These milk chocolate mocha blondies are filled with sweet chocolate and topped with a simple espresso glaze. They’re chewy, dense, and buttery without tasting overly greasy. From mixing bowl to oven in about 10 minutes, this is an easy bar dessert that packs big flavor.
In case you love to drink your coffee and eat it too, I have plenty of mocha or coffee desserts. Today’s recipe joins a handful of coffee-inspired favorites including this lovely espresso chocolate chip cake, these Baileys & coffee cupcakes, and the always lovely tiramisu.
Tell Me About These Milk Chocolate Mocha Blondies
- Texture: Sitting somewhere between a fudge-like brownie and crumbly cookie bar, these blondies are soft, chewy, and buttery all in one bite. Try one warmed in the microwave for 10-15 seconds alongside your coffee. It’s dessert divinity.
- Flavor: The blondies have 3 main flavors. In the forefront, you’ll taste sweet milk chocolate. Lots of it. After that your taste buds are hit with rich espresso flavor. Finally, you have alllllll the butter richness from the blondie base. What a trio.
- Ease: Easy like your Sunday morning coffee.
- Time: They’re thicker than a couple other blondie recipes I’ve published, so they’ll take a couple extra minutes. However, we’re still looking at a 30-35 minute bake time. After that, it’s best to wait at least 1-2 hours before cutting into squares. You can try cutting them warm, but they’ll taste pretty cakey. Give them time to settle because it will help improve their texture and flavor. (Easier to cut when cooled, too!)
One reader, Sarah, commented: “These blondies were a quick bake and turned out very tasty! I used dark chocolate chips and the 3 teaspoons of espresso powder in the bars. It resulted in a lovely balance of chocolate and coffee! โ โ โ โ โ ”
One reader, Lisa, commented: “Absolute perfection. I used 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 semi-sweet chocolate. The blondies were exactly as you described. The only downside is portion control. I want to eat the whole pan! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Think of blondies as brown sugar brownies. They’re not cake, they’re dense. To help us achieve this special blondie texture, we use melted butter, an extra egg yolk, all brown sugar, and very little baking powder. Have you ever tried my coconut blondies? In that recipe, I spread the blondies into a large 9ร13 inch pan. We’re starting with (mostly) the same recipe today, but squeezing the batter into a 9-inch square pan for thicker, denser bars. That’s how we prepare snickerdoodle blondies, too.
A Few Notes About These Milk Chocolate Mocha Blondies
- Use melted butter. Feel free to use brown butter if you have a couple extra minutes to spare. However with so much espresso and chocolate flavor, I felt the brown butter flavor got lost. I use 1 cup (2 sticks; 16 Tbsp) of butter in my dark chocolate coconut blondies, but reduced it down to 14 Tbsp here. With 2 full sticks, the blondies can sometimes taste greasy. Since I slightly reduced the butter, I very slightly reduced the sugar as well.
- Extra egg yolk: You need 1 whole egg + 1 extra egg yolk. The extra egg yolk promises a chewier, denser texture. Without it, the blondies taste a little dry and sandy. I know it’s a little inconvenient to have an extra egg white, but throw it into your morning egg scramble or use it as the egg wash on a pie crust.
- Add espresso powder: For concentrated coffee flavor, use espresso powder. Espresso powder isn’t simply ground coffee beansโit’s very dark and concentrated instant coffee that dissolves in warm liquid. You can find it in most major grocery stores in the coffee aisle or purchase it online. I love and usually use King Arthur brand. If you pick up a new jar, know that you’ll use it often your baking. It’s fantastic in recipes like chocolate cake because it helps bring out a rich chocolate flavor. Here are all of my recipes using espresso powder if you need ideas. You can substitute instant coffee if needed, see recipe note.
- Pick your chocolate: I originally tested this recipe with white chocolateโand the blondies were incredibleโbut I loved the milk chocolate version more. I used Guittard Organic Milk Chocolate Baking Wafers in the pictured blondies. Feel free to use milk chocolate chips or chopped Hershey’s bars. Instead of milk chocolate, use the same amount of white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate. Chips, chunks, or wafers. Whatever you love! You can take your pick of chocolate in these dark chocolate cranberry blondies, too. Give those a try next!
Success Tip: Lining the pan with parchment paper makes it much easier to remove the blondies before slicing and serving. I use the same tip when making rice krispie treats and M&M cookie bars, too.
Espresso Glaze
The glaze topping is optional, but I know you’ll love it. Honestly, glaze always looks and tastes fancy on cookies and bars, but takes 2 minutes to make. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder in 1 Tablespoon warm water. Mix this extra concentrated espresso with confectioners’ sugar and a little milk or cream.
When drizzled on lightly, the espresso glaze will eventually set, making these bars easy to stack, store, and transport if needed.
*Totally acceptable for breakfast.*
More Bar Desserts
- Scotcheroos
- Peanut Butter Blondies
- Mocha Cheesecake Brownies
- Salted Caramel Turtle Brownies
- Pecan Pie Bars
Milk Chocolate Mocha Blondies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 16 blondies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These milk chocolate mocha blondies are extra flavorful with espresso powder, butter, brown sugar, milk chocolate, and a hefty dose of vanilla extract. Add an extra egg yolk for the best texture. Review recipe notes before beginning.
Ingredients
- 2 cupsย (250g)ย all-purpose flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoonย baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoonย salt
- 14 Tablespoons (196g) unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled (see note)
- 3 or 4 teaspoons espresso powder (see note)
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) packed light or darkย brown sugar
- 1ย largeย egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (1 heaping cup) milk chocolate (discs, chopped bars, or chips)
Espresso Glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 Tablespoon warm water
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Grease a 9-inch square pan or line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished blondies out (makes cutting easier). Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and espresso powder together. Whisk in the brown sugar until combined, then whisk in the egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk or stir until combined. Batter is pretty heavy and thick, so I usually use a silicone spatula. Fold in the chocolate.
- Evenly spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out *mostly* clean. A couple moist crumbs are ok, as long as it’s not wet. Remove from the oven and cool blondies completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze: Using a fork, mix the espresso powder and warm water together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and milk/cream. For thinner glaze, whisk in more milk/cream. For thicker glaze, whisk in more confectioners’ sugar.
- Drizzle over cooled blondies. Lift the blondies out using the parchment paper overhang on the sides. Cut into squares.
- Cover and store leftover blondies (with glaze) at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. Blondies without glaze are fine covered at room temperature for a week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: It’s easiest to freeze the bars without the glaze topping, then glaze before serving. To freeze, cool blondies completely. Cut into squares and layer between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before glazing and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Pan | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Silicone Spatula
- Butter: You need 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp of butter. I typically use 1 cup (16 Tbsp) in my blondies, but reduced it down to 14 Tbsp here. With 1 cup, the blondies can sometimes taste greasy.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder is like instant espresso. You can find it in the coffee aisle or purchase it online. Use it in both the blondie batter and glaze. Use 4 teaspoons (recommended) in the blondie batter for rich coffee flavor or 3 teaspoons (1 Tablespoon) for a milder flavor. You can substitute instant coffee granules (not ground coffee) if needed. If using instant coffee, I recommend using 4 and 1/2 teaspoons in the blondie batter and for the glaze, use 1 teaspoon dissolved in 1 Tablespoon warm water.
- Milk Chocolate:ย I used Guittard Organic Milk Chocolate Baking Wafers in the pictured blondies. I found them at my regular grocery store. Feel free to use milk chocolate chips or chopped Hershey’s bars. Instead of milk chocolate, use the same amount of white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate. Chips, chunks, wafers, or 2 chopped 4-ounce bars.
- Best Pan to Use: A 9-inch square pan is best. An 8-inch square pan is a little too small. You can spread the batter into a 9ร13-inch pan for thinner blondies. Do your best to spread the batter to each edge of the pan. Bake time is around 28-30 minutes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I haven’t made these yet but I was wondering if I triple the recipe and pour it on a 1/2 baking sheet would that work? I need a lot of these and didn’t want to make so many batches. Thank you.
Hi Alana, here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions. We’re unsure of the exact bake time.
These were delicious but I didnโt get the mocha flavor at all in spite of using 4 t. Of espresso powder. I would make them again but wouldnโt call them mocha.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Itโs one of my favourites from your website ( And thereโs a lot of competition!)
Hello!
I don’t have any instant coffee, but I do have an espresso machine. Do you think I could sub out the power for liquid espresso? If so, how much?
Hi Maureen! You can definitely use brewed espresso in the glaze instead of water, but we wouldn’t add it to the blondie batter because it would add too much liquid.
Can I use Ghirardelli melting wafers? My store didn’t have the Guittard wafers, but they looked so good in the recipe I wanted to try something similar.
That should work fine, Shannon!
Hi,
Is it possible to omit the chocolate as Iโm making for a friend who is allergic.
Instead of milk chocolate, you can use the same amount of white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate. Or, if you’re looking for a blondie recipe that doesn’t include any type of chocolate add-in, these cake batter blondies or brown butter apple blondies might be a better recipe to try.
Hi
Could I use espresso from ground coffee instead as I donโt have any instant coffee or espresso powder at home?
Hi Dee, ground instant coffee works well, just make sure not to use coffee grounds that are meant for brewing coffee.
Great recipe with a lovely texture! I made a half batch in a 5×6 pan and it was done in about 20 minutes. Iโll cut the espresso powder in half as the flavour was a bit stronger than Iโd prefer.
How did you half the 1 egg and 1 egg yolk?
Hi Sarah, The best and most accurate way to halve an egg is to crack it, beat it together, measure the amount, the use half.
Suggestion on how to store the glaze once it is made? Thinking of freezing some of the blondies once they are made.
Hi Ambie, we haven’t tried freezing the glaze on its own, so are unsure whether the texture would be as good after freezing and thawing. We recommend making the glaze fresh when you’re ready to serve the blondies.
I have an abundance of Christmas M&Ms leftover. What do you think about using them for this recipe?
Hi Susan, sure! Keep the total amount of add ins to about 1 heaping cup. Enjoy!
These blondes are exceptional!
Everyone loves them.
Made these for a friends birthday and he LOVED them. I followed the recipe as stated, but used instant coffee granules instead of espresso powder. Next time, I could see adding peanut butter to the glaze or using pb chips in it. Thanks for another no-fail recipe Sally!
These were delicious and so easy! But I found them super sweetโฆdo you think I could reduce the sugar by about 20% without affecting the texture?
That should be fine. Let me know if you try them again with that change!
This was a hugh hit. Tastes like fudge. I only had instant coffee so that’s what I used.
I made them and they turned out incredible. I used crushed instant coffee granules as I don’t have easy access to espresso powder and it worked like a charm. I just left out the glaze because I find the blondies sweet and moist enough as is ! I will make them again and might even up the coffee flavour !
These are delicious and they freeze wonderfully. They have a texture similar to cookie cake!
Hi,
Can I replace the butter with coconut oil?
Thank you
G
Hi Guy, for best results, we recommend sticking with butter. You’ll lose a lot of flavor without it, and they may seem a bit greasy with coconut oil.