{Gluten-free} Salted Chocolate Chip Pecan Blondies

YAY! I BAKED A SWEET AGAIN! I'm so happy I could cry.

AND AND AND Michael finalllyyyyy really loved a healthier dessert I made (usually he's like "it's fine but it'd be better if it was normal" blah blah). So we've got double the reason to celebrate!

The blondies are AMAZING because they're INSANELY gooey and rich and soft and chewy but then there's also the crunchy toasted pecans on top and melty dark chocolate and-obviously-sea salt on top to make everything even tastier. And yeah they just so happen to be like gluten free, dairy free, and paleo. Which is like WHAAA? You'd seriously never guess there's anything healthified about them. You can trust the Michael seal of approval!

You know part of what makes blondies sosososo yummy?? 3 words: toasted.pecan.butter. YEAH. It's what's holding together a lot of this recipe and allowing it to be its dairy free and gluten free self, but it's also what makes it taste so rich and decadent and gooey and....perfect. Just...perfect. You're gonna love these. I mean it. MAKE THEM!

Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread Stuffed Blondies #Chocmeister

Ok sooo....I've documented that fall is not my favorite time of year. I know I know, everyone else in the world loves it. Sorry, all-it's not for me. HOWEVER-one small perk about the cooler weather and fall is that it's time to LET THE RICH FOOD COMMENCE! Bikini season is over? Eat all the yum yums! Plus we have Halloween and Thanksgiving--holidays largely known for eating an excess of food. And this is a thing I'm totally down with. SO, in the spirit of EAT ALL THE FOOD I made us some brown butter blondies stuffed with rich and gooey dark chocolate hazelnut spread (My new fave=PB & Co's Chocmeister). You're welcome :) 

Admittedly, I made these blondies in my old house. BUT I still have to gush about how much I'm loving baking in my new kitchen-the counter space is downright intoxicating. There's the big old island that is the perfect workstation for all of my masterpieces-making even more complicated treats fun to make. Of course...these blondies are so far from complicated. I would have been able to easily whip them up even in my super tiny New York apartment kitchen, So gather 'round bakers with kitchens large or small....you're going to want to give these blondies a try.

So these are essentially deliciously chewy, yet somewhat crisp, brown sugar cookie bars made with browned butter (aka the thing that makes all other things better), studded with chocolate chips, with a layer of gooey chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella, Nocciolata Rigoni, or-my choice-Chocmeister!) And then I topped the whole thing with some sea salt. 'Cuz that's what we do here.

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Blondies

...hi again. Erm...didja know moving sort of is a big time commitment and thusly I am terribly sorry for how scarcely I've been seen 'round these parts? Cuz yeah...it's all true.

I'm kinda sorta super into paleo desserts. Like...I like 'em. I love coconut sugar and coconut oil and nutty flours and...yeah. I'm a fan. I feel like I'm eating something delicious and decadent, but I know it's not like....terrible for me. And that makes me a happy Kayle :)

I will admit that Michael wasn't huge on these blondies. But I think he's dumb and smells funny, so there!

...ok he actually smells good, but still, I think he's crazy for not liking these. But I guess that means more for me!

I mean...what's not to like? They're soft and chewy, with just a little but of crunch, and so much depth of flavor and gooey dark chocolate and...yeah. I'm a fan. ESPECIALLY when warm. Full support of eating these warm. Which...I mean...that's nothing new.

Michael and I are in the midst of attempting to be healthier, but I still need dessert sometimes. And honestly these blondies are the perfect thing. All I need is one and I'm happy. 

...I mean...I really want more than one. But, one will do :P

Brown Butter Toffee Blondies

It's graduation season! People are getting their caps and gowns and getting ready to bit high school adieu. I have 4 family members graduating this year-3 of my cousins and my precious little sister-in-law. Tomorrow is Shannan's graduation and I couldn't be more excited for her! It also makes me realize how ridiculously far removed from that I am. Like...I think that I'm not that much older than an 18 year old buuut I AM. I can barely even remember my graduation-I remember being mad because my hair wouldn't curl the way I wanted it to (typical) and I remember feeling sort of...underwhelmed during the whole thing. Everyone around me was crying and I was just sitting there willing myself to feel...something. But, that's fairly typical for me when it comes to big events-I sort of have a hard time wrapping my head around the situation. Also high school wasn't exactly the most fun time for me, so I wasn't too sad to be ending it. It's funny to look back and think how I had absolutely no idea where my life was headed. Especially considering I have an adorable photo at graduation with my mother-in-law, long before I had any inkling that is what she would eventually be for me :D

