Tag Archives: blondies

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Blondies

July 25, 2018 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Decadent brown butter blondies with fresh cherries and rich dark chocolate are a perfect summer treat!

Well, it’s been a few minutes since I last blogged. So many minutes in fact, that I didn’t remember how to login and create a new blog post at first! I’m back, though, to share an amazing recipe with some mediocre phone pictures (keeping it real). Plus, what better excuse than blondies to introduce you to my chunk-a-luscious baby boy?

To catch you up a bit, life has been good around here. I’ve got a true three-nager oh my hands (while still being the sweetest best big brother) and a sweet and edible baby E. I’m currently home with both of them and loving life / struggling to figure out exactly where I stand as an individual all at the same time. Normal?

In the meantime, I’ve made these blondies a few times. They were so outrageously delicious that I decided I needed to come back here for a few minutes and share. I hope you make them and enjoy!

5.0 from 3 reviews

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Blondies

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Decadent brown butter blondies with fresh cherries and rich dark chocolate are a perfect summer treat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Blondies

Makes: 24 blondies

Ingredients

254 grams (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
700 grams (~3 cups packed) light brown sugar
400 grams (~3 cups) all-purpose flour
16 grams (2 teaspoon) salt
6 grams (1 teaspoon) baking powder
220 grams (4 large) whole eggs
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
285 grams (~2 cups) fresh chopped and pitted cherries (320 grams whole)*
224 grams (~1½ cup) dark chocolate roughly chopped (I like 70% cocoa or darker to balance the sweetness of the cherries)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the butter (stir butter constantly until it turns an amber/light brown color) and remove from heat; stir in sugar until well combined and set aside to cool slightly
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk into butter and sugar mixture
Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula
Fold in chocolate and cherries until evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 52-55 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool**

Notes

*Red cherries look the prettiest but Ranier are good as well; Halve small cherries, quarter big ones
**For best results cool completely (about 4 hours at room temperature) and then cover with foil and chill in refrigerator before cutting
Wrap well with foil and store in refrigerator for up to four days or freezer for up to two months

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Red Velvet Blondies

February 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Chewy red velvet blondies with white chocolate chips are a perfect Valentine’s Day treat! They are chewy, fudgy and delicious.

*This post is sponsored by T-Sugars. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Chewy, gooey, red velvety perfection. If you are looking for an easy but ultra delicious recipe to celebrate Valentine’s Day, this is for you. Thanks to being spiked with cocoa powder and red food coloring, I’ve turned your traditional blonde hued dessert into a festive holiday treat.

You might argue that this is no longer a blondie based on its shade, but I beg to differ. That important base of butter and brown sugar is intact. In fact, I used T-Sugars’ Belgium Cassonade Sugar in this recipe and thanks to its ultra soft texture and caramelized flavor, the blondie feel and flavor is not only there, but actually prominent in a very good way. Chewy but crackly, Sweet but flavorful. And while there is cocoa powder in the recipe, the hint of chocolate is like a treat to the palate, not an overbearing forethought.

The blondies have been filled with white chocolate chips which add a nice texture and sweetness to the mix. And that powdered sugar dusting? It’s a special touch for appearance made easy with the Icing Sugar Mill I received in my T-Sugars package. Gourmet finely powdered sugar without the massive mess? Yes!

Wondering what’s so special about T-Sugars? The company specializes in gourmet high-quality sugars and while traditional brown sugar can be used in this recipe, I found that the T-Sugars’ Belgian Cassonade Sugar resulted in a stronger caramel flavor and better chewy texture in this blondie. It wasn’t even a contest.

