Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown butter and prep pan
- Brown the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until golden and nutty; remove and cool for 10 minutes. Look for amber-brown flecks and a toasted aroma.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan. Make sure the pan has an even coat so the blondies release cleanly.
Mix batter
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. Keep whisking until the spices are evenly distributed.
- Whisk the browned butter, brown sugar, and pure maple syrup until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and slightly thick.
- Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and maple extract until well combined. The batter should look unified with no streaks.
- Fold in the flour mixture until just combined, then spread the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top so it bakes evenly.
Bake and finish
- Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick has just a few moist crumbs. The center should look set but still slightly tender.
- Cool completely in the pan, then drizzle with the maple glaze and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. For the glaze to look glossy, drizzle only after the blondies are fully cool.
Notes
Pro tip: when the toothpick comes out, it should be slightly sticky with only a few moist crumbs—overbaking will make the crumb cakier. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze baked blondies (squares) up to 2 months. For a lighter option, you can replace half the butter with an equal amount of neutral oil, though texture may be slightly less rich.
