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These small batch Blondies are soft, chewy bars with a rich brown sugar base, sweet chocolate chips, and crisp walnuts in every bite. Quick to make and perfectly portioned, they’re ideal when you want a simple, satisfying treat without the extras.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Just the Right Amount: Makes a few blondies.
- Chewy and Rich: Sweet, soft, and full of brown sugar and vanilla flavor.
- Easy to Customize: Add chocolate chips, nuts, or keep them plain.
I love this recipe because blondies feel like the best kind of comfort—sweet, buttery, and filled with rich brown sugar and vanilla flavor. They’re simple to make, endlessly adaptable, and always hit the spot when I want something homemade and satisfying.
This small batch is just enough to treat yourself (or share one or two squares if you’re feeling generous), and I always come back to it when I need a quick dessert that feels special.
If you love these blondies, try more small batch bars like fudgy Brownies, tangy Lemon Bars, creamy Peanut Butter Bars, and spiced Pumpkin Bars.
Featured Comment
“Delicious! The batter comes together quickly. The blondies are perfect with the perfect balance of chewiness and tender on the inside and a slight crunch on the outside. Thank you for a delicious dessert I can’t stop thinking about!”
– Sandy
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch blondie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Butter: I use salted butter, but unsalted works just as well.
- Brown Sugar: Key for flavor and chewiness. Out of brown sugar? Mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 tablespoon molasses. Check out my quick brown sugar recipe for detailed instructions.
- Egg: One large egg adds structure and helps bind the batter.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works well. For a gluten-free option, use King Arthur brand Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour.
- Baking Powder: Helps the blondies rise slightly while staying dense and chewy.
- Chocolate Chips: I use semi-sweet, but white chocolate or butterscotch chips are great too. Try extras in Chocolate Chip Cookies or in a Chocolate Lava Cake.
- Walnuts: Add crunch and flavor. Swap with pecans, almonds, or leave them out. Use leftovers in Maple Walnut Muffin, Brookie, Hermit Cookies, or Banana Nut Bread.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few simple ways to change up your blondies:
- Peanut Butter Swirl: Swirl in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Add peanut butter chips for even more flavor.
- White Chocolate Raspberry: Mix in 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and a few fresh raspberries.
- Warmly Spiced: Stir in 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg for a seasonal version.
- Coconut Addition: Add 1/4 cup shredded coconut to the batter. For more coconut flavor, use coconut oil instead of butter.
How To Make Blondies
These photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make a small batch of blondies. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 5×5 inch baking dish and set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla; whisk until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture just until combined.
- Add Mix-Ins: Fold in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25–28 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool and Slice: Let cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen, then cut into 4 squares. Serve warm or let cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Cool the Butter: Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing to prevent scrambling the egg.
- Evenly Mix Dry Ingredients: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together first to evenly distribute the leavening.
- Don’t Overmix: After adding the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the blondies dense.
Serving Suggestions
Top your blondies with:
- Vanilla Ice Cream: A classic, creamy pairing.
- Whipped Cream: Light and airy for a simple touch.
- Caramel Sauce: Adds a rich, sweet finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, double all the ingredients and use a 6×8-inch dish or two 5×5-inch baking dishes.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
Yes, once cooled, wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch blondie recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Blondies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter -melted
- ½ cup brown sugar -packed
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 5×5-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla; whisk until fully combined.
- In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture just until combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25–28 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen, then cut into 4 squares. Serve warm or let cool completely.
Notes
- Cool the Butter: Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing to prevent scrambling the egg.
- Evenly Mix Dry Ingredients: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together first to evenly distribute the leavening.
- Don’t Overmix: After adding the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the blondies dense.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I just made these blondies in a 3″ x 8″ bread pan, they are still a little warm. I cut them into 12 pieces and sampled two already. Instead of buttering the pan I lined it with baking paper.
I really appreciate that you can choose metric measurements. It saves me from having to convert.
I made a gluten free peanut butter version of these by adding 2 Tbs peanut butter to the melted butter, dropped the chocolate chips and walnuts, added 1/3 cup of pb chips and used all purpose gluten free flour mix with xanthan gum in it. I used the exact size pan greased with 2 long strips of greased parchment paper to lift them out after. They stayed in the oven quite a bit longer almost 38 minutes with the last 15 minutes at 300° until the middle puffed up and cracked a little and tested done. Once the butter firmed up and they cooled completely and thoroughly they were sliced with a plastic knife and they are great with crispy edges and soft middles. Yum!
