Sea Salt Blondies Recipe

This sea salt blondies recipe balances sweet and salty for a decadent treat on its own or topped as a sundae.

I packed these sea salt blondies for a four-day camping trip to Stagecoach — the country-music festival that feels like Coachella for country fans. With limited time to prep between trips, I focused on crowd-pleasing, portable dishes: handmade burger patties, a big batch of spicy pasta salad, blueberry oat bars for breakfast, and these blondies for dessert. They travel well and disappear fast.

The idea for these blondies came from a rosé brunch at Herringbone in La Jolla, where a Sea Salt Blondie Sundae stole the show. I immediately made a note to recreate them at home: buttery blondies with a light sprinkle of sea salt, excellent plain or piled with ice cream and caramel for a dreamy sundae.

Why these sea salt blondies work

These blondies are simple to make, requiring pantry staples and a single bowl for wet ingredients plus a small bowl for the dry. The brown sugar and butter create a rich, caramel-like base, while the sea salt — added in two stages — highlights the sweetness without overwhelming it. They’re slightly chewy at the center with crisp edges if you bake them toward the longer end of the time range.

Sea Salt Blondies Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp sea salt, divided

Sea Salt Blondies Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar and melted butter until smooth.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla, stirring until fully combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
6. Prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by lightly spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.
7. Spread the blondie batter evenly in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of sea salt evenly over the top.
8. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
9. Allow the blondies to cool in the pan before slicing into nine squares or smaller rectangles.

Serving suggestions

Serve these blondies warm or at room temperature. They’re delicious as a simple handheld dessert, or transform them into a sundae: top a blondie with a scoop of chocolate ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce for a rich, salted-caramel experience. A chilled glass of rosé makes a pretty pairing for brunch or a relaxed afternoon treat.

Notes & tips

• For chewier blondies, err on the shorter end of the bake time; for firmer edges, bake a few minutes longer.
• Use fine sea salt for an even sprinkle; if your salt is coarse, press it lightly into the batter so it sticks.
• Add-ins like chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or a swirl of caramel can be mixed into the batter before baking.