Red Velvet Blondies

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Chewy red velvet blondies with white chocolate chips are a perfect Valentine’s Day treat! They are chewy, fudgy and delicious.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

350 grams (~1½ cups firmly packed) T-Sugars' Cassonade Sugar (gourmet brown sugar)
113 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
130g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
20g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
21/2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
110 grams (2 large) whole eggs
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) red food coloring
170 grams (1 cup) white chocolate chips
T-Sugars' Icing Sugar

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium saucepan, heat Cassonade Sugar and butter over medium heat and stir constantly until melted into a thick golden brown mixture; set aside
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk eggs vanilla, and red food coloring until combined
Whisk in brown sugar butter mixture
Slowly whisk in flour mixture just until combined
Stir in chips
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-34 minutes or until top begins to crack and a knife or toothpick comes out clean
Allow to cool; sprinkle with Icing Sugar before serving

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Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate Buttercream

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Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

November 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Rich brown butter blondies with toasted pecans and rich dark chocolate are a perfect Thanksgiving dessert!

It was very difficult for me to set aside my own personal distaste for nuts in blondies and brownies and throw some crunchy toasted pecans into these blondies. But Thanksgiving is coming and it would be a shame to let it pass by without a dessert that combines my love for blondies with an infamous Thanksgiving dessert.

I actually never cared for pecan pie until I started putting chocolate in it. So, I figured if I put enough chocolate in these blondies, all would be right with the world and they would actually be quite delicious. Mission accomplished!

These blondies start with everyone’s favorite brown butter which adds a warm, nutty flavor to the bars. Then they are loaded with brown sugar (necessary), chopped dark chocolate (also necessary to maximize chocolate enjoyment) and toasted pecans (important for flavor development). They won’t take you too long to make and don’t require any complex baking skills. In fact, you don’t even need a mixer to make these blondies (or any of my blondies for that matter).

Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

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Rich brown butter blondies with toasted pecans and rich dark chocolate are a perfect Thanksgiving dessert!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

100g (1 cup) pecans, roughly chopped
112g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
350g (~1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
200g (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
8g (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
110g (2 large) whole eggs
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract (bourbon based preferred)
112g (~3/4 cup) good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped (use the highest percent cocoa you enjoy)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper
Spread pecans out in baking pan and place in oven for five minutes to toast; do not let burn
Remove from oven and set aside to cool
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the butter (stir butter constantly until it turns an amber/light brown color) and remove from heat; stir in sugar until well combined and set aside to cool slightly
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk in butter and sugar mixture
Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula
Fold in chocolate and toasted pecans until evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 33-37 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool for an hour before cutting

Notes

Blondies will stay fresh for up to two days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container. They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.
These blondies are somewhat on the cakier side, be very careful not to overbake.

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One-Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

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One Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

September 24, 2015 Keep It Sweet 30 Comments

Amazing pumpkin blondies that are easy to make. With chewy centers and crispy crackly tops, you will love this one-bowl dessert.

My sister’s engagement party is just a couple of weeks away and I’m so excited! It feels like a big kick off to about a year of celebrations. Of course for her shower and bachelorette party I’ll have to do a ton of planning, but for this event, I didn’t have a lot of responsibilities. In fact, my mom will have about 64 different desserts (or so it seems), and just asked me to make pumpkin blondies. Of course I was happy to oblige.

Lucky for me, these pumpkin blondies are not only delicious, but they are also so easy to make. Only one bowl (okay, really a pot) is required so there is less cleanup, too! A recipe that allows me to stir by hand, put something in the oven and do a yoga workout during naptime is pretty ideal. I really need to start making one-bowl desserts more often.

5.0 from 2 reviews

One Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

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Amazing pumpkin blondies that are easy to make. With chewy centers and crispy crackly tops, you will love this one-bowl dessert.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 blondies

Ingredients

700g (~3 cups firmly packed) light brown sugar
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
120g (½ cup) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
110 (~2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
460g (~3 cups + 6 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
5g salt (1 teaspoon)
3g (1½ teaspoons) ground cinnamon
1g (½ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
90g (3/4 cup) white chocolate chips
90g (3/4 cup) cinnamon chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium heavy duty saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter and pumpkin over medium heat and stir constantly until melted into a thick golden brown mixture; remove from heat
Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined
Whisk in flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg just until combined; stir in chips
Pour batter into prepared pan; Bake for 36-40 minutes or until top begins to crack and a knife or toothpick comes out clean
Allow to cool before removing from pan and slicing; wrap leftovers tightly in seran wrap or tin foil and enjoy within one week; can be frozen for up to one month

