Deep and caramelized from the browned butter and studded with dark chocolate…If you enjoy boozy Bailey’s and coffee, you will absolutely love these blondies. 

If I’m feeling decadent, my favorite thing to drink after a nice dinner is a cup of strong coffee with a little Bailey’s Irish cream.
The flavor combination is just out of this world…you know, kinda like chocolate and peanut butter, but with booze.

Since it’s St. Patrick’s Day today, I decided to celebrate not by dying my food green, but by adding booze to my dessert.
Because that seems like the right thing to do.

I used my traditional blondie recipe as a base for these bars, but browned the butter and added espresso powder to the batter.
Browning the butter gives these bars an intense, complex flavor, almost like caramel but without added sweetness. And the espresso powder gives them that unmistakable coffee flavor. Paired with bittersweet chocolate chips and Bailey’s buttercream, these blondies are one of my new favorite desserts!

Browned Butter Coffee and Bailey’s Blondies
makes 16 bars

For the Blondies:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. instant espresso powder
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. Kosher salt
• ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

For the Buttercream:

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, browned 
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. Bailey’s Irish Cream liquor
• Pinch Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter an 8×8 inch baking pan. Line pan with parchment with two sides overhanging. Butter parchment and set pan aside.

Place butter in a skillet and set over medium heat. Whisk butter as it melts completely. Continue to cook butter until it begins to turn brown. Butter will sputter and pop and give off a nutty aroma. Remove butter from heat.

Place sugar in a medium bowl. Add butter and whisk. Add egg and whisk to combine. Add espresso powder and vanilla. Fold in flour and salt, stirring only until flour is fully incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove pan from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

While blondies are cooling, make the frosting. Brown the butter using the same technique as above. Add powdered sugar and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and Bailey’s until smooth.

Using an off-set spatula, frost the cooled blondies.
Slice into 16 bars.

Enjoy!