Pecan Blondies with Espresso Cream Cheese

These blondies may sound extra as hell, and I’m going to let them! Why you ask? Well the depth of flavor, the caramel notes, and the gooey texture is as extra as I’d want to be.

Blondies, similar to brownies, tend to be a fan favorite amongst many. What’s beautiful about this decadent treat is how customizable they can be. Are you making them in the summer? Add some coconut. Need a sweet for the holiday party? Add some white chocolate chips and cranberries for a jolly theme.

These blondie bites are the perfect dish to bring to any gathering and is sure to please any sweet tooth out there. If you’re like my mom who “falls asleep” after eating chocolate, the espresso cream cheese frosting will ensure your dinner party doesn’t fall flat after the first round of dessert. Enjoy!

Pecan Blondies with Espresso Cream Cheese

INGREDIENTS

{Blondies}

• 3/4 cups whole (roasted and salted) pecans

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

• 1 sticks unsalted butter, softened

• 3/4 cups light-brown sugar

• 1 flax egg (or regular egg)

• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

{Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting}

• 1/4 cups of full-fat greek yogurt

• 1 (8oz) package of cream cheese (or vegan substitute), softened

• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tbsp espresso powder

• 1/2 cup confectioner’ sugar

• dash of salt

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the blondies:

2. Preheat oven to 350f

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt; set aside

4. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. You want the mixture to change from a darker amber to a lighter amber/yellow color.

5. Add the flax (or regular) egg and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture.

6. Fold the dry mixture into the wet until just combined. Fold the pecans in until just combined.

7. Grease an 8x8 baking dish with butter. Dust the dish with flour (to help with the blondies from sticking) and pour the batter into the dish.

8. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes. You want to look for golden-brown, almost crispy edges and a softer middle. The blondies will set when cooling and we want a gooey, more moist interior.

9. Let blondies cool for 1-2 hours prior to slicing and frosting.

10. Once cooled, frost with the espresso cream cheese and garnish with chopped pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon

11. Dive in!

12. To make the frosting

13. Remove the cream cheese from the fridge and soften. You want it to be pretty malleable so that it whips well.

14. In a small bowl, whisk together the vanilla extract and espresso powder to make the vanilla-espresso flavoring.

15. In a larger bowl, whisk together to cream cheese and greek yogurt until combined. You’re looking for a lighter and fluffy texture.

16. Using a spatula, fold in the espresso powder. Once combined, fold in the salt and confectioners’ sugar (1/4 cup at a time).

17. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours prior to frosting to set.

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Notes

Tips for a great blondie

1. If you’d like a more dense and caramel-like blondie, brown the butter prior to whipping it with the brown sugar.

2. The key to a blondie that has height is whipping the butter and sugar until the color changes dramatically. At first, the butter-sugar mixture will have a darker amber coloring. After about 3-4 minutes, it will being to change to a lighter brown, almost cream like, color. By doing this you are incorporating air into the dough, leading to a blondie that rises when baking.