A Squared: Holiday Baking: Cranberry White Chocolate Biscoff Blondies

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Holiday Baking: Cranberry White Chocolate Biscoff Blondies

This holiday treat recipe is one that I shared on a friend's blog a few years back. The blog is no more, but this is still one of my favorite holiday baking recipes, so I'm sharing it with you here today!

This recipe is based on a blondie recipe that I have been using for several years that always gets great reviews-- likely because it is heavy on the butter and brown sugar ('tis the season to indulge!). And these always come out with that perfect gooey consistency that you're looking for from a blondie, brownie, or any other baked good, really.




Normally, I stick to the recipe and only change up the mix ins, but for the holiday season I wanted to make these blondies a bit more festive. The addition of cinnamon, and nutmeg to the batter really amps up their flavor. You can taste that familiar warm holiday spice in the background of each bite. And let's not forget the Biscoff spread (a.k.a. cookie butter). Have you tried this stuff yet? You can find it in most large grocery stores and it is the consistency of peanut butter, but it tastes like a buttery graham cracker... the perfect ingredient to layer into these already decadent blondies! I then stirred in sweet white chocolate chips and tart fresh cranberries, a fruit that can turn any ordinary dessert into something festive and holiday-worthy.


The recipe is below and I think it is just delicious, but you can get creative with the mix ins too: sub in dark chocolate chips for white, dried cranberries (or even dried cherries) for fresh, or stirring in chopped toasted walnuts or pecans would be delicious as well.


And it's as simple as that-- a new holiday dessert recipe to add to your repertoire! These blondies are really easy to make, simple to serve (fork, knife, and plate optional), and they can be made (and frozen) in advance. They would be great to put out next to your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie as a pumpkin-free dessert alternative or to take along to a holiday party since they travel well and can be cut into large squares or into bite-size pieces. And trust me, they are a crowd pleaser. My husband has eaten 4 just this afternoon and I'm forcing him to take the rest to work to share with his co-workers so that I don't finish them off!


Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Biscoff cookie spread
  • 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. real vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and dried
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour (or use cooking spray made for baking-- it has flour in it) a 9 in. x 13 in. baking dish. *I find that these slide out of a glass baking dish much more easily than when baked in a metal pan.

Place butter in a large glass mixing bowl and microwave on medium low until completely melted. Add brown sugar and Biscoff to the melted butter while still warm and stir well until smooth and fully combined; it should have a very thick almost caramel-like consistency. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Once the brown sugar mixture has cooled, beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporate. Add the flour mixture in gradually (I find that adding it in 3 or 4 parts works well), mixing until combined before adding more of the dry ingredients. A very smooth almost dough-like batter will be formed. Gently fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter to the prepared baking dish and use a rubber spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake until the blondies are golden and just brown around the edges, about 20-25 minutes. You'll want to insert a toothpick to test the center.

Remove from the oven and let the blondies cool slightly. Carefully invert onto a metal rack (they are so buttery that they should just fall out of the pan) and allow to cool completely. Slice into squares and serve.


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