Raspberry Almond Blondies
Teresa Ambra
Raspberry Almond Blondies are irresistibly rich and decadent. These lovely bar-type cookies include fresh raspberries, almonds and vanilla chips. Since they're made with browned butter in the cookie and the icing, they have an enhanced flavor that just melts in the mouth. These festive, elegant and beautiful cookies are marvelous for Christmas baking and holiday parties, but delightful for any time of the year.
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 390 kcal
COOKIE BASE: 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods) 2 cups light brown sugar packed 2 large eggs 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) 2 tsp. almond extract 1 cup ripe bananas mashed with a fork (about 3 medium) 1/2 tsp. sea salt 12 oz. container raspberries washed gently and patted dry 1 cup vanilla chips or premiere white baking chips 1 cup sliced or diced almonds ICING: 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick) 1 cup light brown sugar packed 2 cups powdered sugar 4 tbsp. half-and-half 1 tsp. almond extract 1/3 cup sliced almonds 1/3 cup vanilla chips or premiere white baking chips
COOKIE BASE: To brown the butter : Place butter in saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Boil, stirring constantly until lightly browned.
This may take five or ten minutes.
Once butter has browned, place browned butter in a mixing bowl.
Add brown sugar and mix thoroughly with an electric mixer.
Allow mixture to cool about five minutes.
Meanwhile, place bananas on a plate and mash with a fork; set aside.
If the mixture still has not cooled sufficiently, wait a few more minutes before adding eggs, almond extract, mashed bananas and salt.
(So the egg doesn’t scramble!).
Mix again with electric mixer until thoroughly mixed.
Stir in flour, raspberries, vanilla chips and almonds.
Stir mixture until well combined.
Pour mixture into a greased 9x13” glass baking dish.
Bake at 350° for about 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Allow blondies to cool completely before icing with Almond icing.
ICING: Melt butter over medium heat in medium-sized saucepan.
Add brown sugar and half-and-half and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat.
Add almond extract.
Cool icing 5 minutes.
Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.
This may take three to five minutes to get all the lumps out.
Spread over cooled blondies.
Sprinkle top of icing with almonds and then vanilla chips as evenly as possible.
Press vanilla chips and sliced almonds very lightly and gently into the icing to adhere.
NOTE: Refrigerate blondies about one to two hours or overnight before cutting into bars, for easier cutting.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Calories: 390 kcal Carbohydrates: 55 g Protein: 4 g Fat: 18 g Saturated Fat: 10 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g Trans Fat: 0.5 g Cholesterol: 49 mg Sodium: 156 mg Potassium: 171 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 44 g Vitamin A: 398 IU Vitamin C: 4 mg Calcium: 70 mg Iron: 1 mg
Keyword almonds, bananas, brownies, cookies, dessert, holiday baking, raspberries, vanilla chips