Almond White Blondies
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Rich blondies with white chocolate swapped for almond bark. Butter replaced with coconut oil for a subtle twist. Brown sugar and cream cheese blended for depth, eggs for structure. Flour and almond flour combo adds texture. Option of toasted pecans instead of pistachios. Baked till edges firm, center slightly gooey. Sweet, nutty, with slight chew. Easy to tweak for allergies or pantry misses.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
38 min
Total:
Servings:
16 servings
#dessert
#baked goods
#nutty desserts
#easy blondies
#almond flour recipes
White chocolate brownies? Tried those. Too sweet? Always. Switched to almond bark, less cloying, nutty vibe. Coconut oil swap for butter—gives moistness, subtle tropical hint. Cream cheese instead of mascarpone—easier to find, tangy, cuts sugar’s punch. Brown sugar cranks caramel notes deeper. Added almond flour with regular slaps slight chew, crumb more interesting. Pecans instead of pistachios; different crunch, richer. Baking—watch edges, listen for faint crackle as crust firms. Center jiggles right, means softness inside. A fool’s guide to blondies that won’t flop in the middle or bake to dry shoe. Been burnt and undercooked enough to share some kitchen war stories.
Ingredients
- 120 g white almond bark, chopped roughly
- 50 ml coconut oil
- 40 ml canola oil
- 125 ml cream cheese, softened
- 240 ml brown sugar
- 1.5 ml salt
- 2 large eggs
- 150 ml all-purpose unbleached flour
- 60 ml almond flour
- 125 ml toasted pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
About the ingredients
Substitutions matter. Chocolates vary—white almond bark melts smoother, harder to find? Use white chocolate chips but chop finely to melt evenly. Butter swap to coconut oil changes flavor, watch heat tolerance; coconut oil melts quicker, burns easier. Cream cheese in place of mascarpone thicken batter but adds sharpness; mellow it by leaving at room temp for an hour. Nuts—pecans give crunch, flavor shifts; walnuts or hazelnuts good too, toast those nuts first for extra aroma. Flour combo adds lift and bite. Don’t skip salt; it balances that sugar blast and rounds flavors. Oils keep texture tender, but too much make carbs soggy; measure precisely.
Method
- Set oven rack mid-level. Preheat oven to 175 C 350 F. Line 20 cm 8 inch square pan with parchment strips, leaving edges overhanging sides. Grease remaining sides with butter or oil.
- Melt almond bark and coconut oil gently in microwave or double boiler. Watch closely. Stir to combine. Add canola oil once melted. Let rest.
- In mixing bowl, whip cream cheese with brown sugar and salt on medium speed until fully combined and slightly fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Should look glossy but not runny.
- At low speed slowly pour in melted chocolate and oil mix. Fold in flour and almond flour, just until no dry spots. Overmixing dulls texture.
- Last step—fold in pecans if used. Coarse crunch beats soggy nuts.
- Pour batter in pan. Smooth top with spatula, don’t press hard. Tap pan lightly to distribute batter evenly.
- Bake 35-40 minutes. Watch edges turn golden and start to pull away subtly from pan. Center will still jiggle slightly when nudged. Insert toothpick—expect moist crumbs, not clean.
- Remove from oven, cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cool is key. Cut into squares with sharp knife or pastry cutter. Serve slightly warm or room temp.
Cooking tips
Heating chocolate and fat slowly matters. Overheating—grainy mass ruin texture. Use microwave in 20-second bursts, stir between. Mixing—cream cheese and sugar until fluffy traps air, builds structure. Eggs add richness, emulsify batter. Incorporate flour carefully; stirring too much toughens blondies. Nuts last, fold gently—too rough and batter deflates, too little and nuts clump. Baking—oven temp varies; look, listen, feel. Edges firm, slight crackle, center jiggle. Toothpick test—wet crumbs mean done; clean means overbaked. Rest full cooling time, cuts easier, crumbs hold shape. Tips—cool completely before slicing, nonstick edges aid removal with parchment strips. Serve slightly warm; texture softens and aromas pop.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Melt almond bark and coconut oil slow; microwave bursts 20 seconds max Stir between each to avoid grainy texture. Overheating ruins smoothness. Add canola oil after complete melt; helps loosen mixture while keeping flavor controlled.
- 💡 Whip cream cheese, brown sugar, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Air trapped here builds structure. Eggs folded in one by one; full incorporation key or texture suffers. Watch for glossiness not runny batter texture.
- 💡 Flour combo important; all-purpose contributes structure while almond flour adds chew and nuttiness. Fold gently—no overmixing. Too much stirring dulls crumb, makes bars dense and tough. Dry streaks gone, but batter still lumpy is fine.
- 💡 Folding in nuts last. Toast pecans first for aroma; skips soggy clumps, adds crunch and flavor punch. Folding rough keeps batter airy; nuts heavy so need gentle hands. Skip if allergic but beware texture difference, bars softer then.
- 💡 Baking watch edges: firm, slight crackle, and starting to pull from pan. Center jiggle on nudge means done. Toothpick test: moist crumbs okay, clean means overbaked and dry. Cool completely in pan on wire rack before cutting, helps shapes hold.
Common questions
Can I substitute white chocolate for almond bark?
Use white chocolate chips finely chopped. Melting smoothness changes, more prone to seizing. Adjust heat slower than almond bark. Texture shifts slightly but close outcome.
What if I only have butter, not coconut oil?
Butter melts slower, rich. Swap 1-to-1 with coconut oil but watch oven temperature, lower slightly. Coconut oil burns faster; butter browns with nutty notes. Texture changes; more dense.
Why are my blondies dry or crumbly?
Overmixing dries batter out. Overbaking worst culprit; edges brown too early center toughens. Check batter consistency: glossy, not runny. Fold flour just till combined. Don’t skip cream cheese or oil proportions.
How best to store leftover blondies?
Room temp airtight container works few days. Refrigerate longer but dry texture creeps in; microwave short bursts before serving. Freeze wrapped well up to month; thaw gradual to keep moistness intact.
