blondies

Bready or Not: Oreo Thins Cake Batter Blondies [cake mix]

Posted by Beth on May 22, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cake mix, chocolate, cookies, oreo | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Oreo Thins Cake Batter Blondies [cake mix]

I’m no baking snob. Cake mix has a place in my kitchen when I need quick-fix baked goods. This recipe for Oreo Thins Cake Batter Blondies is fantastic.

I made a different variation of this back on my old LiveJournal lo those many years ago. In that one, I used regular Golden Oreos as Oreo Thins didn’t exist yet.

Both styles of Oreos are great in this recipe. If you use Thins, use the entire package, chopped-up. For regular Oreos, use about 2 cups of chopped cookie.

There IS such a thing as too many Oreos in a recipe like this. They can overwhelm the batter and make everything (a delicious) crumbly mess when it’s cut. I speak from experience.

Use whatever kind of Oreo you want here. I used Oreo Thins Salted Caramel when I took these pictures. Use Golden Oreos, regular Oreos, or any seasonal remix–and choose different color sprinkles to match!

Sprinkles make everything better, right?

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Bready or Not: Oreo Thins Cake Batter Blondies [cake mix]

This super-simple recipe uses cake mix to bake up a delicious dish of blondies. Use an entire package of Oreo Thins, whatever flavor you fancy (Salted Caramel is great if available)! Regular Oreos are also fantastic for this recipe, but use only about 2 cups of chopped Oreos or they will overwhelm the batter. Adding chocolate chips is an option, too, depending on the Oreos being used; with some kinds it may make the bars too sweet.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars, cake mix, oreo

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 18.25 oz yellow cake mix
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk or half and half
• 1 package Oreo Thins crumbled
• 1/2 cup sprinkles
• 1/2 cup white chocolate or chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 dish with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, oil, egg, and milk. The batter should be thick. Fold in the Oreo Thins and sprinkles [and chocolate chips, if using].
• Pour into pan and even out. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until middle passes toothpick test. Cool completely. Use foil to lift contents onto cutting board to slice into squares. Store in a sealed container.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Cranberry-Candied Ginger Blondies with Macadamia Nuts

Posted by Beth on May 8, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Cranberry-Candied Ginger Blondies with Macadamia Nuts

Cranberry-Candied Ginger Blondies with Macadamia Nuts! The name is a mouthful, but I assure you, the goodies make for delicious mouthfuls, too.

If the basic ingredients sound familiar, they should. I did a similar-sounding recipe just recently, but you’ll notice, they don’t look the same–nor do they taste the same, but both are excellent.

This recipe has a different sort of soft chewy texture, plus macadamia nuts. Macadamia nuts make almost everything better, right?

I think these look especially pretty because of the topping as well. You have to sprinkle on the cranberry and ginger bits fast at the end to make sure they stick in the melted white chocolate.

It’d be a tragedy if the pieces fell off. Then you have to eat them all. Darn.

Modified from Brownies & Bars Magazine.

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Bready or Not: Cranberry-Candied Ginger Blondies with Macadamia Nuts

These soft, chewy bars include dried cranberries, crystallized ginger, and macadamia nuts inside and out.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

Blondies

• 11 oz white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup macadamia nuts coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 Tablespoons candied ginger chopped

Topping

• 4 oz white chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon shortening
• 2 Tablespoons candied ginger chopped
• 1 Tablespoon dried cranberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
• In the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop, at low heat warm the bag of white chocolate chips until melted. In the microwave, that means brief bursts at low power and stirring well between each pass--watch it, as it can burn fast! Stir in the butter until it's melted. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar into the white chocolate mix followed by the flour and vanilla. Fold in the macadamia nuts, cranberries, and candied ginger. Spread evenly in the ready pan.
• Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until top is light brown and center passes the toothpick test. Cool pan completely.
• In the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop, melt the white chocolate and shortening over low heat until smooth. Drizzle over the bars. Immediately sprinkle the remaining ginger and cranberries over the top and gently tap them into the drizzled chocolate. Let set at room temperature or fridge.
• Use the foil to lift contents onto cutting board. Slice into bars. Store in sealed containers with waxed paper between the layers.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not Original: Caramel Apple Chip Blondies

Posted by Beth on May 1, 2019 in apples, Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Caramel Apple Chip Blondies

Caramel Apple Chip Blondies! This recipe is what happens for you buy a big bag of apple chips at Costco and your kid doesn’t like them.

Apple chips are pretty expensive at the grocery store, so buying them at a big membership club is a great way to get them. They are seriously delicious, crisp like potato chips but made of pure apples.

When baking with apple chips, break them into small pieces. They will soften up as they bake, taking on a raisin-like chewy texture with loads of apple flavor. Larger pieces will be even chewier, though, and get caught on the knife when slicing.

The chips are easy to break up. You can do it with your fingers or throw them into a sealed sandwich bag and smash them with a rolling pin of the bottom of a heavy glass.

In the end, these blondies are sweet and chewy with a mild but very present apple flavor throughout that’s complemented nicely by the caramel and white chocolate chips.