I have had badly cooked items, over spreading cookies or undercooked baked goods before due to the varying water content in different butter brands. Land o Lakes is less watery than say Cabot Creamery but each one has their application Llike when you want more moisture in cakes but not in cookies or bars. Hope this helps. I think reducing the temperature and cooking for longer along with using a good quality butter could help some who struggled with this recipe.
❤️ Your recipes
Thank you for sharing your gluten-free adaptation and all the helpful tips! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Well, I had the same problems as some others — the edges were fine but the middle was raw. I took it out of the pan and kind of spread it out on a cookie sheet to turn it into blondie type cookies. Sort of. I have a different pan that would maybe let it stay smaller on the edges so the middle will have a chance to get done. The pieces I tried were wonderful though!
I’m sorry to hear the middle didn’t cook through, but it sounds like you handled it wonderfully. Sometimes just a few more minutes in the oven can help. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the flavor, and I appreciate you sharing your experience!
Me again! I had much better luck the second time I tried this. I used a dish that has an interior measurement of 5″ x 7″ so they were a little flatter. Also, because of other things I had going on, the butter was cooler this time than it was when I tried the recipe the first time, and I think that made a difference as well. I probably could have baked them a little longer (I actually did 30 minutes) but I didn’t want them to get too dark. Much better results!
YUM so delicious! Thanks Joanie
After getting a cold, I developed a taste for something sweet. Not wanting to go out in the rain, I found this recipe and had almost all of the ingredients in house except for the chocolate chips. I did have carob chips and substituted that. The blondies were so delicious with just the right amount of crunch on the edge and soft in the middle. Just what I was craving for! Thanks for this awesome, easy recipe!
Delicious! The batter comes together quickly. The Blondies are perfect with the perfect balance of chewiness and tender on the inside and a slight crunch on the outside. Thank you for a delicious dessert I can’t stop thinking about!
Not sure what happened here. I followed the directions with the exception of adding a few butterscotch chips I had on hand. I checked the dish at 25 minutes and the center was visibly uncooked in the center. After a little more than 28 minutes, I pulled the dish from the oven for fear of overbaking. I double checked the temperature of my oven to make sure it was accurate. It was.
I let the dish cool for more than 20 minutes, only to find the center was still completely raw while the outside was a beautiful golden brown. I stuck it in my air fryer on the bake function for about 6 minutes, then removed it, and allowed it to cool for at least 10 minutes.
My attempts to remove the blondie from the 5×5″ dish were futile. It broke in the center, revealing that it was even more raw than I realized. The insides poured out as I cut into it, while the outside was an even deeper brown after the second baking.
What a shame. It tastes delicious in spite of being undercooked after so long and turning out like a lava cake. I’ll have to give it another go. I had great anticipation for this one.
Hi Lisa, I’m really sorry to hear that your blondies didn’t turn out as you’d hoped, especially since you were so excited about this recipe. Let’s try to troubleshoot what might have gone wrong.
1. Oven Preheating: One common issue that can lead to uneven baking is not fully preheating the oven. Even if the oven indicates it’s reached the desired temperature, it’s a good idea to give it a few extra minutes. This ensures that the heat is evenly distributed, which is crucial for baking.
2. Oven Calibration and Hot Spots: You mentioned that you double-checked your oven’s temperature, which is great. However, ovens can have hot spots that cause uneven baking. It might be worth doing a test to check for these areas in your oven.
3. Baking Dish Size: You used a 5×5″ dish, which should be fine for a small-batch recipe. However, sometimes dish dimensions provided by manufacturers measure handle to handle, not the internal dimensions. This could affect how evenly something bakes.
4. Extra Butterscotch Chips: While they’re a delicious addition, extra ingredients can sometimes alter the cooking time or the texture of the batter.
5. Air Fryer Adjustment: Using an air fryer to finish off the baking is an interesting approach, but air fryers circulate air differently than conventional ovens, which can affect the final product.
It sounds like you ended up with a delicious-tasting “lava cake,” so not all is lost! If you’re up for it, I’d recommend giving the recipe another try, perhaps double-checking each of these factors to see if you get a different result.
I actually had the same issue! Even after 28 minutes they were nearly liquid in the middle, but any longer in the oven and they would have been too crispy on the edges. They still tasted great but I couldn’t eat the middle. This is the first one dish kitchen recipe that didn’t turn out perfectly for me so I was surprised. Not a fail, just a surprise lol.
I can’t eat walnuts. Can I just leave them out?
Absolutely.
Great recipe. w