Anyway. With graduations, come graduation parties. Which are such a fun celebration of the graduate-I'm so excited for Shannan's and my cousins' and I know that, if asked, I would 1000% make these blondies to bring to a grad party. Because they're totally impressive and delicious and if you've graduated high school you deserve something epic to mark the occasion. And...I mean...on the practical side--bars/blondies are awesome for parties because you just grab one and go. Not messy and super addictive. Everyone will rave about them!

Technically I already gave some of these to Shannan after her last choir concery buuut I mean...I'd make them again for her party! Or just for me to horde and eat by myself while I watch Orphan Black. Because they're gooey and chewy and brown-sugary brown-buttery delish. And the toffee adds a bit of delightful crunch. And chocolate gives us life. And salted caramel on top is probably just a necessity, yeah? Yeah I think so too.

Brown Sugar Lava Cookies-T-Sugars #BakeTheDifference

These might not be the prettiest things I've ever made but...haven't we learned that sometimes the tastiest foods are the ones with a bit more...character? Yes, I think we have. Sooo instead I ask that you focus on the moist brown sugar-y goodness of these cookies, and the melted chocolate centers, and the lovely powdered sugar dusted over them like snow.

Speaking of sugar...guys...I have GOT to tell you about T-Sugars! T-Sugars is a Belgian specialty sugar company that has been around for 175 years --!!! Guys...that is a LOT of sugar experience! AND they have just launched in the US which means all we have the opportunity to get our hands on the good stuff (currently you can find T-Sugars products at your nearest HEB store-or you can order online)!

Now...in case you were wondering what kind of sugar I'm specifically talking about...there are a few different products, but I am specifically talking about their Belgian Cassonade Sugar and Icing Sugar Mill, which T-Sugars were kind enough to send me to try!

That picture right there? That is showing off how revolutionary the Icing Sugar Mill is--seriously...I hate making a mess whenever I want to dust powdered sugar on top of a dessert and the Icing Sugar Mill (which has a sifter built right in, so all you have to do is twist) makes it so insanely easy and gives you an amazing amount of control, too. 

Now...what is Cassonade Sugar? It's like brown sugar...but BETTER. It has no additives, is all-natural, and is softer and has a finer texture than tradition brown sugar. The texture means it stays fresh longer (no more rock hard sugar!), doesn't clump up, AND it dissolves easily, so it can be used to sweeten beverages in addition to being FANTASTIC in baked goods (here are a ton of amazing recipe ideas!)

Which is exactly why I wanted to make a recipe that really lets the Cassonade Sugar shine and allowed me an opportunity to get decorative with the Icing Sugar Mill. These cookies are actually a brown butter, brown sugar blondie base (helpful note: Cassonade Sugar can be used as an exact substitute for brown sugar) with melted dark chocolate centers. They are chewy, rich, and full of that perfect sweet, caramelized brown sugar flavor--and the dark chocolate centers help offset that sweetness.

These cookies are good. T-Sugars are good. Facts.

Browned Butter Brown Sugar Toffee Blondies

These blondies are seriously gooey. And I'm unsure if they're supposed to be quiiite this gooey...or if I underbaked them...It doesn't really matter. Either way they are fan-friggin-tastic! Sometimes the messiest things taste the best. True story.

I feel like the color brown gets a bad rep. Brown is a perfectly lovely color. It's the color of my hair. It's the color of my Michael's very lovely eyes (contrary to what he says. I won't repeat what he says to describe the brown color of his eyes). It's the color of most of the delicious things I can imagine. Chocolate? Brown. Toffee? Brown. Browned butter? Brown Sugar? Brown is in the name. And these are some of the tastiest things in life! Annnnnd they are all highlighted in these blondies. Boom! Brown is. da. shiz.

