MAYO's KITCHEN: CRUMBS & NOTES

Think of these as the lovechild of a brownie and a cookie — rich from brown butter, loaded with white chocolate, and finished with a hit of sea salt.

Recipe by Nagi’s adaptation on Smitten Kitchen’s

 

📝 Kitchen Note ‼️

This recipe’s a total party hero — easy to make, easy to slice, and a nice switch-up from the usual brownies. The only “challenge” (but honestly, also the beauty) is the nuts. Some people love them, some don’t, or might be allergic — so feel free to skip or swap depending on your crowd.

 

Gather These First

• 125 g unsalted butter
• 200 g brown sugar
• 1 large egg (~50 g)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150 g all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp cooking/kosher salt (halve if using fine table salt)

Add-ins

• 200 g white chocolate chips
• 60 g walnuts, roughly chopped

Optional, but excellent

• ¼ tsp sea salt flakes (for sprinkling)

 

Step by Step

🥣 How It Comes Together

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and line a square pan with baking paper.
2. Toast the walnuts (optional but recommended) — roast for 5 minutes, then let cool.
3. Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan. Once melted, lower the heat and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring now and then, until nutty-smelling with golden specks. Immediately pour it (plus all the browned bits!) into a bowl.
4. While the butter’s still hot, stir in the brown sugar. Let it cool for about 3 minutes.
5. Once it’s cool down, add egg and vanilla, stir until smooth.
6. Add flour and salt, mix until you get a thick dough (it’ll feel like cookie dough).
7. Fold in the white chocolate chips and walnuts.
8. Spread the dough into the prepared pan — it’s thick, so use your hands if needed.
9. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top has a thin crackly layer and the edges are lightly golden.
10. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool a little longer before slicing. Sprinkle sea salt flakes if using.
11. Cut into 16 small squares or 9 big ones — your call.