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Bready or Not Original: Caramel Apple Chip Blondies

Apple chips are crisp like potato chips. For this recipe, break them small, to the size of raisins. Otherwise, larger pieces stay chewier and will be more likely to catch on the knife when the bars are sliced.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: apple, bars

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup caramel chips
• 1 1/2 cup apple chips crumbled, Bare Brand recommended

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients. Stir in the white chocolate and caramel chips followed by the apple chips.
• Pour blondie dough into the prepared pan and smooth out with uneven spatula.
• Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until the top of the blondies are light golden brown and the middle passes the toothpick test. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
• Once they are cool, use foil to lift blondies onto cutting board to slice into bars.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars

Posted by Beth on Apr 17, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars

Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars are essentially a casserole-sized platter of delicious homemade candy bars. That is reason enough to make them.

These are simultaneously chewy (from the oats), crunchy (because pecans), and sweet (caramel).

Oh yeah, then there’s the coffee flavor that is imbued throughout every bite. I don’t like drinking coffee, but espresso powder is sheer magic in baked goods.

Needless to say, these bars are perfect paired with a cup or coffee or tea.

Plus, if the number of bars seems excessive, the leftovers can be frozen. Just freeze and store them between waxed papers layers so you can easily thaw as many as you’d like at a time.

Modified from 100 Best Cookies Magazine.

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Bready or Not: Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars

These Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars are essentially a casserole-sized platter of delicious homemade candy bars with the distinct flavor of coffee throughout.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans divided
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 2 cups brown sugar packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon instant coffee crystals or espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup caramel from jar

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 pan with foil and apply butter or nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flour, 1 cup of pecans, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a big mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy, then add brown sugar. Follow up with the eggs, coffee/espresso powder, and vanilla. Carefully stir in the dry ingredients; it looks like a lot, but it will fit in the pan! Reserve 2 cups of the dough for the topping.
• Spread the bulk of the oat mixture in the pan. Using floured hands or waxed paper and a heavy glass, press down the mix to form a solid even crust. Spread the caramel topping over it, bringing it to within 1/4-inch of the edges. Dollop the reserved oat mixture over the top, along with the remaining 1/2 cup pecans.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are set. Cool completely in pan before using the foil to lift it onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in sealed containers with parchment or waxed paper between the layers. Bars can also be frozen.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not Original: Cranberry Candied Ginger Blondies

Posted by Beth on Apr 10, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, breakfast, chocolate | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Cranberry Candied Ginger Blondies

Cranberry Candied Ginger Blondies pack tart cranberries, zesty little nuggets of candied ginger, and mellow white chocolate in a chewy blondie base, to delicious results.

This begins a small spate of dried cranberry recipes that will be on Bready or Not over the next while.

This is because I bought a massive bag of dried cranberries on sale at Costco, and I had an existing stockpile to use up, too. Cue a “oh crap, I need to use up some of this stuff!” response.

This recipe proved to be a fantastic one, too. The blondies are sweet and chewy, and that combination of dried cranberries, candied ginger, and white chocolate complements and contrasts in an amazing way.

I’ve been asked before about where to find candied ginger. Sometimes brands will sell it jarred alongside spices on the grocery store aisle. Also, check the bins at your local health food store or co-op. I’ve bought candied ginger at my local Sprouts.

The good news is that candied ginger (like dried cranberries) keeps well for ages, so you can stock up and enjoy it for months. Though space might be an issue if you’re buying at Costco…

Print Recipe

Bready or Not Original: Cranberry Candied Ginger Blondies

Cranberry Candied Ginger Blondies pack tart cranberries, zesty little nuggets of candied ginger, and mellow white chocolate in a chewy blondie base, to delicious results.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup candied ginger chopped
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 inch dish with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.
• Place butter and both sugars in a large bowl and beat until creamed together. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Follow up with the flour, baking powder, and salt, until just combined. Fold in the cranberries, candied ginger, and white chocolate chips.
• Spread batter in the ready pan and even out. Bake for 27 to 30 minutes, until edges are firm and the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool on a wire rack.
• Use foil to list contents onto cutting board. Slice into pieces. Store in an sealed container at room temperature.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Posted by Beth on Mar 27, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cake, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

These are not mere blondies. No, these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars are practically cake.

Seriously, this could work as a birthday cake for a chocolate-peanut butter lover. These bars are THICK and loaded with goodness.

This recipe makes a full 13 by 9 pan, so there’s plenty to share. As dense as each bar is, you probably don’t want to cut them large.

Bars like this freeze very well, too, so you can stash some away to enjoy later.

I can’t help but wonder how this recipe would be with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups chopped into it, too. I should try that sometime.

Recipes are stories. There will always be other ways to twist them into something new and enjoyable.

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Bready or Not: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

These luscious bars are thick, cakey, and delicious! If there's no Greek yogurt handy, sour cream makes for a good substitute.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars, cake, chocolate, peanut butter

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups peanut butter chips 1 bag
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

• Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13X9 baking with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
• In a big bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as necessary.
• Add the vanilla extract and vanilla yogurt next, followed by the flour, cinnamon, and baking powder. Fold in the peanut butter chips and 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and the peanuts over the top and gently press them in.
• Bake pan for 30 minutes or until the center passes the toothpick test. Let cool completely. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
• Store in a sealed container at room temperature or in the fridge. Freeze bars between waxed paper in a sealed container to make them last even longer.
• OM NOM NOM!