Brown Butter Blondies with Cherries and Chocolate Chips
Vegan butter has come a long way over the years. In the past the only option was run-of-the-mill margarine, but now some butter versions will actually brown. This may not sound like a big deal, but the act of browning changes not just the color but the flavor as well. As the butter turns amber in color, the flavor deepens. And if you are browning butter together with sugar, then you will be treated to a rich, butterscotch scent and taste.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- 8 x 8-inch baking pan
- heavy bottomed saucepan
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried cherries chopped
- 1/2 cup vegan butter a brand than browns
- 1 cup firmly packed organic light brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons nondairy milk
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup fresh cherries pitted and chopped
- 1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Set aside. Place the dried cherries in a small bowl and soak them in water (or complementary-flavored juice). Set aside.
- Place the vegan butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan set over low to medium heat. Just before the butter is fully melted, add all the brown sugar at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is uniformly wet. Increase the heat to medium. Stir occasionally until the mixture looks like molten lava instead of wet sand, 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure to stir the entire bottom of the pot, and watch closely to see when the mixture changes.
- Take the now molten lava mixture off the heat. Add the vanilla and stir well to incorporate. Add the milk, stir it in thoroughly, and set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl. Add the cooled browned butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Strain the soaked cherries and add them to the bowl along with the fresh cherries and chocolate chips. Fold the cherries and chips gently into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake the pan to smooth the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool the blondies completely before cutting.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter for up to 3 days.
Notes
Based on Chocolate Chunk Blondies by Robin Robertson