Just Desserts: Basic Blondies

Many people think of "blondies" as "brownies without the chocolate" -- but that's just not the case. This is a great basic bar cookie that you can easily make your own by adding additional ingredients that you like -- Most people "dress up" their blondies with other ingredients like semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips / chunks -- and depending on the region include some sort of chopped nuts like pecans or almond slivers.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter 9x13" cake pan. Line pan parchment paper, allowing 2-inch overhang. Butter the parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.

Spread batter into baking dish. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in dish 40 minutes. Lift out, and let cool completely on wire rack.

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