Bready or Not Original: Fruity-Cheesy Swirled Blondies
These Fruity-Cheesy Swirled Blondies are easy to customize based on your budget and ingredient availability. Go expensive and fancy and use a goat cheese log, or more budget-conscious and still-delicious with standard cream cheese.
I’ve done it both ways. Both are fantastic. For the goat cheese, I recommending hitting someplace like Costco or Sam’s Club. For cream cheese, my go-to has become Aldi.
Use any variety of jams or preserves, but the one necessity is that it is THICK. A watery one will sink to the bottom (says the voice of experience). I found the good basic Smucker’s Strawberry Jam was fine in this recipe.
Bready or Not Original: Fruity-Cheesy Swirled Blondies
Equipment
- 9×9 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Blondies
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cheesecake Swirl
- 8 ounces soft goat cheese or cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon plain or vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup jam or preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the cheese, sugar, yogurt, egg, and vanilla to make smooth.
- Pour about half the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Smooth it out with an uneven spatula.
- Dollop on all of the cheese mixture. Then add spoonfuls of the jam to fill any gaps. Follow up by adding dollops of the remaining blondie batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the layers together for a marbled effect.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the middle is not jiggly and passes the toothpick test. Cool for at least an hour at room temperature, then chill in fridge. Once the pan is cool, use the foil to lift the blondies onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
- Enjoy promptly or store in a sealed container in the fridge to eat over the coming days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Marcona Almond Bars
I’ve used almonds in many cookie and bar recipes, but these Marcona Almond Bars are especially decadent and good.
First of all, the base recipe starts with browned butter. Almond butter is also mixed in, which adds to the taste and texture. There’s just a touch of spice involved. These bars are really about the almonds.
What makes Marcona almonds different? They are from Spain, for one, and have the skin removed. They have a high standard of quality, a buttery, clean, crispness to them that is especially nice in contrast to chocolate. (They are also great on a Spanish-themed cheeseboard with things like Manchego cheese and membrillo paste.)
These bars are delicious for a snack or dessert, and they look especially pretty in their simplicity.
Modified from February 2014 issue of Food & Wine Magazine.
Bready or Not: Marcona Almond Bars
Equipment
- large saucepan
- 9×13 pan
- offset spatula
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
- 3 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 5 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup roasted almond butter
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Marcona almonds 9 ounces
- 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips 11 ounces (1 bag)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set off-heat to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Start oven preheating at 325-degrees. Place a large strip of aluminum foil in a 9×13 pan and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- Add the sugar, eggs, almond butter, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon to the cooled browned butter. Mix until smooth. Add the flour. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the almonds and 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to even out dough. Scatter the remaining almonds and chocolate chips over the top and lightly press in.
- Bake for 60 minutes. The middle should pass the toothpick test. Cool at room temperature, speeding process in the fridge, if desired. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Cherry Almond Bars
These Cherry Almond Bars are fast to make and are a delicious, seasonally-colorful treat.
This recipe is a great way to use up fruit cake mix in a way that does NOT involve fruit cake. Here, I used a combination of red and green cherries with pineapple bits, but you could use all kinds of mixes.
The crust here is both chewy and crisp. The top is sheer candy, really, which goes so well with the pastry base.
This is a great treat for a cookie exchange or to set out on a holiday display!
Bready or Not Original: Cherry Almond Bars
Equipment
- jelly roll pan (15x10x1-inches)
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 8 ounces fruit cake mix chopped
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degres. Line jelly roll pan with a wide strip of aluminum foil. Add nonstick spray all over.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter and mash until it is crumbly. Press the mix into the prepared pan. Bake for about 18 minutes, until browned.
- In the same bowl, place the raisins, fruit cake filling, almonds, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir to coat everything. Dollop the mix all over the crust; it’s too thick to spread, so distribute as evenly as possible. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let cool at least an hour. Slice into bars. Store in a sealed container.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Browned Butter Lamington Blondies
These  Browned Butter Lamington Blondies are rich and indulgent, all chewy, chocolaty and good.
A lamington is an Australian dessert wherein pieces of sponge cake are rolled in chocolate and coconut. I haven’t gotten to try the real thing, but I can vouch for the fact that this home-baked version is delicious.
You start out with a blondie base that is rich on its own, with bountiful butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Then you go even more ultra by adding an ooey-gooey chocolate and coconut-laden topping.
