Get ready to discover your new favorite festive treat! These White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies are the ultimate dessert for any occasion, boasting a perfectly dense, chewy center, crispy edges, and a delightful balance of sweet and tart. This recipe is incredibly simple to follow and delivers rich, buttery, brown sugar flavor in every single bite. Forget dry, cakey bars; this guide will teach you how to achieve that perfect gooey texture that makes a blondie truly irresistible. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, a potluck, or just a Tuesday craving, this is the only recipe you’ll ever need.
Why You’ll Love This White Chocolate Cranberry Blondie Recipe
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s both elegant and incredibly easy, you’ve found it. These blondies are a one-bowl wonder, meaning less mess and less stress in the kitchen.
- Perfectly Chewy Texture: We use melted butter and the right ratio of brown sugar to guarantee a moist, chewy blondie every time.
- Balanced Flavors: The creamy sweetness of the white chocolate pairs beautifully with the bright, tart flavor of dried cranberries.
- Simple & Quick: With just 15 minutes of prep time, you can have these bars in the oven and filling your home with an amazing aroma.
- Crowd-Pleaser: These festive treats are always a hit, making them perfect for sharing with family and friends. For another guaranteed crowd-pleaser, try this delicious pecan pie bar recipe (coming soon).
What Are Blondies?
Think of a blondie as a brownie’s vanilla-flavored cousin. Instead of cocoa, blondies get their signature rich, caramel-like flavor from brown sugar. They have the same dense, fudgy texture as a brownie but with a distinct butterscotch taste. This recipe for White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies adds a festive twist to the classic, making them an unforgettable holiday baking staple.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Blondies
The magic of this easy blondie recipe comes from simple, high-quality ingredients working together in harmony.
Unsalted Butter
We use melted unsalted butter as the foundation. Melting the butter, rather than creaming it, is a key secret to achieving a chewy, dense texture instead of a light, cakey one.
Brown Sugar
Light brown sugar is essential for that signature molasses flavor and incredible moisture. It reacts with the melted butter to create the gooey center we all love.
Eggs & Vanilla
An egg and an egg yolk provide structure and richness, while pure vanilla extract deepens the buttery flavors.
All-Purpose Flour
The key here is not to overmix! Mix the flour until just combined to keep the blondies tender and soft.
White Chocolate
For the best results, use a high-quality white chocolate bar chopped into chunks. The irregular pieces create wonderful pockets of melted chocolate. If you’re in a pinch, white chocolate chips will also work.
Dried Cranberries
Sweetened dried cranberries (like Craisins) provide a wonderful tartness that cuts through the richness of the blondies.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep Your Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to act as handles for easy removal later. Lightly grease the paper.
- Melt the Butter: In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Let it cool slightly for a minute or two.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk the brown sugar into the melted butter until fully combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Switch to a spatula and fold the dry ingredients in until just a few streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the Goodies: Gently fold in the chopped white chocolate and dried cranberries until they are evenly distributed.
- Bake to Perfection: Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, but not wet batter.
- Cool Completely: This is the hardest part! Let the blondies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. This step is crucial for them to set properly, ensuring a clean cut and a chewy texture.
Baker’s Tips for the Chewiest Blondies
- Don’t Overmix the Flour: Overmixing develops gluten, which will result in a tough, cake-like texture. Fold the flour in gently until you no longer see dry streaks.
- Don’t Overbake: The secret to a gooey center is to pull the blondies from the oven when they still look slightly underdone in the middle. They will continue to cook and set as they cool in the hot pan.
- Let Them Cool: Seriously, don’t skip this step! Cutting into warm blondies will result in a gooey mess. Patience will be rewarded with perfectly set, chewy squares.
Recipe Variations & Customizations
This recipe is a fantastic base for creativity. Feel free to mix things up with these additions!
- Add Nuts: Toasted pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts add a wonderful crunch. Add about 3/4 cup along with the cranberries and white chocolate. If you love pecans, you’ll adore these maple candied pecans.
- Citrus Zest: A teaspoon of orange zest added with the wet ingredients will brighten the flavors and compliment the cranberry perfectly.
- Different Chips: Feel free to swap the white chocolate for semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even caramel bits.
How to Store Your Blondies
Store your cooled White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you need to stack them, place a piece of parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking. For a quick and easy dinner idea before dessert, consider this dump-and-bake chicken and rice recipe (coming soon).
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Blondies are a great make-ahead dessert. You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Their flavor and texture actually deepen and improve by the second day.
We don’t recommend using fresh cranberries as they release a lot of moisture and can make the blondies soggy. Dried cranberries provide the best texture and concentrated tart flavor for this recipe.
Yes, you can use 1 cup of white chocolate chips if that’s what you have on hand. However, using a chopped white chocolate bar creates pools of melted chocolate and a more rustic, delicious texture.
The blondies are done when the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist, fudgy crumbs attached, but not wet batter. It’s better to slightly underbake them to ensure a gooey center.
The secret to chewy blondies lies in using melted butter instead of creamed butter, using a higher ratio of brown sugar to white sugar (this recipe uses only brown sugar for maximum chewiness), and being careful not to overmix the flour.
The Best White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies (The Best Chewy Recipe!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Lightly grease the paper.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Let it cool slightly.
- Whisk the packed brown sugar into the melted butter until fully combined.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is glossy and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour and salt. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the white chocolate chunks and dried cranberries.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let the blondies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out and cutting into 16 squares.
Notes
Allowing the blondies to cool completely is essential for them to set properly and for clean cuts.
Share Your Creations!
I can’t wait to see your amazing White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know how they turned out. And don’t forget to share a photo of your festive treats on Pinterest!
