Chocolate-Glazed Cranberry Blondies

Submitted by Vino Girl

"I think these would also be good with white chocolate. I increased the baking time to 25 minutes, and these were still a soft and gooey blondie. From Fitness Magazine."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• BLONDIES

• 2⁄3 cup flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 1⁄2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped

• GLAZE

• 1⁄3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• cooking spray

directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Coat an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray, and line the bottom and two sides with foil, letting the ends of the foil extend over the sides of the pan.
3. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside.
4. Beat together egg, brown sugar, butter and vanilla.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended.
6. Mix in cranberries and walnuts. Spread batter in pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
9. Make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and water until smooth.
10. Drizzle over blondies.
11. When the glaze is set, remove from the pan using the foil handles and cut.

Reviews

[Irmgard]

I doubled the recipe as I had to bring in goodies to work and they turned out really well. In fact, several people asked for the recipe. I did them with a white chocolate glaze. I will definitely make these again!

 

[concretegirl]

My 15 year old son loved these! I used about 3/4 cup flour after taking advice from fellow Zaar members and because I doubled the recipe I substituted half the butter with applesauce. It was wonderful. I drizzled a little melted white chocolate on top too. Thanks Kburie!

 

[Michelle S.]

Very Yummy! I did increase the flour to 3/4 c. as the batter was WAY too sticky without. I was out of walnuts (which would have only enhanced this bar) so they were left out. I used maybe only half the glaze as I didn't want the glaze to dominate the taste. Infact next time I may leave it off altogether and maybe use 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips instead for extra ease of preperation. A wonderful bar with chewy edges and a softer center, sweet bar, tangy cranberries and earthy chocolate...a winning combination.

 

[DDW]

What a tasty treat. Now I do have to say that I did do the recipe just a bit different but the basic recipe was the same. I did not line the pan with foil, figuring that since the recipe came from Fitness Magazine it was a way to save a few calories from the cooking spray. I sprayed the pan and had no problems cutting the pieces and taking them out. I had some dried cherries in the house and used those in place of the cranberries - an equally good substitution and for the glaze I melted white chocolate and drizzled it over the top. My family loved it. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. I think most any dried fruit in these blondies would be great.

 

[LUv 2 BaKE]

These blondies are EXCELLENT! I baked them just a bit less than 25 minutes, and they still turned out very moist. The flavor combination is great. The chocolate glaze really complements the cranberries, in a somewhat unexpected combination. I used about 2 1/2 tbsp non hydroginated light margarine (since the water content is higher) and actually halved the sugar to 1/2 cup, and still found it plenty sweet. I also cut the glaze in less than half as not everyone in my family wanted glaze. Thanks kburie!