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Apple Cinnamon Blondies

Pumpkin Blondies with Caramelized White Chocolate Swirl

Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Blondies

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Brown Butter Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

July 13, 2015 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Chewy brown butter blondies bursting with fresh blueberries and dark chocolate chunks.

I guess I’m on a blondie bender. Is that a thing? After this recipe, I made a monster batch of my famous KISD blondies for a friend, last week I ran into the kitchen to make this new recipe and then I actually doubled it to make it again for a crowd but swapped cherries for the blueberries.

Oh brown butter. I made a brown butter blueberry cookie last summer and loved them so much I just knew this blondie would be good. And if my lack of self-control immediately after taking pictures of the blondies is any indication, the recipe is seriously good. It’s a good thing I brought a few to a friend because otherwise I would have eaten the entire batch that day.

*This post has been edited to include the recipe*

Brown Butter Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

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Chewy brown butter blondies bursting with fresh blueberries and dark chocolate chunks.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

112 grams / 4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter
350 grams / 12⅜ ounces (~1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
200 grams / 7 ounces (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
8 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
110 grams / 3⅞ ounces (2 large) whole eggs
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
112 grams / 4 ounces (~3/4 cup) dark chocolate chunks
100 grams / 3½ ounces (~3/4 cup) fresh blueberries

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, brown the butter (stir butter constantly until it turns an amber/light brown color) and remove from heat
Whisk in sugar until well combined and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk in butter and sugar mixture
Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula
Fold in chocolate and blueberries until evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool before cutting

Notes

Blondies will stay fresh for up to two days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container. They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.

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Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Blondies

June 8, 2015 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

Chewy gooey blondies loaded with sweet cinnamon chips.

Until this, I hadn’t made Blondies since L was born.

Which is a shame. Because 1) blondies are really my thing and 2) they are pretty much the easiest way to bake for a crowd. After churning out hundreds and thousands of them for a couple of years, I guess I just needed a little blondies hiatus. Don’t worry, though, because blondies are back!

This recipe, in particular, comes with a punch of cinnamon and that chewy gooey blondie we have all grown to love. Oh yeah and there is oatmeal for extra health chew.

Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Blondies

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Chewy gooey blondies loaded with sweet cinnamon chips.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 servings

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter
700g (~3 cups packed) light brown sugar
270g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
120g(1½ cups) Old fashioned oats
10g (2 teaspoons) table salt
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
220g (4 large) whole eggs at room temperature
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
430g (2¼ cups) cinnamon chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly; remove from heat and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal, salt and baking powder; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk in butter and sugar mixture
Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula
Fold in cinnamon chips so that they are evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan
Bake for 41-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool for one our before cutting
Note: Blondies will stay fresh for several days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container. They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Apple Cinnamon Blondies

Oatmeal Cookie Wedges with Cinnamon & Chocolate Chips

Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

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Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

September 25, 2014 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

Mini cinnamon chip blondies are topped with the perfect cinnamon roll cream cheese frosting!

So I realize I’ve been posting a ton of cinnamon-seasoned desserts lately, but can you blame me? Cinnamon enhances all things pumpkin and apple, but it really shines on its own as well. As a result, I gave these blondies the full addicted-to-cinnamon treatment.

These perfect fudgy blondie bites are full of cinnamon chips and then topped with an incredible cinnamon roll cream cheese icing. Either one is delicious on its own, but together you have an incredibly indulgent bite-sized treat.

Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

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Mini cinnamon chip blondies are topped with the perfect cinnamon roll cream cheese frosting!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

350g (~1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
113g (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter
170g (~1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
2 ½g (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
100g (2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
160g (1 cup) cinnamon chips
Frosting recipe below

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350; a 24-cup mini muffin tin with paper or foil cupcake liners and set aside
Melt butter and brown sugar in a heavy duty saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly; remove from heat and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder
In a separate large bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla; add melted butter and brown sugar mixture and whisk until combined
Slowly whisk in dry ingredients just until combined
Fold in cinnamon chips
Use a small ladle or medium cookie dough scoop to distribute batter evenly between cups; bake in oven for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of blondies; do not overbake
Allow to cool and prepare frosting
Store blondies in an airtight container up to three days (if it is warm, keep them stored in the refrigerator)

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Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

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Cinnamon Roll Frosting

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Cinnamon Mixture
78g (~1/3 cup packed) light brown sugar
21g (1½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1g (1/2 teaspoon) cinnamon
Buttercream Base
113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
113g regular or light cream cheese, softened at room temperature
320g (~2 cups) powdered sugar
2 ½ milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy; add the sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined then increase to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy
Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the brown sugar mixture but do not mix completely
Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled blondie bites

Notes

Adapted from Oh Sweet Basil

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Pumpkin Blondies with Caramelized White Chocolate Swirl

September 4, 2014 Keep It Sweet 27 Comments

Dense and fudgy pumpkin blondies with a rich caramelized white chocolate swirl.

About a year ago, I absolutely fell in love with caramelized white chocolate. Luscious, creamy, sweet, decadent; so many reasons to love it. And thanks to that wonderful ingredient, these pumpkin cupcakes are one of my favorite recipes on the blog. This time around, I’m taking one of my favorite things, a dense and fudgy blondie, and infusing it with those fantastic flavors. The pumpkin blondies are enhanced with cinnamon and nutmeg but seriously, the caramelized white chocolate swirl is where it’s at.

I know, I know, it might be a little early for pumpkin, but I made these blondies a couple of months ago and I didn’t think you would want to wait. Pumpkin makes me happy year-round, but I figured that September was the socially acceptable time to start sharing my pumpkin sweets on the blog.

Pumpkin Blondies with Caramelized White Chocolate Swirl

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Dense and fudgy pumpkin blondies with a rich caramelized white chocolate swirl.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 blondies

Ingredients

Caramelized white chocolate*:
280g good quality white chocolate
5g (1 teaspoon) sea salt
Blondies:
700g (~3 cups firmly packed)
light brown sugar
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
120g (½ cup) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
460g (~3 cups + 6 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
5g salt (1 teaspoon)
4g (2 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
1g (½ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
220g (~4 large) whole eggs at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the caramelized white chocolate; pre-heat oven to 250 degrees and place wrack in center of oven
Spread white chocolate evenly over a clean rimmed baking sheet
Put in oven for ten minutes; remove pan and use a rubber spatula to stir and spread white chocolate
Place in oven again and repeat for additional twenty to thirty (stirring every five to ten minutes) minutes or until white chocolate begins to darken into a light brown
I recommend reducing the increments to five minutes towards the end of caramelizing to prevent burning
When caramelized white chocolate is done, stir in sea salt; place in a microwave safe bowl and cover with seran wrap until ready to use
Prepare the blondies; pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium heavy duty saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter and pumpkin over medium heat and stir constantly until melted into a thick golden brown mixture; set aside
Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside
In a separate large bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla until combined
Whisk brown sugar butter mixture into bowl with eggs and vanilla
Slowly whisk in flour mixture just until combined
Pour batter into prepared pan; drizzle caramelized white chocolate over batter and use the back of a knife to cut through and create a white chocolate swirl
Bake for 38-42 minutes or until top begins to crack and a knife or toothpick comes out clean
Allow to cool before removing from pan and slicing; wrap leftovers tightly in seran wrap or tin foil and enjoy within one week; can be frozen for up to one month

Notes

*Caramelized white chocolate can be prepared up to one week ahead of time. If needed, microwave for about fifteen seconds prior to drizzling over blondie batter

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Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

October 16, 2012 Keep It Sweet 29 Comments

The fudgiest blondies loaded with everyone’s favorite sweet and salty candies.

