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Tasting A Bit of History—Chocolate Chip Blondies

By Sharon Mellor

Buckhorn Inn afternoon treats are very popular with guests—none more so than our blondies.
The blondie is an American creation. The first recipe for the dense, butterscotch-flavored bar
was published in 1896 by Fannie Farmer. These delicious bar cookies were called “brownies”
after the elfin characters created by Palmer Cox. Chocolate brownies did not become popular
until a decade later when the rapid expansion of chocolate manufacturing made the product
easier for Americans to purchase. And once chocolate brownies became the norm, the cookies
without chocolate became known as blonde brownies, or blondies.

Blondies were created before brownies, but named after them. Confused yet? At any rate, blondies are delicious! This recipe,
which yields 12 bars, adds chocolate and walnuts to the rich batter. If you like, coconut also makes a delicious addition.

I made these for our recent Wines and Spines gathering, so rest assured these are book club endorsed!

Chocolate Chip Blondies
1/2 lb unsalted butter at room temperature
1 c light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t kosher salt
1 1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 1/4 lb semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2” baking pan.
Cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs
one at a time. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix the flour mixture into the butter
mixture on low speed. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake