White Chocolate Macadamia Blondies are deliciously moist blondies with an intense vanilla flavor and a nutty crunch!
white chocolate macadamia blondies are for vanilla lovers!
With chunks of white chocolate and a good dose of vanilla, these might be the ultimate blondies for vanilla fans… that lovely flavor really lingers. But along with all that vanilla, there are notes of toffee and butterscotch as well. And let’s not forget the unique buttery crunch of macadamia nuts! It’s a monochromatic but complex layering of flavors that pack a big punch in these white chocolate macadamia blondies.
what you’ll need to make them
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder and salt
- unsalted butter
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- white chocolate chips
- macadamia nuts
what type of white chocolate for these blondies?
All by itself white chocolate doesn’t do that much for me, it’s one of those ingredients that blossoms when you combine it with certain other ingredients, like macadamias and vanilla and brown sugar. I used convenient white baking chips for these blondies, but if you’re a white chocolate aficionado, use good quality white chocolate and chop it into small chunks. If you find real white chocolate chips, go for it, the flavor will be lovely.
how to make brown sugar
What is it about brown sugar? Of all the boxes, bags and packets in my baking arsenal, it’s the one thing I’m most likely to be out of at any given moment. Or, if I’m not completely out, the remaining bit has gone rock solid. And when that moment comes right in the middle of making my favorite white chocolate macadamia blondies, it becomes a crisis.
So I decided to try an old trick—make it myself. Brown sugar is really just white sugar before the molasses has been refined out of it. So put a bit of molasses back in and—voila—you have brown sugar. And I have to say, from the feel and scent of it, it’s better brown sugar than you can buy. I couldn’t stop sniffing it!
- Just put a cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of molasses together and mix well.
- You can do it in the mini processor or you can have at it with a spoon. Either way it’s very satisfying.
- The sugar will fluff up in the processor, but it will still be equivalent to 1 cup, be sure to pack it down as you measure it.
why we love these white chocolate macadamia blondies
The combination of white chocolate and macadamia nuts is a classic that never gets old. The vanilla-on-vanilla flavor with the luxe macadamias makes them hard to resist.
more bars and brownies to love
- Brownie Recipe from a Chatbot!
- Meyer Lemon Macadamia Crumble Squares
- White Chocolate Pecan Cookie Bars
- Toffee Bars
- Strawberry Lemon Blondies
- Triple Lemon Brownies
- Blackberry Pecan Bars
- Moist Apple Brownies
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- the seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup (heaping) cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (heaping) cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Line an 8×8 pan with parchment, this will make the blondies easy to remove and to cut cleanly. If you don’t use parchment, lightly grease the pan.
- Measure out your flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Then add the eggs, one at a time, the vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds, and mix well.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the nuts and white chocolate.
- Spread evenly in your pan and bake for 35 minutes— a toothpick inserted near the center should come out moist with a few crumbs and the blondies will be light golden.
- Cool before cutting.
Nutrition
Planning on making these tomorrow…. im really excited, looks delicious…… side note on your brown sugar making your own looks really awesome and I might have to try it. A tip for keeping your brown sugar from turning rock solid is marshmallows…. juat throw a few small ones or one jumbo one into the container and you brown sugar will stay nice and soft 🙂
Great tip!
Would I be able to use a 13 x 9 pan if I doubled the recipe? Would I need to adjust the baking time?
Baking time would be nearly the same, Tammy, but since they’re blondies and you don’t want to over bake, check them on the early side.
These look amazing! Can I double this recipe?
That should work, in a 9×13 pan.
Have you ever tried making these with gluten free flour?
I haven’t but I imagine it would work fine, as long as you expect the softer texture.
Oh pleeease can these be okay without brown sugar?! I’ve such a hankering and this is the recipe for me, but as much as I’m unlikely to ever have brown sugar in the cupboard… I’m almost certain they have never housed molasses!
Yes, you can just use white sugar if you have to River. But I highly recommend getting some brown sugar in the house 🙂 Brown sugar adds flavor and chewiness to baked goods, and it’s hard to do without in some recipes.
LOVED THESE. I never made or had blondies before, but I have a little ‘bakery’ in my college dorm building where I bake something every Saturday morning, and someone requested these. I’m so in love with them. I left out the nuts, but added a lot of white chocolate. Amazing stuff!
I’m so glad you liked them, it is an irresistible combination — and how great that you have somewhere to bake in your dorm, that’s where I first started baking on my own, and my first project was granola!
Thanks for the awesome idea!
I have always liked Blondies, but I really love your recipe with the macadamia nuts and the white chocolate chips!! I can’t wait to put together another batch. They are a bit of heaven.
My mother taught me, many, many years ago, how to make brown sugar and we did it often. I grew up thinking everyone knew how to do it. So it is always a surprise to me when it is posted as a “new” idea. Oh well, what is old, always becomes new again, doesn’t it?
I just found your site. Found one of your food photos on Food Porn Daily and here I am! These look delicious, love the brown sugar tip – have to make some now!
Thanks for stopping by Becky!
…in progress with homemade raspberry swirl and after it cools it will get a cream cheese frosting.
PS: no chips or nuts.