When I asked my Father-in-Law what he wanted for his birthday dessert, his only request was chocolate covered pretzels. Sweet and salty, who doesn’t love those?

But come on, it is a birthday dessert! And since chocolate covered pretzels are what I make as an afterthought when I have extra melted chocolate, I just had to make something else.

So I threw together something else sweet and salty that required just a little more time and effort than the pretzels (of course I made those too) and was thrilled with the result. What I love about blondies is how flexible they can be. You can load them up with whatever you are in the mood for. Since Halloween is just a couple of weeks away, these would be the perfect way to use up any extra candy or the inevitable post-holiday candy sale purchases.

Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies

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The fudgiest gooey blondies loaded with everyone's favorite sweet and salty candies.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
12⅜ ounces (1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
7 ounces (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 x-large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup honey roasted peanuts
½ cup M&Ms
⅓ cup chopped Heath Bars (~8 minis)
¼ cup Reese's Pieces (I used mini but regular sized would work, too)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly; remove from heat and set aside when butter is completely melted
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk in butter and sugar mixture
Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula
Fold in peanuts and candy until evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool before cutting

Notes

Blondies will stay fresh for several days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container. They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies

Sweet and Salty Party Cookies (with caramel corn!)

Sweet and Salty Toll House Pie

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Apple Cinnamon Blondies

September 4, 2012 Keep It Sweet 34 Comments

I always thought that summer was my favorite season, but this year I can’t wait for the temperature to go down a bit. Maybe it was the ultra-hot weather this summer that was more conducive to air conditioning than afternoon walks. I’m not quite sure, but whatever it is I’m ready for fall.

And in the spirit of fall, there are few better ways to get started than with apples. I have always had a weakness for any dessert loaded with giant chunks of apples and flavored with spicy cinnamon, so these Apple Cinnamon Blondies are absolutely perfect. They are chewy and delicious on their own, but even better warm with a scoop of ice cream, given that they seem like an apple pie/blondie hybrid.

I’m sharing the recipe over on Baked by Rachel as a part of her Apple a Day Party! Rachel is celebrating apples all month long!

And speaking of fall, Keep It Sweet Desserts has two brand new cookies! The first is the Smoked Sea Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie. It is a spin-off from a popular cookie I sent out for Cookie of the Month Club in the spring. The other is one of my favorites, a Cinnamon and Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie Cookie. You don’t want to miss out.

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Apple and Pear Crisp

Apple Pie Crumble Bars

Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Blondies

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Heath Bar Blondies with Brown Butter Frosting

February 20, 2012 Keep It Sweet 52 Comments

Did you know that brown butter smells like heaven?

Yup, it pretty much does. But then again, so do fresh baked cookies, the combination of melted butter and chocolate, and homemade caramel.

Matt referred to our apartment as a fudgery recently, and although I don’t actually make fudge, the meaning behind his comment was true. We live in an endless supply of baked goods. I’m convinced that whoever rents our apartment after us will wonder why their home smells like chocolate. Maybe they should pay extra for that.

But I digress. This weekend was full of a baking marathon unlike any I’ve had in a while. I’m trying to get a little ahead of schedule on desserts for the blog, but now I have a dozen recipes that I want to share with you IMMEDIATELY.

Guess I now have something else to keep my mouth shut about.

But in the spectrum of those desserts, the one that was iced with a frosting that smelled like heaven seemed the most pressing to share. These brown sugar-based blondies are dense and chewy, filled with one of my favorite candies for baking and topped with a frosting that might put you in a butter-loving coma. You’re welcome.

