Handed down from my grandma, these Congo Squares or chocolate chip blondies are a mixture of butter, brown sugar, eggs, flour, chocolate chips and nuts. They are perfect for a party.
When it comes to the holidays, I love desserts - from chocolate peppermint blossoms to chocolate sugar cookies to a peppermint yule log.
So why am I sharing a simple Congo Squares recipe on Christmas Day? For me, it's actually the recipe I most associate with the holidays.
It is a recipe passed down to my mom and how she got started in baking. Oh she now has a successful cookie company in Orlando called HeartSong Cookies.
So why do I associated Congo Squares with the holidays? Well when I was young my mom would make batches upon batches of these for her clients and even her office. I recall going to her office as a kid once, and multiple people were asking about when she was going to bring more Congo Squares in.
For those that have never heard of Congo Squares they are a simple mixture of butter, brown sugar, eggs, flour, chocolate chips and nuts. They are really just another name for chocolate chip blondies or sheet pan cookies. You can call them whatever you want, but we call them Congo Squares.
Either way these are the best blondies recipe out there. They're best served slightly warm and maybe with some vanilla ice cream on top, but you choose how you want to eat them!
PS you noticed I said simple earlier? Well if you're in a pinch, you might already have all of these ingredients and be able to make them today.
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Ingredient Notes
- Butter - by melting the butter before mixing with the sugar, you create a denser cookie with a chew, which Congo Squares are known for.
- Light brown sugar - you want sugar with some molasses which contributes to the flavor and chewiness.
- Chocolate chips - you can use regular or mini chocolate chips or even chop up some chocolate.
- Walnuts - I like having some added texture and flavor and walnuts is my go-to.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can change it up. Some variations include:
- You can replace the melted butter with a flavorless oil like canola or vegetable oil.
- While light brown sugar is what I use here, dark brown sugar works great too.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips are my go-to, but you can use milk or dark chocolate as well.
- If you aren't a fan of walnuts, you can omit or replace with pecans or hazelnuts.
Step-by-Step Photos
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Beat together the melted butter and sugar, letting it cool slightly.
Beat in the eggs one at a time before adding the vanilla extract. Add the flour, mixing just until combined before folding in the chocolate and walnuts.
FAQs
Nothing. They are basically a chocolate chip cookie in brownie form. The name came from coming from a place called Congo Square in New Orleans in the 19th century.
You will know these are done when you insert a toothpick and a few crumbs are on it. The toothpick should not come out clean, otherwise it is overbaked at that point.
I just grease and flour the pan, but if you want to make sure you can easily lift it out, just line your pan with some parchment paper. Crumble it up and then spread out so it will easy fit in the pan.
To maximize the shelf life of the blondies, place it in a covered airtight container or cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
• Room temperature - 2-3 days
• Fridge - 1 week
• Freezer - 3 months
Variations
No one said you had to put just chocolate chips and walnuts in these chocolate chip blondies. You can change the ingredients around including using:
- Nuts - pecans, hazelnuts,almonds, walnuts or macadamia nuts
- Chocolate - white, milk or dark chocolate
- Nut butter - peanut, almond, cashew or sunflower seed butter
- Mix-ins - potato chips, pretzels, granola, peanut butter chips, M&Ms
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. You want your eggs to be the same temperature as everything else so it easily combines.
- Sometimes the edges brown more quickly than the middle so cover it with foil if that's the case.
- Let the blondies cool slightly before cutting them so you can get clean cuts but also some gooiness.
- If you want a thinner blondie that isn't as chewy, bake in a 10x15 pan. Just keep in mind the baking time will only be about 25-30 minutes.
Other Dessert Recipes
If you’ve tried this Congo Squares recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Congo Squares
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter, melted (11 tbsp)
- 2 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar. Cool slightly. Beat in eggs, one at a time and add vanilla extract. Add dry mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
- Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35+-40 minutes or until tester comes out clean. If edges are browning more quickly than the middle, cover with aluminum foil. When cool, cut into 24 squares.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. You want your eggs to be the same temperature as everything else so it easily combines.
- Sometimes the edges brown more quickly than the middle so cover it with foil if that's the case.
- Let the blondies cool slightly before cutting them so you can get clean cuts but also some gooiness.
- If you want a thinner blondie that isn't as chewy, bake in a 10x15 pan. Just keep in mind the baking time will only be about 25-30 minutes.
Chris says
Oh my these look chewy and delicious!
Lynn Frank says
My Mom called them Congo Squares too. I hold dear the cherished hand written recipe of my Mom's. Although her ingredients are the same, the quantity of flour is 2 3/4 and she simply called for 1 box light brown sugar. I plan to try yours and compare!
Ryan says
I have a hand written recipe as well!
Janelle says
These turn out great! My family loves them! Can I freeze them??
Janelle says
These turned out great! My family loves them! Can I freeze them??
Ryan says
Glad you liked them. Yes I'd just freeze in an airtight container and they'll last about 3 months.
gail morgan says
Just like the ones I made back in the seventies. They are yummy but they are loaded with calories
Patricia says
I first had these when I moved to Cheraw SC 1977. They are so good and so easy to make. I put them right up there with shoo fly cake.