The Amish Cook: Blonde Brownies

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• 📸 Editor's Notes and Photos
• 🥮 Amish Blonde Brownies
• 📋 Instructions
• 👨‍🍳 More Amish Brownie Recipes
• 🖨️ Full Recipe

It’s true. The sun is shining, and it even feels a bit like spring! The best thing about sunny days (in my way of thinking) is unwinding in the chestnut field. Going up and down the long rows, there’s usually something to do.

Yesterday I started with the project of untying the black ties that secure the trees to the tube-like guards. These covers shelter the trees from deer, disease, and harsh weather.

Once both ties are opened, I strip the shelter from the tree, then place my gloved hand on the base of the tree and slip it up to remove all dead leaves.

I always keep an eye open for any weeds that may be poking their heads up through the inside of the shelters. These young saplings don’t need competition of weeds.

Now that the weeds are pulled and leaves removed, I slip the cover back over the tree and tie it in position.

On Wednesday, when the children came home from school Julia and Austin were like two frisky colts turned out in the pasture in early spring! I told them they could skip most of their routine after-school jobs and go for the chestnut grove instead. Amazing what children their age can do with some enthusiasm. I never imagined it would be such a pleasure, in so many ways, to watch children grow older!

I have also discovered the five-year-old boys, Jesse and Elijah, can help a lot by opening ties and take the guards off for me a tree or two ahead of me. Sometimes when they start to get bored, we’ll each take a row and race to see who can do their row first and reach the edge of the woods. At two years old, Joshua enjoys going with me, but is soon tired of trailing after me. In a year from now, I’m guessing it won’t be as overwhelming for him to walk so far. Generally, I try to do most of my work while he’s napping.

The best part of all is to watch the new growth this spring. By mid-summer we are hoping to have them shooting out the top of the five-foot guards.

The question was asked, “So what motivated you to plant these trees in the first place?”

Good question; generally, a person wouldn’t plant 1,135 trees just because they got an urge to give it a try!

Daniel’s vision was for the chestnuts to provide a project for his children in years to come that would also be a source of income as they are harvested and sold. He was super impressed to learn that these nuts are a balanced food, providing rich nutrition. These nuts can also be ground into flour and used in many unique ways (Which I have a lot to learn about yet!).

In the short time, we had the chestnut grove before Daniel passed, we had many wonderful times together as we labored as a family. Together we worked as we prepared for planting in straight rows across the field, then planted as the hot sun beat upon us. Now I treasure the fact that I learned alongside Daniel as we cared for the trees those first stages of our new endeavors. That last year with Daniel we faced many trials with the children battling sickness, his aunt passing, and such; yet through it all, it was a good year. Like I told one of my friends the evening before the accident, “It was one of our hardest winters, but also the best.”

I had not even the slightest inkling of what was to happen the very next morning.

Amid the heartaches of keenly missing our Daddy and Hubby, there have been countless blessings strewn throughout. One profound blessing is Daniel’s parents, who have moved into a little cabin in the woods,just beyond the chestnut grove. Their house can easily be seen as where work in the field. And if we need help, we can tell Grandpa, and he’ll be there momentarily. He cut a path through the woods,perfect for the children to walk over to Grandma’s house anytime. I cherish this rich blessing. Surely no blessings are to be taken for granted; life is really so uncertain!

Now, it’ll be a year or two until the chestnut trees will be bearing, so I can’t give you a tried and true chestnut recipe. Instead, we’ll settle with blonde brownies my mom used to make when I was a little girl. I loved the fudgy texture as I bit into them. How little did I know all that my mom really did for me!

📸 Editor's Notes and Photos

Blonde brownies are a classic treat. They’re great for after school, to take to a potluck, or a quick dessert for company.  Some people like to add raisins or nuts, but I think it’s best as just a classic simple blonde brownie.

Amish Blonde Brownies is a classic Amish recipe because it is so basic, there's nothing fancy in here. If you want to make them even dark and richer, add some molasses to the mix, maybe half a cup.

If you are going to add molasses or perhaps some maple syrup to these Amish Blonde Brownies, do it when you are mixing the wet ingredients.

You can use just chocolate chips (my preferred version) or mix up by adding raisins (yuck) or English walnut pieces (no thanks) to this Amish Blonde Brownies recipe.

🥮 Amish Blonde Brownies

• ⅔ cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teas baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips or raisins
• ½ cup nuts (opt)

📋 Instructions

1. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan.
2. Add brown sugar and stir, then add eggs and mix well.
3. Next add dry ingredients and chocolate chips or raisins and nuts. Spread in a greased one by ten by 15-inch pan.
4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until set. Do NOT over-bake.

👨‍🍳 More Amish Brownie Recipes

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Amish Nut Brownies

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