Heath Bar Blondies with Brown Butter Frosting
Serves 12

Blondies:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk chocolate toffee bits or finely chopped heath bars

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned and chilled for an hour*
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

To Make the Blondies:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or butter and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy
Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined
Stir in the flour mixture just until combined
Stir in the candy pieces
Bread batter into prepared baking dish and bake for ~20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center; do not over-bake
Set aside to cool and prepare frosting

To Make the Frosting:
When brown butter is chilled, beat it with an electric mixer on high speed until light and creamy
Slowly add the remaining ingredients alternating 1/3 of sugar, 1/2 of milk, 1/3 of sugar, remaining 1/2 of milk and remaining 1/3 of sugar
Turn up the speed and mix until the frosting is light and creamy
Spread over cooled blondies
Store blondies in refrigerator but bring to room temperature before serving

Notes:
*To brown the butter, heat it in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately. You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter
Frosting adapted from Southern Living Magazine

And just to keep you excited for what is to come, this isn’t even the baked good that Matt claimed to be the “Best.Dessert.Ever.”

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Chewy Gooey Cinnamon Toffee Blondies {Guest Post}

January 5, 2012 Keep It Sweet 52 Comments

Sorry, guys. I tried to be nice but I just couldn’t keep these from you any longer. I know, you are barely a week into your resolutions and trying to stay strong, but put down your carrot stick, break out your whisk (no mixer required), and make a batch of these. Your mouth will immediately thank you because my Chewy Gooey Cinnamon Toffee Blondies are seriously the best blondies I’ve ever had.

If you are ready to give into your sweet tooth, or at least save a recipe for your next get together (Super Bowl anyone?), head over to A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis to get the recipe. Dennis was kind enough to invite me to guest post and I would love if you would go and say hi!

`[pinit]`

Blog, Recipes

Sweet & Salty White Chocolate Blondies

May 5, 2011 Keep It Sweet 48 Comments

Can you believe it is May now?! Memorial Day is only a few weeks away and summer is so close I can taste it! This winter was pretty brutal in the Northeast and I am just now feeling like myself again. The cold and the snow tends to put me in complete hermit mode. Good for my baking blog, not so good for my real life. Now I am ready for longer days, dates with friends, flip-flops and spending all of my money on frozen yogurt. I’m also ready to plan my summer calendar and travel schedule.

Living in New York, I’ve found that we spend most of our summer weekends out of the city and as a result away from my kitchen. This is pretty normal for Manhattanites. Come to the city for the 4^th of July and you should be able to get almost any dinner reservation you could imagine. You also will sweat your way from place to place and especially waiting for a subway. While I’m a homebody at heart, I have a definite preference for the beach or a pool during those days.

All of this means that most of my cooking and baking from May through the end of August takes place at night after work. On a good day, I’ll be home by 7. Given that I am 8626 years old and get into bed before 10pm, that means only three real hours of kitchen time. I’ve gotten pretty good at coming up with quick dinners for these nights (when in doubt, make eggs), but baking in that time span as well can be a bit more challenging. Baking is like therapy for me, not something I like to rush. This means planning ahead, making desserts that aren’t overly complicated, and making desserts that don’t require an insane amount of oven time (air conditioning isn’t NYC’s best quality). Think cookies, brownies, and ice cream desserts.

These Sweet and Salty White Chocolate Blondies are the perfect dessert for baking under a time constraint. They are pretty easy to make and take only 30 minutes to bake. Plus, they are easy to wrap up and bring to a summer barbeque or gathering. The texture has a wonderful chew to it and there is a lovely sweetness and caramel-like flavor from the white chocolate melted in the batter. Some chocolate chips and pretzel pieces add crunch and my favorite salty sweet taste combo.

