Blondies are one of my favorite bar cookies to make. They have all the flavor of a good, buttery chocolate chip cookie with the rich, tender texture of a brownie – with a bit less chocolate, of course. They’re very versatile cookies and you can mix almost anything into them. This is probably why I tend to get a little carried away when I bake a batch and start going through my cupboards looking for extra goodies to tuck in there – and why I have to restrain myself from throwing in the kitchen sink!
These are Chocolate Chip Blondies with Pistachios and Cherries. The dough is a basic blondie dough that I use as a base for many add ins. It has a similar ingredient list to chocolate chip cookie dough, but uses melted butter and does not use any leavening. Both of these things help to give the finished blondies that tender, chewy and slightly fudgy texture that you want to get in a blondie, as the texture is what sets them apart from other bar cookies.
I like pistachios and dried cherries in these partly because I like the flavor combination and partly because they’re a beautiful color combination. Feel free to substitute other fruits and nuts to suit your personal tastes or what you have in the kitchen. Pecans and dried cranberries would be a good match, as would almonds and dried blueberries. In fact, I might just have to bake another batch to try some out myself!
Chocolate Chip Blondies with Pistachios and Cherries
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2/3 cup toasted pistachios
2/3 cup dried cherries (chopped, if large)
Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line with aluminum foil.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter and sugars. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. Stir in flour and salt, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain, then stir in chocolate chips, pistachios and dried cherries. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
Bake for about 27-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only few moist crumbs attached and the top is a light golden brown.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.
Makes about 30 blondies.
Ashley
September 13, 2010Oh wow I am going to have to try this! Love the combo. These would go great with the new cocktail recipes I am trying out this weekend from 360 Vodka’s facebook page. .
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit
September 13, 2010These look so good! The red cherries and green pistachios are so pretty and festive in these. I’d love to have one to pack in my lunch tomorrow!
Kitchen Corner
September 13, 2010WOW! Plenty of ingredients in there! Full of flavour and texture!
Kitchen Corner
September 13, 2010WOW! Plenty of ingredients in there! Full of flavour and texture!
Lora
September 13, 2010I love these! Mouth watering.
Sues
September 13, 2010Wow, these are so much better than the average blondie! I’m sure they taste awesome and they’re super beautiful, too.
Joy
September 14, 2010Oh I love pistachios. They look so good.