Butterscotch Macadamia Blondies have a rich butterscotch flavor and just a hint of maple flavor. They're very thick and chewy, and on a scale of 1-10, they're a 10. Over the years I've made these with macadamia nuts, walnuts and pecans. The macadamia nut version is the best, but the versions with other nuts are also excellent.
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Flavor and Texture
With all of that brown sugar and butter you can bet the flavor is good. It's a deep rich caramel with a hint of maple from the maple extract. The bars are a little cakier than some Blondies and they do need those nuts to break up the cakiness. I think the butterscotch chips (or even caramel chips) are a good addition, but not absolutely necessary.
Macadamia Blondies Pan Size
One thing to know about this recipe is that it's designed to fit a 9-inch square pan. If you use a 9x13 inch inch pan, the bars will be thinner. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but be sure to check on them a little earlier. For a smaller batch, you can halve the recipe and make in a 9x5 inch loaf pan. I think an 8-inch square pan would also work for a half batch, but again -- the bars would be a lot thinner. It's probably best to just dig up the 9-inch square pan.
Here's an old photo of the macadamia nut version. It really shows how thick these are.
Recipe
Maple Butterscotch Macadamia Blondies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chopped macadamia nuts
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, softened (170 grams)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar packed
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (130 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons maple extract or ¾ vanilla and ¾ maple
- 1 cup or more if desired of butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 inch square metal pan with nonstick foil.
- Toast the macadamia nuts on a rimmed baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
- Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Reduce mixer speed and beat in eggs and extract.
- By hand, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the butterscotch chips and nuts.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 (check at 35) minutes, until golden brown. Let cool, then lift from pan cut into squares
Anna says
Al, I almost always use the lightly salted macadamias because I like the extra kick of salt. I do not reduce the salt in the recipe. If you don't love sweet & salty you may want to seek out unsalted macadamia nuts, but the salted ones should be better than just fine.
Al says
I'm just about to make this recipe, but all I could find at the store were pre-roasted (dry roasted) and salted macadamias. Should I omit the salt? Or maybe it would turn them into sort of like salted toffee flavor?
Anna says
Joanna, thanks for trying the recipe! I am glad you made a good batch :).
Joanna says
This blondie recipe was the first recipe I have used from your site and from the results, it won't be the last! They were the BEST blondies I have ever had. I couldn't stop eating them and that was the bad part! I baked them to send to a soldier in Iraq! I'm pretty sure that he loved them just as much as I did.
aundraya says
ThIs a GrEaT ReCiPe !!!!!!!BECAUSE MY FRIEND HAD SOME AND I HAD TASTED THEM AND THEY WERE SO DELIOUS I MEAN SO DELIOUS !!!!! SO I HAD TO COME UP HERE AND GET THE RECIPE SO I CAN MAKE SOME FOR THANKSGIVING AND LET MY FAMILY TRY THEM !!!! HAVE A NICE DAY :):):):)
val says
I am not a chocoholic.These bars are among my top ten most favorite desserts ever.:)
s'kat says
They look wonderful, and rich. For a cookie with no chocolate.
Joe says
Hmm these have been on my list to try for way too long. I hope I get a chance to make them soon - they do sound sooo good!