Martha Stewart Butter-Pecan Blondies

Martha Stewart Butter-Pecan Blondies take 45 minutes and just brown sugar, melted butter and toasted pecans to make a chewy, golden bar dessert. Try this easy fall dessert for bake sales, potlucks or holiday cookie trays, since it's a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe.

Toast the pecans until they smell fragrant before chopping them, because heat wakes up their oils and turns them rich and buttery. Skip that and the nuts taste flat and raw against the sweet brown sugar batter.

Martha whisks everything by hand and splashes in a spoonful of dark rum, which adds a warm, caramel note that vanilla alone can't give. She also folds half the nuts into the batter and scatters the rest on top with extra brown sugar for a crunchy, sparkly crust.

Martha Stewart Butter-Pecan Blondies

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

230

kcal

Melted butter and brown sugar make a dense, chewy batter that bakes into golden bars with a crisp, nutty top. Toasted pecans inside and out add crunch in every square.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole pecans
  

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
  

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  

• 2 cups light-brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
  

• 2 large eggs, room temperature
  

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  

• 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
  

Directions

• Toast the pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then spread 1 1/2 cups whole pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast them for 6 to 7 minutes until fragrant, then let them cool and chop them.
• Prepare the baking dish: Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with melted butter, then dust it with flour. Tap out the extra flour so the blondies slide out cleanly later.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt together in a medium bowl. Set it aside while you make the wet batter.
• Whisk the wet ingredients: Whisk 2 sticks melted butter and 2 cups light brown sugar together in a large bowl until combined. Then add the 2 eggs and whisk again before stirring in the vanilla and the dark rum.
• Fold in the flour and nuts: Fold the flour mixture into the wet batter with a spatula until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain, since overmixing makes the blondies tough, then fold in half of the chopped pecans.
• Add the topping: Transfer the batter to the prepared dish and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining nuts and 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top.
• Bake the blondies: Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until the edges turn golden. A tester inserted in the center should come out with very few crumbs.
• Cool and cut: Move the dish to a wire rack and let the blondies cool completely. Then cut them into 24 squares, which keeps the centers from smearing.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Wilton 9-inch angled spatula, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make these blondies without rum?

Yes, the rum is optional. Martha suggests increasing the vanilla extract to 4 teaspoons instead, which keeps the batter's flavor deep and the liquid amount about the same.

How long do butter-pecan blondies keep?

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them out of the fridge, since cold air can dry them out and make the chewy centers firm.

Can I make these blondies ahead of time?

Yes, they're a good make-ahead dessert because they taste great the next day. Bake and cool them completely, then keep the slab uncut in an airtight container and slice just before serving.

Do I need a mixer to make these?

No, a whisk and a spatula are all you need, and that's part of the charm. Melted butter blends into the sugar easily, so a mixer would only risk overworking the flour.

Why are my blondies cakey instead of chewy?

Overmixing after the flour goes in is the most common cause, because it develops gluten and puffs up the bars. Fold only until the flour disappears, and pull the pan once a tester shows a few moist crumbs.