The original version of the recipe, in the Bake from Scratch May/June 2019 issue, proposed this Lamington version as a modification for a standard Blondie recipe. I rewrote it to streamline the process and change out some ingredients. Like… this doesn’t need sweetened coconut. It’s already sweet enough!
As I live in Arizona and have a warm kitchen, I found it essential to chill these bars so that they could be sliced up. I stored them in the fridge afterward as well, but if you’re in a cooler area, that likely isn’t needed.
Bready or Not: Browned Butter Lamington Blondies
Equipment
- 13×9 pan
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Blondie Base
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 3 sticks
- 3 cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- 14- ounces sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring often until butter turns golden-brown with a nutty aroma, about 5 to 10 minutes. Pour into a small bowl to let stand at room temperature while the next steps are prepared.
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the browned butter. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. Add vanilla extract. Fold in flour until just combined. Pour into prepared pan, evening out with an uneven spatula.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Middle needs to be set or the toppings will sink. Once that is done, no need to cool the base layer–remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle coconut over the top followed by the chocolate chips. Pour the sweetened condensed milk all over both.
- Place pan back in oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until middle is molten. Let cool for a while at room temperature, then place in fridge to completely set and chill.
- Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board. Slice. Store individually wrapped-up or in a sealed container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Fruity Pastry Bars
These Fruity Pastry Bars are the perfect treat for a crowd. This recipe makes a nice big pan to share with others!
When I make bars like this, I’m always worried about how crumbly they will be. I can report that, at least for me, these were surprisingly durable bars that could even be held in the hand when eating. They barely crumbled when they were cut.
I love how they can be customized, too. You can use all sorts of berry preserves; these pictures depict Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves. The rich, bold flavor is lovely with the buttery crust, while the nuts add a great textural contrast. Of course, you could substitute different nuts like sliced almonds, or omit them entirely.
Bready or Not Original: Fruity Pastry Bars
Equipment
- jelly roll pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter (3 sticks) room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
- 12 to 13 ounces fruit preserves such as strawberry, cherry, or raspberry
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup quick oats
Instructions
- Line a jelly roll pan with a large piece of aluminum foil. Apply nonstick spray or butter. Preheat oven at 350-degrees.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour and the salt. Batter will be very thick. Grease a hand and use that to pat down about 3/4 of the dough into the bottom of the pan.
- Wash hands. Spread preserves over the dough. Sprinkle the walnuts over the top. Add quick oats to the reserved dough. Place small handfuls of dough spaced out over the top.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until top is set and doesn’t jiggle in middle. Cool completely, speeding process in fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container. Bars can also be frozen for later enjoyment.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars
These Peach-Almond Bars are peachy-keen, if you ask me! They aren’t super sweet and they really let the flavors of the fruit shine through.
I don’t do a lot with peaches because I live in Arizona and the peaches available here are not the best. There are a lot of things I miss about Central California, and the fresh fruit is a big one. (Oh, don’t start my yearning for strawberries…)
The good news is, you don’t need ripe or especially sweet peaches for this recipe because you add a touch of sugar and cook down the fruit. Lyle’s Golden Syrup is a British ingredient that can be found in the import section of a lot of grocery stores; there is no exact American substitute, but a mix of half light corn syrup and half honey is one I have seen in recipes more than once.
These bars are a pleasant mix of softness, crispness, peachiness, and crunchy almonds. Not only would they make for a good dessert or snack, but a fine breakfast as well.
Bready or Not Original: Peach-Almond Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
Peaches
- 6 small peaches about 4 cups, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
Bars
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour sifted to remove lumps
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup) room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply baking spray
- In a medium saucepan, cook the peaches, water, and golden syrup about 15 minutes at a simmer, until peaches are soft. Add corn starch and stir well to bring the liquid together. Let set a few minutes to gel.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the butter until it forms a lumpy dough.
- Press about 2/3 of dough into the prepared pan. Use a piece of waxed paper and a heavy glass to really compress it. Spread the peach mixture on top. Add clumps of the remaining dough to sporadically cover. Sprinkle almonds on top.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until middle is set, not jiggly, with a golden brown crust across the top. Cool completely, speeding the process in the fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice up. Store in a covered container, with waxed paper between the layers or with bars individually wrapped.