Start by melting butter and some of your white chocolate chips over low-medium heat

Stir occasionally; Don’t worry if your butter and chocolate separate, you can fold them together to combine

Once completely melted, set white chocolate mixture aside

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside

In a large bowl, beat together sugars, eggs and vanilla until well-combined

Reduce speed of mixer to medium and add white chocolate mixture

Stir in the dry ingredients until well-combined

Stir in white and semi-sweet chocolate chips and pretzels

Pour batter into pan lined with wax paper and greased

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean; allow to cool before slicing

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Sweet & Salty White Chocolate Blondies

Yield: Serves 24-36 depending on size

Ingredients

6 ounces white chocolate (any form, to melt)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup salted pretzel pieces
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips (for mix-in)

Cooking Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 9×13 pan with wax paper and grease; set aside
Melting butter and white chocolate over low-medium heat
Stir occasionally; donâ€™t worry if your butter and chocolate separate, you can fold them together to combine
Once completely melted, set white chocolate mixture aside
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
In a large bowl, beat together sugars, eggs and vanilla until well-combined
Reduce mixer speed to medium and add melted white chocolate mixture
Stir in the dry ingredients until well-combined
Stir in white and semi-sweet chocolate chips and pretzels
Pour batter into prepared baking pan
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean; allow to cool before slicing

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Are you taking any weekend trips this summer?

Blog

Hot Blondies Giveaway & Review

April 3, 2011 Keep It Sweet 82 Comments

Hot Blondies Bakery: A+

Classic Brunette: “That brownie could bring world peace”

I am very excited about this!

Maybe it is because I got to eat a variety of delicious brownies and blondies that were delivered to my apartment.

And maybe it’s because the baked goods came after being tortured in a bathing suit during Puerto Rico withdrawal.

Or maybe it’s because nothing makes you feel better on a cold day of rain and snow in April than a box full of chocolate desserts.

I think it is all of the above. But now for the part that will make you excited! One reader will get the chance to win their own box of fresh-baked deliciousness.

When Lorin at Hot Blondies Bakery contacted me, I was happy to accept a sample to review. I was anxious that the baked goods wouldn’t be as tasty as they claim since I am often let down by dry blondies or too-sweet brownies. Fortunately, this was not the case.

From the website:

“How many blondies does it take to start a totally awesome online bakery? Thanks to fabulous colorists and boring desk jobs, only two super hot ones.

When we first met, it was girl crush at first site. We quickly realized we were way too foxy for any lackluster office job. We needed to share our impeccable taste, superb sense of style and sensational creative skills with the world. We needed to spread the hotness.

So, our mutually stunning golden locks combined with Laura’s mad marketing skills and Lorin’s blondie baking prowess, led us to bring you Hot Blondies Bakery.”

I received a box of regular-sized blondies and brunettes (brownies) as well as this box of adorable “babes.” They are the perfect size for tasting if you want to eat a variety. At least that is how I justified eating half a box several of them as I sampled these babes “for the blog.”

Matt and I both tasted each flavor. He even tried the peanut butter blondie! I have to admit, although I enjoyed almost every kind, the classics were my favorite of each.

The Classic Blondie was soft, chewy and moist. It tasted like the perfect chocolate chip cookie in bar form. I enjoyed the other flavors also, just not quite as much.

Oatmeal Raisin had a really nice cinnamon flavor. It wasn’t dry at all but wasn’t as soft and moist as the Classic. I think the oats gave it a nice crisp edge.

Obviously I enjoyed the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk. The peanut butter flavor was just right- nice and flavorful but not too strong. There were a few peanut pieces in there and chocolate chunks (though, I would have liked a few more of those).

Butterscotch White Chocolate Chip was Matt’s second favorite blondie. The texture was perfect like the classic but I am bias against butterscotch and white chocolate. However, if you like those flavors you would love this.

When we moved onto the Brunettes, Matt had to get up for a glass of milk (in a good way).

Oh my, the Classic Brunette was unbelievable. It was fudgey but light, almost like a souffle, with a wonderful rich chocolate flavor. It blew every other blondie and brownie out of the water with its deliciousness. That brownie could bring world peace.

