Make Ahead

Blondies -- Gluten-Free and Completely Delicious

by:
June 10, 2011
4
7 Ratings
Blondies -- Gluten-Free and Completely Delicious
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Serves 20-25
Author Notes

Gluten free baking, when not wanting to rely on commercial mixes, can be a tricky thing. As any seasoned baker knows, making one for one substitutions of any ingredient is never reliable; moreover, with the exception of (naturally gluten free!) flourless chocolate cake and hot fudge, acheiving moist and/or gooey textures can be somewhat of a challenge while chalky or dry textures are the downfall of many gf recipes.
This blondie recipe has become a runaway favorite at our house. Initially conceived as a gf potluck contribution, the blondies scratch that itch for something gooey and even a small square is satisfying. They come together easily in one bowl, and melted butter means not having to wait for it to soften. I've had great luck both doubling and halving it depending on my needs, and the mix ins can be altered to suit whatever you have on hand, though below is my favorite combo. A spiced molasses white chocolate chip version even made an appearance over the holidays. - nishis —nishis

Test Kitchen Notes

We'll admit we can sometimes be skeptical of traditional favorites reworked so that they're gluten-free (or sugar-free or dairy-free), but nishis's blondies break new ground in the world of bar cookies. The almond and coconut flours give the caramel-hued base substance and subtlety, and the combination of dried tart cherries, gooey dark chocolate and toasty hazelnuts (we chopped ours roughly) is a winner. As one of our tasters pointed out, it's fun not knowing which goody you'll run into next! Our blondies were cooked in 25 minutes, but our pan was a little larger than 9x13, and it was made of cast iron. Just keep an eye on yours, and if you like them soft, definitely stop them a bit early. - A&M —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, melted
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour (not to be confused with almond meal; Honeyville Farms makes my favorite)
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour (Tropical Traditions brand is great)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or, if you're me, a half tsp)
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate, cut in to chunks
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 9x13 pan with parchment. Make sure your eggs are out of the fridge/not-too-cold. Start by melting your butter (microwave is fine, but browning it on the stove is even better if that's your thing). Let it sit off the heat to come to room temp while you do the following:
  2. Prep your mix-ins: Chop up your chocolate; toast your hazelnuts by heating them in a skillet until fragrant (5 minutes or so).
  3. Now mix your no-longer-hot butter and brown sugar vigorously with a whisk or spoon until evenly caramel-colored and smooth.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing them in thoroughly. Stir in vanilla.
  5. Stir in both flours and the salt. I like to quickly blend the flours with eachother at the top of the bowl before mixing them in to the wet ingredients below. Overmixing isn't too much of an issue, but there's no reason to go overboard. Once combined, dump in the chocolate, cherries, and hazelnuts and fold in to the batter until evenly distributed.
  6. Spread your thick batter evenly into your prepared pan, tapping it against the counter to get out any air bubbles. Now in to the oven for 30-40 minutes (depending on your desired gooeyness factor).
  7. Remove from oven and cool in pan. I like to pop the pan in the fridge if I need to cut them neatly. Slice yourself a square and enjoy!
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32 Reviews

Christy
Christy October 20, 2021
Has anyone tried to freeze these? Do they freeze and defrost OK?
 
Jef
Jef August 24, 2020
Seemed a little oily but otherwise really good. Everyone at home loved them so we’ll make them again, just a little less butter.
 
Amber C.
Amber C. February 20, 2019
Amazing! So decadent.
 
Bunny O.
Bunny O. March 22, 2015
those who want different sugars, i found coconut sugar from walmart and bought some rice syrup on line cuz i am not able to digest the sugar well, just like wheat and milk products. i tried the coconut sugar from walmart, 2 whole cups taste too sweet for me, but u will have to test it yourselves and see. did not try the rice syrup yet which will be next cuz i did not like the coconut sugar in them, and i also used oil in stead of butter (milk in it) and white rice flour instead of regular flour, it wasnt too bad, just too strong a taste of the coconut sugar--so please be careful, it taste stronger then normal, if u r not use to coconut sugar. my grand daughter likes it! lol!
 
Bunny O.
Bunny O. March 22, 2015
am i reading this right?? 2 TABLESPOONS of vanilla, WOW that seems like waaaay too much??
 
Martha
Martha September 5, 2021
I think I just saw this recipe on Food52's youtube channel, and I want to say it was 4 teaspoons. Which makes more sense, as 2T equals 6t.

So maybe 4t instead.
 
karen
karen November 27, 2014
Can I use only coconut flour for the whole recipe? If so, how much? Thanks!
 
Rebecca B.
Rebecca B. June 16, 2015
No, you can't interchange coconut flour and almond flour. I like cashew flour if you can tolerate it and it will interchange.
 
Petite F.
Petite F. September 14, 2014
Any other ideas for butter and sugar subs?
 
Rebecca B.
Rebecca B. June 16, 2015
Ghee, and coconut sugar or agave nectar or coconut nectar. Coconut oil can also be used in place of butter but ghee will give you the butter flavor w/o the dairy.
 
Diane
Diane March 30, 2014
anybody have an idea for a brown sugar substitute?
(for a half recipe)
 
Bunny O.
Bunny O. February 20, 2019
as i said above, i used coconut sugar and its to sweet with the amount they ask above and you also could use rice syrup, agave and stevia, but u would have to use your own judgement on amounts for the last 3 i listed! hope this helps!
 
Nantucket C.
Nantucket C. March 30, 2014
Gonna try these with brown rice flour - hope it works!
 
Gia
Gia November 6, 2013
would love to see the calorie count for these
 
Skylor P.
Skylor P. June 6, 2012
Wow. these look fantastic. I am going to finish up this cleanse and then make these blondies first thing!
 
mcatherinep
mcatherinep November 27, 2011
These are absolutely delicious. I made them with Bob's Redmill almond meal/flour like EvaR, but they turned out great. They are addictive, and such a nice normal-tasting gluten-free recipe.
 
Melisa
Melisa November 3, 2011
I've made these dozen times or so--always a huge hit, even with gluten-eaters.
 
Eva
Eva July 4, 2011
YUM. Just made these to take to a 4th of July picnic. I only had Bob's Redmill almond meal/flour, but can assure you that nobody will be disappointed. Thanks!
 
Maria T.
Maria T. June 29, 2011
Nishis, congratulations for being a finalist. Your recipe is great and I'll definetely give it a try.
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice June 23, 2011
Ooh, I wish I could eat almonds. Love the idea of cherries in blondies. Yum! Congrats on being a finalist.
 
Martha
Martha September 5, 2021
I can relate, I'm allergic to almonds. So am thinking of using regular flour, or anything NOT almond based. Fun to experiment with chocolate.
 
Fine A.
Fine A. June 23, 2011
I can tell by looking at them they'll taste great! So far I've resorted to cheesecakes for my dessert cravings because so many of these types of desserts just don't cut it! I'm a gluten free fibromyalgia fitness motivator, this'll be a real treat when I splurge, thank you for sharing!
 
nishis
nishis June 23, 2011
Thanks, guys!
Regarding flour sourcing--I really love Amazon for this because you can buy in bulk and they have good brand selection. I usually fill a jar's worth to keep in a cabinet and put the rest in the fridge.
 
gingerroot
gingerroot June 23, 2011
Congratulations! Blondies are a favorite at my house, and I'm looking forward to making these.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 23, 2011
Congrats, nishis. Wonderful to have such a great gluten-free blondie recipe.