Happy Chocolate Monday! We all know and love brownies, but today I thought I would give you an alternative treat that is especially delicious … White Chocolate Cherry Blondies!
Blondies are sort of a cross between brownies and cookies, tender, a little chewy, often vanilla or butterscotch flavored, and incredibly adaptable. You can change the flavorings, choice of fruits (or leave them out), and use a different type of chip. Toffee chips, peanut butter chips, and mint chips would all be delicious too. What would you add?
Blondies are the perfect after school snack or picnic treat. They pack and travel extremely well. You can leave them whole or pre-cut them and place them back in the pan you baked them in for transportation. If you are taking them to a pot luck, you can melt the white chocolate there to glaze them or just leave them plain. They are delicious either way.
Another bonus is they are super easy to make. You can make them with a hand mixer, stand mixer, or even by hand. The only part that is a little challenging if you have young helpers is chopping the cherries – you probably want to do that part to help your little chefs.
Before and after baking
Have you used a parchment sling before? It is one of my favorite tricks when I am baking something that I need to remove from the pan before cutting or frosting. I keep a stack of precut parchment paper and when I am using a 9-inch square pan like I did today, I take a sheet and fold it in the center lengthwise until it fits inside the pan. The ends hang over the edges giving me “handles” to help lift the blondies out of the pan.
One of the tricks to using parchment is to lightly butter the pans first which helps the parchment “stick” to the pan. Then insert the parchment and butter the top of it too. This may seem to be a bit of overkill but it guarantees that the cakes, brownies, or other baked goods you make will easily release from the pans. If you are making a layer cake, be sure to peel the parchment off the cake rounds before assembling the cake.
When you are looking for a delicious, super easy, and flexible dessert treat for your family, make these white chocolate cherry blondies. Your house will be filled with the most irresistible aromas, driving everyone crazy!
Happy Chocolate Monday ~ have a fabulous week!!
Gluten-Free Tips:
Dried fruits are generally safe, but keep an eye out for the use of malt as a sweetener. It is typically made from barley and can cause distress for anyone with high sensitivity or celiac.
White Chocolate Cherry Blondies (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (135g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- Pinch kosher or fine sea salt
- 2 tsp finely grated orange zest, optional
- 1 cup dried cherries or dried sweetened cranberries, chopped
- 1 cup mini white chocolate chips
- Additional melted white chocolate for garnishing, optional
- Additional chopped dried cherries, for garnishing, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Butter a 9-inch square pan, line with parchment paper, leaving the ends hanging over on two sides to create a sling. Butter the parchment. The sling will help you easily remove the blondies from the pan before cutting.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, melt the butter in the microwave (about 30 seconds). When fully melted, stir in the sugar. Transfer to the bowl of your standing mixer and mix on low until you can easily hold the bottom of the bowl in your hand, scraping the bowl occasionally. It needs to be cool enough that you don't wind up with scrambled eggs.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl and beat on medium until creamy.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture in 2 additions, beating well between each addition. When all the dry ingredients have been added, increase the speed to medium and beat until lightly and fluffy.
- Add the orange zest (if using), cherries, and white chocolate chips to the dough, mixing just until evenly distributed. Place the dough in the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer and pressing into the corners with an off-set spatula.
- Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes* or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
- When ready to cut, loosen the edges that are not covered by the parchment and then use the paper sling to lift the blondies out of the pan. Place on a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares. For a fancier presentation, cut each square in half on the diagonal to create 16 triangles.
- If desired, drizzle each square or triangle of Blondies with melted white chocolate (melt and pour into a piping bag fitted with a very small round tip or a plastic bag, pressing it into one corner; cut a little piece off that corner to create a small opening). Sprinkle the chopped cherries over the top.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
- * These times are for an aluminum pan. If you are baking in ceramic or an insulated pan, the times will likely be longer, around 30 minutes or more. Once the blondies start to rise and turn golden on top, check regularly until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
Adapted from a Taste of Home recipe
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 239Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 88mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 2g
Create a New Tradition Today!
Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. This page may contain affiliate links.
