White Chocolate-Cherry Blondies

Perfect for a picnic or potluck, this recipe for White Chocolate-Cherry Blondies makes three dozen delightful brownies!

Prep: 30 min | Yield: 36 bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 (6 ounce) packages white chocolate baking bars, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries or cranberries
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray 13 x 9 inch pan.
2. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
4. Set aside 1/4 cup of white chocolate bar chunks.
5. Stir in remaining chunks, almonds and cherries.
6. Spread batter evenly in pan.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and set.
8. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
9. In small microwavable bowl, microwave reserved white chocolate bar chunks and oil uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted; stir well. Drizzle glaze over bars. Or if desired, place glaze in small food-storage plastic bag and cut off small tip from one corner of bag; drizzle glaze in diagonal lines over bars. Let stand until glaze is set, about 3 hours.
10. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

Notes

The slivered almonds can be whole or chopped, or left out completely, if you like.

To make cutting the bars easier, line the pan with foil, and then grease the foil. Bake the bars in the foil-lined pan. When the bars are cool, use the foil to lift them from the pan and place on a flat surface for cutting.

Nutrition

Per 1 blondie: Calories 170 (Calories from Fat 60), % Daily Value Total Fat 7g 7% (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, 3/2% Trans Fat 0g 0% ), Cholesterol 20mg 20%; Sodium 65mg 65%; Total Carbohydrate 25g 25% (Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 19g 19% ), Protein 2g 2%

% Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 4%

Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Pillsbury