My daughter called last week and asked if I still had this simple blondie recipe in my kitchen library. It had been so long since I had made them, I had to search through some of my old magazine clippings to find the recipe she was referring to. It’s modeled after the recipe used in the Nancy Drew Movie about the teenage detective in the series of mystery novels that we often read as a child. In the movie, Nancy used these treats as a tool of bribery to gain information and solve her latest mystery. When the Nancy Drew movie came out, my youngest daughter became so enamored with the young mystery sleuth that she asked me to make the popular Nancy Drew shoulder bag with lots of room for gadgets and note taking materials specifically selected for her make believe adventures. She took the bag everywhere. She especially enjoyed showing off all of the clever gadgets tucked neatly inside the mystery solving bag. A couple of years ago, I donated it to Good Will Industries, but now I am wishing that I would have kept it for future generations of mystery sleuths.
The original “Nancy Drew Blondies” were much thicker so I’m assuming her recipe was baked in a 9X9″ pan. In the movie, Nancy entices others when she opens a cute, round, stainless steel tin and inside sits a perfectly shaped, moist and scrumptious looking blondie. Well, my recipe isn’t quite as famous, but we sure enjoy the taste. That’s why I have named my recipe…Plain Jane Blondies.
Plain Jane Blondies
2 /14 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13″ pan.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until smooth.
Stir in the flour mixture and the nuts until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 35-45 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars with a sharp knife.
Simply Made Kitchen and Crafts 
? Nuts
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Yes, nuts are optional and I just updates my ingredients. I rarely use them so I neglected to post the ingredient. Thanks for your eagle eye!☺️
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Great story. It’s always a dilemma what to keep from the kids. There’s so much stuff! These blondies look very bribe-worthy!
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You are so right, Veronica! The N.D. blondes baked in the smaller pan (9×9″) seemed so fantastic looking. Although, I always use a 13×9″ for a thin version.
It seems less sinful that way!😊
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What kind of nuts do you use? I made these a long time ago, adding chocolate chips and chopped pecans. As you note, they were always a huge hit. A time or two, I used chopped dates and/or dried cranberries, but then I would add grated orange peel. Thus they would probably need a more “redhead”-type name! ;->
Virtual hugs,
Judie
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To be perfectly honest, I rarely add anything other than the ingredients listed. The nuts are completely optional. When I do add nuts, I finely chop them so they don’t effect the smooth texture of the batter. If I use nuts, I use walnuts.
Thanks for your comment! Have a great day!
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Ah! Thank you. I had lost my blondie recipe and was wishing for some a couple of weeks ago. I’m going to give this one a try. 🙂
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Well, I’m happy I could help! I must admit, I lost this one for a while as well. Add nuts, butterscotch chips, etc. to change them up a bit. We enjoy the plain ole’ recipe though.
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I remember taking my oldest to the theater to see the movie when it came out. That’s a sweet story about your daughter and the shoulder bag. It’s funny to think of the things that catch their eye in a film or tv show. My family loves these types of treats!
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Wonderful memories…
Thank so much for your comment. Enjoy your day.
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I love everything Nancy Drew! I grew up watching her and The Hardy Brothers on TV and reading Trixie Beldon books. Great to see you solved your own mystery: “The Case of the Missing Blondie Recipe”. xoxoxox
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Clever you, Dani! Mystery solved!
I, too, loved Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys… I was a huge fan of Sean Cassidy.
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Hi Linda,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I have never made blondies, but I sure loved Nancy Drew! Just introducing my daughter to her. Maybe we will have to try some Nancy Drew blondies!
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A fresh batch of Nancy Drew Blondies could make for a lovely Valentine’s Day treat!❤️
Thanks for your valued comment. Enjoy reading with your daughter!😊
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Tasty!
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😊
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