Cherry Almond Blondie Recipe

Drawing inspiration from my beloved cherry-almond combo, I created this cherry almond blondie recipe featuring a blonde brownie base, plus plenty of add-ins including white chocolate chips, dried cherries, chopped almonds, and almond butter, for an extra almond-y treat. These cherry blondies come together in just over an hour, and will keep well for up to five days. They also freeze beautifully!

Key Ingredients

• Brown Sugar – Blondies are similar to brownies, but instead of cocoa powder or melted chocolate, the batter contains brown sugar. (This makes the finished product light blonde in color, hence the name!) I tested this recipe with light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will also work. If you use dark brown sugar your brownies will have a deeper, more pronounced caramel flavor.
• Almonds – Almond is the key flavor in this recipe, so I’ve used almonds in multiple forms. You can start with any type of almond butter for this recipe. Try smooth, chunky, or a mix of both. For the almond flour, reach for the same, finely processed kind of almond flour you’d use for making macarons. You’ll also need raw unsalted almonds (crushed or chopped into pieces) for the batter, plus sliced almonds to decorate the tops of the blondies. Add the almond topping before baking, not after, or the nuts won’t adhere.

  

• Dried Cherries – The brown sugar and golden syrup already make these blondies sweet, so choose unsweetened dried cherries rather than sweetened. If you have some left over, make my cherry brownies with buttercream, too!
• Golden Syrup – My go-to is Lyle’s Golden Syrup (readily available on Amazon), but any brand will do. Golden syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness to the batter, complementing the brown sugar but not making the finished product treacly-sweet. If you don’t have golden syrup, substitute another sticky sweetener instead.
• Rolled Oats – Choose rolled oats, also called jumbo oats, or old fashioned oats, for this recipe, not instant or “quick” oats. Quick oats will make the blondies too mushy. (Similarly, avoid steel cut oats—these are too firm, and will make the blondies tough to chew.) If you have some rolled oats left over, you can use them to make a peach crisp, or chocolate peanut oatmeal balls for breakfast.

Tips and Variations

• Check for donenness. I baked my blondies for about 40 minutes, but start checking periodically beginning at the 30-minute mark. If you prefer a gooey blondie, you’ll want to bake these closer to 30-35 minutes, and closer to 40-45 minutes for a deep golden brown, and more fully set bake.
• Line your tin. Using a criss-cross parchment technique (see the image in the recipe instructions below) will make it easier to remove the cooled blondie slab from the tin.
• Vary your add-ins. If you aren’t a fan of cherries (or can’t find unsweetened dried cherries for an affordable price) replace them with dried blueberries, apricots, apples, or cranberries. Use chopped white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or dark chocolate instead of white chocolate chips. Instead of sliced almonds, top the batter with shredded coconut or rolled oats. Or, stir in 1 teaspoon of almond extract for a more pronounced almond flavor.

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Cherry Almond Blondies

Recipe by becky

• Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield16 2-inch squares 1x

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A cherry almond blondie recipe with almond butter, white chocolate, and cherries. The absolute best blondie recipe!

Ingredients

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Nonstick spray, for greasing tin
128 grams all purpose flour (1 cup; 4 1/2 ounces)
30 grams almond flour (1/4 cup; 1 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
113 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup; 1 stick; 4 ounces)
1 large egg, at room temperature
200 grams light brown sugar (1 cup, packed)
30 grams golden syrup, or honey (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
65 grams almond butter (1/4 cup)
25 grams old fashioned oats (1/4 cup)
80 grams white chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
40 grams unsweetened dried cherries, chopped (1/4 cup)
35 grams unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped (1/4 cup)
Flaked almonds, to decorate (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Line an 8 x 8-inch square baking tin with parchment, allowing a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Spray lightly with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix softened butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Mix in the egg, light brown sugar, golden syrup, and vanilla bean paste.

Mix in the almond butter.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Do not overmix.

Stir in the oats, white chocolate chips, dried cherries, and chopped almonds.

Spread blondie batter into prepared tin. (Batter will be thick.) With damp fingertips, pat down to evenly distribute the mixture across the entire surface.

Scatter with the sliced almonds.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Store leftover blondies in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment, for up to 5 days.

 

Equipment

almond butter

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dried cherries

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old fashioned oats

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• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Brownies and Traybakes
• Method: Oven

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Make ahead: You can bake these to 24 hours in advance and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

To store: Layer leftover blondies between sheets of parchment or wax paper, and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

To freeze: Freeze individual blondies between sheets of parchment, or wrap individually in aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

More Blondie and Brownie Recipes You Might Enjoy

Salted Caramel Blondies
Brie and Cranberry Brownies
Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
White Chocolate Blondie Bites
Nutella Cheesecake Brownies
Oreo Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me at @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!