The S’mores Brownie was good, but after tasting the Classic, it was hard to eat anything else. I did enjoy the texture from the graham cracker crust and the bit of saltiness that came with it, but as Matt put it, “once you have the Classic, why would you eat anything else?”

I have a confession. I don’t love Nutella. I don’t not like it, I just wouldn’t cheat on peanut butter with it. However, for the Nutella addicts out there, you would love the Nutella Hazelnut Brunette. It has a strong Nutella flavor with a nice crunch from the hazelnuts. And hey, if this flavor means others will swoon over it and more Classics for me, I won’t complain.

The last brownie we tasted was the Espresso White Chocolate Chip. Maybe it’s because we were 7 flavors in (who am I kidding, I have no limit), but this was my least favorite of the bunch. While it had a nice texture like a corner piece, the flavor wasn’t distinct enough for me. I actually only knew it was espresso by process of elimination.

After enjoying our samples, I am so happy I get to share the baked good love. See below for giveaway details.

Not only did the girls from Hot Blondies offer a sample to giveaway on the blog, but they also sent me some great baking tips to share. I want to be friends with these girls.

Hot Blondies Bakery Blondie and Brownie Fun Tips

Think outside the pan. We often hear the saying “Baking is a science, cooking is an art.” But without a multitude of scientific errors, many important discoveries would have never been made. Therefore, Rule #1 at Hot Blondies Bakery is to never be chained down by a recipe. We like to play with ingredient amounts and switch out add ins to try new flavors. It takes time, patience, trial and error, but you can come up with some really fabulous results.

We are the first to admit, blondies and brownie making is a simple (yet delicious) form of baking. Which is why it can be the most fun. A good blondie recipe can be the basis for a whole variety of tasty and unique bars and desserts. Here are some tips, from the Hot Blondies, on how to take your blondie and brownie baking to the next level.

– Fruity fun. Swap out the chocolate chips in your fave blondie recipe with some dried fruit and some fun flavoring. Try orange zest and dried cranberries or almond extract and dried figs. Top a warm blondie with vanilla ice cream and sauteed bananas for a yummy dessert.

– I Want Candy. Get inspired by your favorite candy choices. Love Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups? Chop some up and sprinkle them on top of your unbaked brownies. Or stick a mini cup on each one when they are still warm from the oven. Love Almond Joy? Throw some sweetened shredded coconut and chopped almonds into your batter.

– Kid Around. Reminisce about what kinds of flavor combos you loved as a kid and use them as your baking muse. Add some peanut butter into the blondie mix and top with strawberry jelly and chopped peanuts for a PB&J twist. Spread marshmallow fluff onto cooled brownies and sprinkle with Graham crackers to evoke a campfire feel. (Or try our S’mores Brunettes!)

– Go Ethnic. Think about what kinds of global cuisines excite your palate and spice up your bars with those seasonings. Add a touch of cayenne and cinnamon to your brownies for a Mexican feel. Try matcha powder or ginger chews for an Asian flare. Jasmine or lavender add a subtle exotic vibe.

– Get Festive. Decorating tricks are not just for kids. Holidays and birthdays are the perfect excuse to get your sprinkle on. We love any excuse for food coloring in blondies. Red, white and blue for July 4th. Yellow and pink for Easter. Green for St. Patty’s. The options are endless.

– Sundae Fun Day. Ice cream toppings make great blondie and brownie additions. Try spreading some wet nuts on top or mix them in pre-baking. Magic Shell makes a tasty and travel friendly topping. Caramel and butterscotch sauce make a great quick and easy swirl in. Chopped maraschino cherries with some cherry liqueur create a decadent grown up brownie.

Giveaway Details

*This giveaway is open to US residents only*

To enter leave a comment below.

For additional entries (max of 3 entries per person), leave a comment below to tell me:

-You follow me on Twitter

-You are a fan of Keep It Sweet on Facebook

Giveaway is open until Wednesday (4/6) at midnight (est).

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it onInstagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Cookie cakes, dessert platters, pop-ups and more!

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