Loaded with dried fruit, toasted almonds, and bittersweet chocolate, these blondies combine the best of a brownie with what you wish fruitcake could taste like. A terrific addition to any holiday cookie platter, they are also a satisfying stand-alone dessert.
Blondie can be baked (but not cut into squares) 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
Recipe information
Total Time
2 hr (includes cooling)
Yield
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
Step 2
Pour boiling-hot water over dried fruit in a small bowl and soak 20 minutes, then drain well in a sieve.
Step 3
Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl.
Step 4
Beat together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in dried fruit, almonds, and chocolate.
Step 5
Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Run a thin knife around edges of pan to loosen blondie, then cut blondie into roughly 3-inch squares.
