Blondies With Variations

This recipe has been making the rounds on the internet and I thought I would post it here so I don't forget about it. There are 8 different additions/variations that are guaranteed to make these blondies something special!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted (1 block)
• 1  cup brown sugar
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon vanilla or 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Butter an 8×8 pan
2. Mix melted butter with brown sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla or almond extract.
3. Whisk flour and salt together, then stir into sugar mixture. Mix in any additions (below) just until combined.
4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle.
5. Further additions, use one or a combination of:
6. 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
7. 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips
8. 1/2 teaspoon mint extract in addition to or in place of the vanilla
9. 1/2 cup mashed bananas
10. 1/4 cup bourbon, scotch or other whiskey; increase the flour by one tablespoon
11. 2 tablespoons of espresso powder with the vanilla
12. 1/2 cup dried fruit, especially dried cherries
13. Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting.