A blonde walks into a bar. Well, in our case, a blondie! Blondies are like the more buttery, caramelized cousin of brownies. In fact, some may even say they more closely resemble chocolate chip cookies in dessert bar form instead. However, we’re not here to debate that today. Instead, we couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to our latest discovery: carob blondies! If you’re looking for a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth, then these treats have your name written all over them.
You’re probably familiar with classic brownies. Blondies are somewhat similar to brownies in appearance and shape. However, they usually feature vanilla and sometimes nuts in place of cocoa powder. These carob blondies are the perfect choice for those who still crave the delicious flavor of brownies. After all, they have that moist, irresistible dense texture anyone can get behind. In addition, the carob gives them a subtle chocolatey undertone while the cashews add a unique butteriness and crunch.
Everybody could use a little carob in their life. Carob is not only caffeine-free and gluten-free but also dairy-free. This fantastic ingredient has a natural, roasted cocoa-like flavor. A worthy chocolate and coffee substitute, we’d have to say. Although it doesn’t taste exactly like chocolate, its sweet, nutty flavor is close enough to the real thing. Melissa’s Carob comes in pod form and contains no actual chocolate. You can grind the pods in a food processor to use in a variety of recipes from desserts, butters and even dog biscuits!
These carob blondies are one of those desserts you’ll want to eat fresh out of the oven. On the other hand, they also freeze nicely as well if you want to store them for indulging another time. No matter how you choose to eat them, note that it’s nearly impossible to have just one.
Carob Blondies
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 package Melissa’s Carob Pods (finely ground)
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Grease a brownie pan and set aside.
- Place all of the dry ingredients, except for the sugar, in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and add the vanilla. Mix until well combined. Slowly add the dry mixture and mix until just combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared brownie pan and level it with a spatula or wooden spoon. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool; then cut into 16 pieces.
