Not only do I have this tower of dark chocolate blondies in my house, but I also have my little sister here. Noelle flew in from West Virginia today and saw Lucy for the very first time. I don’t know who was more excited about her arrival: Noelle, Lucy or me! Seeing my baby sister walk towards me, (no, us!) nearly brought tears to my eyes. I miss her terribly, and it’s broken my heart to not have her nearby during Lucy’s first few weeks of life. I grew up with her by my side. She clung to my dress as a toddler, we shared a secret language, and we’ve cried and laughed together like all sisters do. I’m so thankful she could take time out of her busy schedule to come see us. We’re in for a very good week.
These blondies came about after a quick facebook survey: Apple Pie Blondies or Chocolate Hazelnut cookies? The chocolate hazelnut cookies won, hands down. But when I thought about a thick and chewy bar, my stomach growled. And so I combined both of my proposals into one: Dark Chocolate Blondies with a Hazelnut Crumb. Noelle’s arrival served as the perfect occasion to make these treats!
Roasted cinnamon, vanilla extract, dark chocolate, and toasted hazelnuts elevate these bars. My sister took a bite and said, “these remind me of fall,” and I agree, these bars are perfect for September. Ryan and I live right next door to an elementary school, and with the advent of autumn we now watch kindergarteners play and form alliances on the playground. The school’s PTA is hosting a bake sale next week, and I can’t help but think that these bars would be the most popular item sold.
I had these in the oven within 30 minutes but they made my house smell better than it has in weeks. These are the recipes I love: simple yet flavorful. The dark chocolate and the toasted hazelnuts added a depth of color and flavor to the classic golden blondie. And when I gave a sample to my family this evening? Well, there were no words…just very happy mouths.
Dark Chocolate Blondies with a Hazelnut Crumb
Dark Chocolate Blondies
8 TBSP butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Hazelnut Crumb
4 TBSP butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 teaspoon McCormick Roasted Cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 8 TBSP melted butter with 1 cup brown sugar. Whisk in egg and vanilla. Fold in flour and chocolate chips. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, chopped hazelnuts, and roasted cinnamon. Pour 4 TBSP melted butter over top and stir until crumbs begin to form (I used my fingers!)
Spread blondie mixture into pan and cover generously with crumb mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the middle of the blondies have just begun to set.
