This was my first attempt at making blondies.
It certainly won’t be my last — they turned out incredibly delicious.
I secretly added coconut so Mr. How Sweet wouldn’t be tempted to eat them all.
He’s had plenty of sloppy joes this weekend, so I figured coconut would keep these safe for a little while.
Someday, when he’s starving after I haven’t cooked for a few hours, he might give in and try one.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
I used coconut milk in the batter to give the blondies a smooth, creamy texture.
While I love chocolate, these lighter, vanilla-forward bars satisfy my sweet tooth in a different way.
The recipe yields thinner bars, which makes it easy to enjoy more than one without feeling too guilty.
Right?
Don’t answer that.
Coconut Cream Blondies
blondie recipe adapted with coconut additions
Makes 12–16 bars
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark or light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, as you prefer)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and melted butter until smooth. Add the egg, coconut milk and vanilla, and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, then fold in the shredded coconut.
Spread the batter evenly into an 8×8-inch baking pan lined with parchment or lightly greased. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the blondies to cool in the pan before slicing. If desired, garnish with extra toasted coconut for added crunch and aroma.
