I have memories of making blondies with my Mom that stretch back decades.  Am I old enough now to remember “decades?”  I guess so.  It is wonderful to have decades of memories!

The reason we both love this recipe is because it never falls “flat.”  I don’t know why, but for Mom and me, chocolate chip things never turn out “thick and chewy” the way they’re supposed to.  Cookies are flat puddles with chocolate chip mountains in the middle, and blondies always look perfect in the oven until we pull them out, and 15 minutes later woefully wonder why they are only thick around the edges.

This recipe solves that problem  They always turn out perfect!

The Kaintone Cookbook from Kiantone, NY, is the original source of our blondie love.  While this recipe is very similar, it is different in that it has a little baking soda added, which somehow makes them stay thick instead of falling in the middle as they cool.  There is also a handful of oatmeal and coconut.  Not enough of either to make you notice, but enough to make them chewy and somehow keep their shape.  And I always use the full teaspoon of salt.  Salt is the secret!

BLONDIES

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup coconut

1 bag of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt the butter in a saucepan, let it brown just a little.  Remove from heat.  Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved, then stir in the vanilla and eggs.  In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and oatmeal, then add this to the saucepan.  Stir in the coconut and half the chocolate chips.

Spread in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.  Sprinkle the other half of the chocolate chips on top.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  In my convection oven, they’re done in about 25.

I’ve made these so many times, for so many Embassy potlucks and Diplomatic Spouses Desserts.  They always get eaten.  Jake and Eli like them too!