I’ve been iterating bar cookies over the past few weeks for my invite-only subscription box, and this latest creation is worth its own post.

This is a golden sugar based bar cookie that comes out fudgy in the middle and deeply caramelized on the edges. To my batch I added finely chopped passionfruit fèves and ruby chocolate chips, both from Olive Nation. But they would be just as good plain.

Ingredients

• 400 grams golden or white sugar
• 1 cup salted butter (I used Kerrygold)
• 2 eggs
• 1 lemon (zest only)
• 50 grams cornmeal (I used Red Tail Grains’ Cateto)
• 150 grams all-purpose flour (I used Red Tail Grains’ sprouted)
• (Optional) 150 grams white chocolate chips (the closest grocery store equivalent to my specialty mix-ins)
• (Optional) flaky salt for the top

Preparing the blondies

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C).

Butter a 9×13 inch pan.

Melt your butter using your preferred method. While it melts, measure your sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the butter when it’s melted and let the mixture cool a bit.

Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated.

Zest the lemon into the mixing bowl. You can use the juice for something else! Maybe make a lemonade later. Mix the lemon zest in.

Measure the cornmeal, flour, and optional mix-ins into the bowl. Stir everything together until no dry streaks remain. Try not to overmix, but don’t worry too much.

Spread the batter evenly across the buttered pan. If you want to be fancy, scatter flakes of salt across the top. I use Maldon.

Bake for 20 minutes. It should still be jiggly when you take it out of the oven. As long as the edges look golden, trust that it’s done.

Cooling the blondies properly

You totally can eat these blondies warm, but they really benefit from being cooled before slicing, and they benefit *even more* if you cool them *not only* to room temperature, but actually to fridge temperature before slicing. That’s how you get that beautiful clean slice.

If you like your blondies soft in texture, totally serve them at room temperature. But if you want a fudgy, chewy bite with some resistance, store your blondies in the fridge and eat them cold.