Gingerbread Blondies

Blondies are fundamentally the same as brownies; but the difference is that brownies always have a chocolate base and blondies don't. Blondies can have anything from a sugar cookie-like base to an almond or peanut flavored base, and, like brownies, they can contain chunky mix-ins. These blondies are made with gingerbread spices, and white and bittersweet chocolate chunks. The contrast of the white chocolate to the bittersweet chocolate adds depth and an unexpected, but delicious, bite of bittersweet.

2¾ cups plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
1¼ tsp salt
1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
2½ sticks room temperature butter
1¼ cups brown sugar
½ cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1¼ tsp vanilla
1/3 cup molasses
8 oz. coarsely chopped white chocolate
2 oz. coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12x17-inch baking sheet with cooking spray and then line with aluminum foil. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and the spices in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and brown and white sugar on medium speed until creamy and pale, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and yolk one at a time and mix until blended. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until combined, then stir in the chocolate.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, but be patient. This may take a while because the batter is so thick and the pan in so big. Bake until the edges just start to pull away from the sides, about 25 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies
Makes about 4 dozen.