These fireworks blondies are rich, chewy, and loaded with white chocolate chunks. Made with brown butter and festive red, white, and blue sprinkles, they're an easy dessert for Fourth of July parties, summer cookouts, and holiday gatherings.
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These fireworks blondies are a fun way to add a little red, white, and blue to your dessert table. The patriotic sprinkles make them perfect for summer celebrations, while the brown butter and white chocolate take them well beyond an ordinary blondie.
I especially love recipes like this when I’m entertaining because they look festive without requiring any extra decorating. Just mix, bake, slice, and serve. They’re easy to transport, easy to share, and always one of the first desserts to disappear from the table.
For a fun summer treat, serve these blondies with a cold glass of homemade walnut milk or a scoop of homemade ice cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients at a Glance
- Unsalted Butter. Browning the butter gives these blondies their rich, nutty flavor. If using salted butter, omit the kosher salt from the recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture, chewiness, and a subtle caramel flavor. You can substitute dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor, but it will slightly change the flavor and color.
- Granulated Sugar. Granulated white sugar works with the brown sugar to create the blondies’ texture and helps the edges bake up beautifully golden and crispy.
- Eggs. Eggs provide structure. They also contribute to the chewy texture. For the best results, use room-temperature eggs.
- Vanilla Extract. Vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the brown butter and white chocolate. I recommend pure vanilla extract.
- All-Purpose Flour. Flour gives the blondies structure while keeping them tender. Measure carefully.
- Baking Powder. Baking powder provides just enough lift without making the blondies cakey.
- Kosher Salt. Kosher salt balances the sweetness and enhances the brown butter flavor. If using table salt, reduce the amount by about half.
- White Chocolate. Chopped white chocolate bars melt into creamy pockets throughout the blondies. White chocolate chips can be used in a pinch, but chopped bars are best.
- Red, White, and Blue Sprinkles. Give these blondies their festive fireworks appearance. Jimmies and star sprinkles work best because they hold their shape during baking.
How to Make Them (Photo Tutorial)
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C).
Step 2: Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
Step 8: Bake until the edges are golden brown and the center no longer looks wet. Do not overbake.
Allow the blondies to cool completely before lifting them from the pan, slicing, and serving.
Tips for Success
- Don’t rush the brown butter. Cook it until the milk solids turn golden brown and it smells nutty and toasted. This step gives the blondies their rich, caramel-like flavor.
- Let the brown butter cool slightly before adding the eggs. It should be warm, not hot. If it’s too hot, the eggs can begin to cook when added.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar mixture well. A vigorous whisking helps create the shiny, crackly top that blondies are known for.
- Measure the flour carefully. Too much flour can make blondies dry and cakey. For best results, fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it off.
- Fold the batter gently. Mix only until the dry ingredients disappear, then stop. Overmixing can make the blondies less tender.
- Press the sprinkles lightly into the batter. This helps them stay in place while baking and creates a festive finish. Don’t worry if the colors bleed. That adds to the fireworks effect!
- Avoid overbaking. The center should no longer look wet, but a few moist crumbs on a toothpick are fine. The blondies will continue to set as they cool.
- Cool completely before slicing. This can be the hardest part, but it allows the blondies to firm up and gives you clean bakery-style squares.
Make-Ahead Tips
These blondies are a great make-ahead dessert for parties, potlucks, and holiday gatherings.
- Bake up to 2 days ahead. Once completely cooled, store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
- Wait to slice if possible. For the freshest appearance, leave the blondies whole and cut them shortly before serving.
- Add flaky sea salt just before serving. If using flaky sea salt, sprinkle it on after thawing or shortly before serving for the best texture and appearance.
Suggested Variations
While I think these fireworks blondies are best made exactly as written, there are a few easy ways to customize them:
- Change the sprinkles. Swap the patriotic sprinkles for your favorite seasonal sprinkle mix to make these blondies for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, birthdays, baby showers, or any special occasion.
- Use a different chocolate. White chocolate pairs beautifully with the brown butter flavor, but milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or a combination of chocolates can be used instead.
- Add nuts. Stir in up to ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts for extra crunch and flavor.
- Finish with flaky sea salt. A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt adds a delicious sweet-and-salty contrast and complements the brown butter flavor.
Ways to Serve Them
These treats are delicious on their own, but they’re easy to dress up for parties and summer celebrations.
- With a cold glass of milk. The brown butter flavor and white chocolate pair perfectly with a glass of milk. Try them with our homemade walnut milk for a dairy-free option.
- À la mode. Serve a warm blondie with a scoop of ice cream for an easy crowd-pleasing dessert.
- As part of a summer dessert spread. Add these blondies to a dessert table alongside fresh fruit, cookies, bars, and other fun treats.
- For cookouts and potlucks. These blondies travel well and are easy to serve, making them a great addition to backyard barbecues, picnics, and holiday gatherings.
Storage
Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, wrap the cooled blondies tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Dessert Bars and Cookies
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Soft, fudgy cookies packed with chocolate and peanut butter flavor.
Chewy cookies bursting with raspberries and creamy white chocolate.
Fireworks Blondies Recipe
These fireworks blondies are rich, chewy, and loaded with white chocolate chunks. Made with brown butter and festive red, white, and blue sprinkles, they're an easy dessert for Fourth of July parties, summer cookouts, and holiday gatherings.
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Equipment
Chef's knife for chopping the chocolate and slicing the blondies
Cutting board for chopping the chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped white chocolate (Note 2)
Fireworks Decoration
- ⅓ cup sprinkle mix red, white, and blue (Note 3)
- 2-3 tablespoons sprinkle mix for the topping (optional)
- flaky sea salt for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C).
- Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
- Place the 1 cup unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter melts, foams, and the milk solids on the bottom of the pan turn golden brown. The butter should smell nutty and toasted.Allow the butter to cool for 10–15 minutes. It should be warm but not hot enough to cook the eggs. (Note 4)Pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar to the brown butter.Whisk until glossy.Add the 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.Whisk vigorously until fully combined and slightly lighter in color. (Note 5)
- Add the 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.Fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks remain.Do not overmix.
- Fold in the 1 cup chopped white chocolate and ⅓ cup sprinkle mix.Use a gentle hand to avoid breaking the star sprinkles.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.The batter will be thick.Scatter the remaining 2-3 tablespoons sprinkle mix evenly over the top and gently press them into the surface.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are deeply golden brown and the center no longer appears wet.The center should no longer appear wet, and a toothpick inserted 1–2 inches from the center should not have wet batter attached.Do not overbake. (Note 6)
- Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan before slicing.Lift them out using the parchment overhang.If desired, sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- For the most accurate results, measure the flour with a kitchen scale. If measuring by volume, fluff the flour with a spoon, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with a straight edge. Avoid scooping directly from the flour container, which can pack in too much flour and result in dry blondies.
- For the best flavor and texture, use chopped white chocolate from a baking bar rather than white chocolate chips.
- Use a sprinkle mix made primarily with jimmies and star sprinkles. Some color streaking during baking is normal and creates the fun fireworks effect.
- Brown butter can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly. Watch carefully once the foaming begins to subside. The butter is ready when the milk solids turn golden brown and it smells nutty and toasted.
- Thoroughly whisking the eggs into the sugar mixture helps create a glossy top and contributes to the blondies’ chewy texture.
- The blondies may look slightly underdone in the center when removed from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 391IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 16 blondies
Calories: 310kcal
