America's Test Kitchen Blondies or Congo Bars

This is a great recipe for even a beginning chef. Easy to put together and delicious! Recipe courtesy of The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book. If you don't want congo bars, leave out the coconut and you'll have blondies.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 12  tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks, melted and cooled)
• 1 1⁄2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2  large eggs
• 4  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1  cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with a foil sling and grease the foil.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together.
5. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
6. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.
7. Stir in the chips and nuts.
8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
9. Bake the blondies until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
10. Let the blondies cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
11. Remove the blondies from the pan using the foil, cut into squares, and serve.