Sweet & Spicy Blondie
These blondies are soft, spiced and just the right amount of sweet. The dough is pretty thick, so don’t worry if you have trouble spreading it into the pan. Just make sure the dough evenly distributed when putting it into the pan and it will come out just fine. Once cooled, I like to pre-cut the blondes into rectangular pieces before storing them in an airtight container.
If you’re not a big fan of spice, feel free to use any kind of nuts (chopped small) or omit the nuts altogether.
This recipe first appeared in my recipe column Mixing with Zest in The Westfield Leader on January 7, 2021 page 5.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter (unsalted)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup light brown sugar (make sure to pack it into the measuring scoop)
1/2 cup lactose-free evaporated milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cookie butter
1/2 cup chopped Cocoa Chile Spiced Pecans from Trader Joes + a few extra chopped
pecans for the topping
Directions:
About an hour before you’re ready to start making these bars, set your butter on the
counter to soften.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a 9x9 in baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, cream your butter and sugar (Combine them until it’s a smooth and creamy texture. I suggest creaming them using the back of a large metal spoon)
In a separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients, including: sifted all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and light brown sugar.
Then add the following to your dry mixture: milk, vanilla, maple syrup and cookie butter. Mix well.
Add your creamed butter into the mixture and combine.
Lastly, add the chopped pecans and mix.
Spread evenly into your parchment-lined baking pan using a rubber spatula.
Bake on 325 for ~30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. It will be golden brown on the top. Store in an airtight container once fully cooled. Enjoy!