Easy White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
What can I say about these other than that they are so delicious! What is it about the flavor combination of white chocolate and cranberries? The tart cranberries and the sweetness of the white chocolate go so well together. Let’s be honest though, what doesn’t white chocolate go with? And the cream cheese frosting! So good!
What Are Blondies?
Blondies are basically a brownie without the cocoa powder. (If you’re looking for a brownie recipe, look no further than my Easy One Bowl Brownies.) They still have that fudgy, dense like texture with a crinkly top that we have come to know and love from brownies, just without the chocolate. Well, the chocolate powder, there’s still plenty of room to add any type of chocolate chips. They are as infinitely customizable as brownies, such as adding macadamia nuts, easy to make, and just as delicious. In fact, these blondies are made using just one bowl. Talk about an easy clean up!
These blondies shine anytime of year, but they are especially good during the holiday season. Their chewy texture and crinkle topping are perfect! Even though they are not a cookie, they would go really well on a holiday cookie platter. I’m sure no one will mind! Anytime you need a sweet treat, look no further than these ‘blonde brownies’.
Ingredients
- Flour All-purpose flour works best for this recipe.
- Sugar Brown sugar for that caramely goodness. Also, it gives the nice crackle top brownies and blondies are known for.
- Butter Unsalted butter is best. If you only have salted butter, you can use that you’ll just want to reduce the added salt.
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Baking Powder Just a tiny bit so we don’t get too much rise.
- White Chocolate Morsels For that sweet, goodness in every bite. You can also chop up a bar of white chocolate instead of the morsels.
- Dried Cranberries Use dried cranberries as opposed to fresh cranberries so as not to add extra moisture.
- Salt Helps to bring out the flavors.
- Cream cheese frosting Really brings this treat over the top. If you love cream cheese frosting just as much as I do, then you’ll want to try my Classic Carrot Cake Recipe.
Frosting Tips
Tip #1 Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature before beating into frosting. This will help make the frosting smoother.
Tip #2 Sift your powdered sugar. This will help prevent lumps of sugar in your frosting, though now that I think about it, that might be kind of yummy.
Tip #3 Be sure to beat the frosting for two minutes after you have combined everything to get a smooth frosting.
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Step One Preheat your oven to 350 F and spray a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Or, you can line the baking dish with parchment paper instead.
Step Two Melt butter in the microwave. Add to a large bowl. Add the sugar and whisk together until combined. Whisk in the egg. (For this recipe, you only need to use a whisk and a spoon. You can use an electric mixer or stand mixer if you want, but it’s pretty easy to just use the whisk and spoon.)
Step Three Add the vanilla, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cloves and whisk to combine. Add the flour. For this next part, I like to use a spoon rather than a whisk. Once you add the flour, it gets stuck in the whisk.
Step Four Add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and stir to combine.
Step Five Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and put in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. You want to retain the fudgy consistency brownies are known for.
Step Six While the blondies are baking, make the frosting. Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add the melted white chocolate, milk, vanilla and orange zest or extract and mix until combined and smooth.
Step Seven Let the blondies rest for 10 minutes before cutting into them. Before you frost them, make sure to let them cool down fully or the frosting will melt.
Why I Love This Recipe
How does it taste? I don’t know if delicious is a strong enough word for how this tastes. So much chocolatey and cranberry goodness in each bite. And the subtle flavor of ginger really adds something special to these bars.
How does it smell? The lightly sweet scent with a hint of ginger is magical!
Is it easy to make? These are dangerously easy to make, requiring just one bowl. The frosting is just as easy.
Would I make it again? I will definitely make this recipe again! And not just around the holidays.
More Delicious Desserts
If you’re looking to try some more holiday desserts, try my Tres Leches Cake, my Perfect Homemade Apple Pie, or my Easy One Bowl Apple Spice Cupcakes. You won’t be disappointed. To make your family’s holiday morning even more special, check out my Homemade One Rise Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls and start a new holiday tradition. For how delicious and easy they are to make, you can’t go wrong with my Chocolate Hazelnut Blondies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store blondies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Yes, these blondies freeze quite well. Make sure you let the blondies cool down fully before wrapping them in plastic wrap and then storing in an freezer-safe container for up to three months. If you would like to freeze the blondies with the frosting, make sure they are fully frozen before adding the plastic wrap. Once they are frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and add to a freezer safe container for long term storage. They can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. You can even freeze the blondies in single slices. This way, you don’t have to thaw out the whole thing when you just want to enjoy a small piece.
White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Blondies
Ingredients
White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Blondies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
Instructions
White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Blondies
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Melt butter in the microwave and add to a large bowl. Using a whisk, mix in the 3/4 cup brown sugar. Add the egg and mix to combine. Optionally, you can use either an electric mixer or a stand mix, though I find the whisk works just as well.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cloves. Mix in the flour.
- If you've been using a whisk, switch to a spoon. It will make this next part easier. Add the 3/4 cup white chocolate chips and the 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, mix to combine.
- Add the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly throughout. Put in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean. You want it to be slightly undercooked as it will continue to cook once you pull it out of the oven.
- While the blondies are baking, make the frosting. Let the blondies cool full before frosting them.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- You can use either a hand mixer or a stand mixer to make the cream cheese frosting. Add the 8 ounces of cream cheese and 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar to a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Melt the 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds, watching it closely so it doesn't burn. Add the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese and sugar and mix to combine. Add 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon orange extract. (Or 1/2 teaspoon orange zest.) Mix to combine. The frosting should be starting to smooth out. The key to smooth cream cheese frosting is starting with room-temperature cream cheese, and beating the frosting for at least two minutes once you have mixed everything together. You can also sift the powdered sugar before adding it if you would like.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled-off blondies. Slice into 9-12 equal pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store blondies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- These blondies freeze exceptionally well. Cool the blondies down fully before freezing them. Wrap in plastic and store in an airtight, freezer-safe bag for up to three months. You can freeze them frosted as well, but you will want to first freeze them without wrapping them so the frosting can harden up before wrapping. Then you can wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight freezer bag. Thaw out in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
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