Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup (130 g) white chocolate chips, divided
• 1 1/4 cups (155 g) fresh or frozen raspberries (do not thaw frozen)

How to make raspberry white chocolate blondies

1. Step 1.

   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides so you can lift the blondies out.

2. Step 2.

   Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth and glossy.

3. Step 3.

   Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold with a spatula just until a few dry streaks remain. Fold in 1/2 cup of the white chocolate chips.

4. Step 4.

   Fold in 1 cup of the raspberries gently, trying to keep them whole. The batter will be thick.

5. Step 5.

   Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Dot the surface with the remaining raspberries and sprinkle with the remaining white chocolate chips, pressing them in lightly.

6. Step 6.

   Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is just set. A toothpick inserted away from a raspberry should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

7. Step 7.

   Cool the blondies completely in the pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours. Lift out with the parchment and cut into 16 squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.

What makes a blondie chewy

A blondie is built differently from a cake-like bar. Melted butter, rather than creamed butter, keeps the batter dense. Brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel flavor. The extra egg yolk adds richness and chew, and baking powder is only a small amount, enough to lift the bars slightly without turning them cakey. Mixing by hand also keeps air out. The result is a bar that is moist in the center and slightly crisp around the edges.

Cool the butter first

Melted butter that is still hot can melt the white chocolate chips and cook the egg as soon as it hits the bowl. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes until it is warm, not hot to touch. That also gives you a smoother, glossier batter once the sugar goes in.

Handling raspberries

Raspberries are the one ingredient in this recipe that can change the outcome. Each berry carries moisture, and as it heats it collapses into a tart pocket, which is the reason to use them. Too many can leave a wet, underbaked center. Hence the measure here: fold in most of them and place the rest on top, where they bake into the surface instead of sinking.

Fold the batter gently. Raspberries are fragile, and heavy stirring breaks them down into a pink batter that tastes fine but loses the contrast between berry and blondie. Frozen berries are firmer, so they hold up better to folding and do not bleed into the batter as much.

The white chocolate chips

Chips, which are designed to keep their shape, stay mostly intact in the oven and give a soft, creamy bite against the berries. Chopped white chocolate bar melts into the batter instead and makes the blondies sweeter overall. Because the brown sugar already makes a sweet base, chips are the better choice here.

How to tell they are done

Blondies are easy to overbake. Look at the edges and the surface: the edges should be golden and pulling slightly away from the pan, and the center should look set, no longer shiny and wet. A toothpick that touches a raspberry will always look wet, so test in a spot without fruit. They will still feel soft in the middle at that point, but they firm up as they cool. Waiting the full cooling time matters, because cutting a warm blondie squashes the berries and smears the layers.

Storing and serving

Keep the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days because of the fresh fruit; let them come back to room temperature before serving. To freeze, wrap individual squares and freeze for up to 2 months. A dusting of powdered sugar just before serving makes a simple finish.

Variations

Brown butter: cook the butter until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn amber, then cool it before using, for a deeper toffee flavor.

Other berries: blackberries work in the same quantity; strawberries are too watery and are best left out.

Nuts: fold in 1/2 cup of chopped, toasted almonds for crunch.