Its been a long time since I’ve made blondies.  Years and years.  I don’t understand why, though. They are SO easy and so tasty.  Even more, my hubby loves the simplicity of them.  Believe it or not, he doesn’t like the fancy cookies I make, and begs me to make “regular” cookies.  So I’ve vowed to make more blondies in the future.  The original recipe called for macadamia nuts, but my grocery store only carried salted macadamia nuts.  Way too salty for a cookie, even when rinsed. Been there, done that.  I found unsalted cashews and am so happy I did.  They were a great flavor in the cookie… just as good as macadamia nuts.  So you can use either one in the recipe.

Cashew Blondies Recipe
(Adapted from The Essential Baker, Carole Bloom)

4 oz butter, softened
1 c firmly packed light brown sugar
2 extra large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c unsalted cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
3 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line an 8X8 square pan with aluminum foil, letting it hang about 2 inches over the sides.  Butter the foil generously.

2. Place butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Use the flat beater to beat the butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and cream well, another 2 minutes.

3. With a fork, beat the eggs in a small bowl and mix in the extracts.   Add to the butter mixtiure and blend well.

4. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.  In three stages, add to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. Add the nuts and white chocolate and stir with a rubber spatula to distribute evenly.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and use the rubber spatula to spread it evenly into the corners.  Bake the blondies for 28 to 30 minute until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs clinging to it. Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely on a rack.

7. Lift the blondies from the pan with the aluminum foil. Carefully peel the foil away. Cut into squares.

Makes 9-16 blondies, depending on the size you cut them.