My sister doesn’t like chocolate (crazy I know, but her loss), so she makes these instead of brownies. While they are chocolate-free, they are still really good. They’re pretty simple, super rich, and the walnuts, coconut, and toffee pieces are quite the tasty combination.

Chunky Blondies

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• (1 cup chocolate chips – optional)
• 1 cup Heath English Toffee bits or Skor bits, or butterscotch chips or chopped chocolate-coated toffee bars
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 325^oF.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add white sugar and beat for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla.

On low speed, beat in dry ingredients until just blended. Add bits/chips, nuts, and coconut just until well distributed in batter.

Spread batter into a buttered 9×13 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving or storing.