Description
Chop up a variety of chocolate candy bars so you get a variety of textures in every bite. You can also mix in other goodies like M&Ms, chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, or nuts. Soft, chewy, buttery perfection with very little prep work and no mixer required!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 14 Tablespoons (196g) unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (about 225g) chopped chocolate candy bars
- optional: flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. The batter should be thick. Using a spatula, fold in the chopped candy bars. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt, if using.
- Bake until golden brown, about 30–34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with only a few moist crumbs. Avoid over-baking.
- Cool completely in the pan set on a cooling rack, about 1 hour. Once cool, lift the blondies out of the pan using the parchment overhang on the sides, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into squares.
- Cover and store leftover bars at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Baked blondies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula
- Best Candy Bars to Use: In the pictured blondies, I used a mix of Snickers, Twix, Rolo, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Reese’s Pieces. The batter works with almost any chocolate-based candy, so use what you have or grab a few favorites from the candy aisle. You’ll need about 1 and 1/2 cups of chopped candy bars. See post above for more ideas.
- 9×13-Inch Pan: I recommend using the batter/dough from these M&M cookie bars, and swap in 1 and 1/2 cups of chopped candy bars for the M&Ms and chocolate chips (or use a mix of M&Ms and chopped candy bars).
- Updated in 2025: Since first publishing this recipe in 2013, my team and I have made a few tweaks to make the blondies thicker, chewier, and softer—all with the same ingredients. To make the original version, use an 8-inch square baking pan; the blondies will be slightly sweeter and thinner. Use 1 cup (125g) flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (optional, as the updated version omits it), 1/4 teaspoon salt, 6 Tbsp (85g) melted butter, 1 cup (200g) brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp vanilla, and 1 and 1/2 cups chopped candy bars. Prepare the batter as directed and bake for 24–26 minutes.