The original name of this recipe was "I <3 Brown Sugar Blondies". And I DO love brown sugar! It's so warm and complex and molasses-y. Ahhh brown sugar....you are the superior sugar. It is true. And these babies have a full THREE CUPS of brown sugar-2 light brown and 1 dark brown. So yeah...you're getting a big punch of that flavor. And...since the recipe had melted butter anyway...and I knew it would only serve to amp up the flavor even more and make these even more mouthwatering...I obviously browned the butter. Which was a good call, btw. Browning the butter added even more nuances and buttery goodness. Toffee is a perfect compliment to the 2, with just a little bit of semisweet chocolate chips in to help add a little something different. And some salt on top helps balance the entire thing. *muah* bellisima!

These blondies are a party on your tastebuds. You bite into a crackly top that gives way to utter gooeyness. Then you just taste everything. Like...you want to have a Homer Simpson "Mmmmm....blondies," moment. I'm literally beginning to salivate just thinking about it. The brown sugar is totally the star but the browned butter merges with the flavor so perfectly you almost can't distinguish between them. And then you get the crunchy bites of toffee and slightly melted pieces of semisweet chocolate (which adds a welcome bit of variety to break up the melding of the other flavors)...and the salt hits your palate to just make all the rest of it taste not too sweet. Like...they're sweet. But not too sweet. Warm and complex. Those are the words for this treat. And WHAT a treat these blondies are. Mmmmm.....blondies.

Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Just accept this fact: If a sweet recipe calls for melted butter....you can be pretty certain that I'll ending up browning it. As long as we've all agreed to this, we can carry on being friends. Glad we had this talk.

So yeah. These peanut butter cup blondies looked great to begin with, and they're only made better by browning that butter!

The texture is lovely-chewy and soft yet sturdy. Then you have the mellow peanut butter punctuated by dashes of rich peanut butter cup bites. And the added complexity of the browned butter adds just that little extra special something. 

And you can whip these yummies up in one bowl! (I mean...plus a skillet for browning the butter. Worth it.)

I made these lovelies to take to my grandma's for her 4th of July pool party. Did they go over well?

My cousin Christian (who is 16) ate at least 3 and kept saying, "Kayle...THESE ARE SO GOOD.", his little sister, my cousin Brianna, ate 1 (even though she's "sensitive to peanut butter" ! She insisted it was worth it) my brother ate 2 and 1/2, my cousin's husband ate about 2, and I don't even know who all ate what else, all I know is they were gone pretty darned quick. My Aunt complained that I should have cut them into smaller pieces because they were so rich! Josh (my bro) and I agree that we think she's crazy but hey, to each their own. 

Perhaps you should be the judge?

(You know...for science...)

Brown Butter Nutella Swirled Peanut Butter Chip Blondies (with Sea Salt)

Oh, hi, I'm Kayle....I like to over-complicate things.

• I have folders and files and tiny little details figured out for my wedding....and I'm not actually engaged yet.
• In that same vein...I will literally stress about and plan out things for a theoretical future that's not quite here yet.
• I have to explain my very specific orders to those poor waiters and waitresses at restaurants.
• Also...can I have water with no lemon?
• I see a recipe for something that's super easy, and I go "...but what if I made everything from scratch?"
• I see a recipe that already seems like it could have everything you could possible want and then I go..."maybe I'll brown the butter and put sea salt on top."

You know what? I sort of love my brain.

Sooo yeah....let's face it: if I see a recipe with melted butter....I'm gonna brown it. That's practically a given. And I might be an eensy weensy obsessed with putting gorgeous big flakes of salt on top of sweet things. GUYS-it's just sooo gooood!! Do not knock it 'til you try it-it seriously just balances the sweetness in just the right way.

Oh and I maybe used homemade nutella to "swirl" on top. Note the quotation marks because um...homemade nutella doesn't swirl too well....it's too thick. So these maybe aren't as pretty as they could be. But ya know what? I don't care because they taste FANTASTIC!

To sum up: a delicious, chewy, blondie base (with no white sugar, only beautiful beautiful brown sugar), made with browned butter. Then some chocolate and peanut butter chips are mixed in. Then ya put some nutella on top. Bake em up, sprinkle on some salt, and there you have it: a super complicated recipe.

But here's the secret: not complicated. This whole thing is mixed up in one bowl (ok...not counting the pan you brown the butter in), whisked together (no mixer!), and made and baked in like 30 minutes. So uh...yeah...turns out this is SUPER quick and simple. 

And obviously out of this world yummy, packed with all your favorite things.

You like my brain now, too, huh?