve been on this ginger kick lately, but mostly I look at my stalk of ginger and go “What do I do with you besides make you into something asian?” Now I know. “I shall buy you candied, and make dessert!” Thanks Joy!!!
Samantha Angela
These sound fantastic! I like blondies too. (And brownies of course)
I like the addition of candied ginger too! That sounds awesome.
Danae (The Busty Baker)
Oh thank you! I’m in charge of the dessert table for a bridal shower next month and while I came up with a bunch of delicious ideas, the only thing the bride requested were blondies–which I don’t have a fabulous recipe for. You probably just saved me from a raging bridezilla moment.
Shirley@bells-bakery
Ugh I think everyone has suffered a greasy blondie,not pleasant! Love the addition of candied ginger,they look yum!
thelittleloaf
I know exactly what you mean about blondies – if they’re not perfect they can be greasy and horrible and far too buttery. These look absolutely perfect, and so grown up with their toasty nuts and spicy ginger. Am a little bit in love with this recipe :-)
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
these look fabulous!! Yum!
ileana
Dang, girl. These look delicious! I love blondies.
Mary
Do you think if I reduced the sugar to 2/3 or 3/4 cup, then the blondies’ gooeyness and chewyness would be completely ruined? They look amazing though!!!!
Sophie
Joy,
What brand of dark chocolate do you use? Those dark chocolate buttons look amazing. I’m in England, so I’m hoping it’s something I can get online…
Keep up the good work – I prefer brownies but the candied ginger may have just convinced me to give these a go.
Sophie xx
Bakerkat
I’ve never made blondies.
Looks like it’s the perfect time to start.
Grubarazzi
You know what throws these over the edge for me? Well, besides the fact that they are friggen blondies. The ginger. I bet these are out of this world. I’m making them for a party this weekend, and I’ll certainly let you know how they turn out. <3
Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are}
I admire your persistence – it certainly looks like it paid off! I think maybe that is my lesson to take away today. . . try and try and try again! They look dee-lish!
Kathryn
These look absolutely perfect and I love that they use little chunks of ginger in there just to kick it up a notch. I think your stubbornness has paid off!
Stefania @Revitalize with Stefania
Ooo candied ginger must be a nice surprising touch.
Katie
I have seriously been fighting, for the last 3 days or so, the all consuming, overwhelming urge to make and consume an entire pan of brownies. I think the only reasonable, and let’s face it, the only possible thing to do is to go ahead and make and consume said pain of brownies. Or blondies. No?
Margherita
Thank god for your sweet tooth. Thank god that you’re stubborn. Thank god that you keep trying. Thank god that you never give up.
Because now I have a solid recipe for blondie: YAY!
Karla @ Foodologie
I absolutely love that you put candied ginger in this. I’ve added it to gingerbread cupcakes but good call on the blondies.
Can’t wait to try making these!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
At first when I read the title, I thought it said Giant Blondies. Not Ginger Blondies.
I’d be okay with either :)
Seriously they look fabulous! I love blondies!!
leaf (the indolent cook)
They look awesomelicious. P.S. Brown or blonde, I like them all!
Margarita
as much as i love ginger, i have never actually had ginger pieces! i know though that they would be so good in treats, especially beautiful blondies like these bars!
Stephanie
You did it Joy, hooray!! Elephant in the room no more!
lori
looks heavenly! must try :)
Beth
Wow, these look so delish! I might have to leave out the ginger if my hubby decides to get involved…
Cheri @ The Watering Mouth
I would keep the ginger in for my hubby, so then I could have them all to myself!! :D Haha
Chris
Oh my. These I have to try!