Strawberry blondies are chewy bars swirled with jam, dotted with white chocolate chips, and brightened by lemon zest. The brown butter adds a nutty note that smells warm as you peel open the pan on a busy afternoon.
This strawberry blondies recipe resolves issues of dull flavor, dryness, and uneven texture commonly found in quick bar desserts during busy weeknights.
I was tired of crumbly bars that left the flavor flat and centers dry on hectic weeknights. And these easy blondies bring real strawberry taste and stay moist, even when I forget the timer (oops, story of my life).
Pop these into the oven for about 25 minutes to get edges that hold shape and a soft, chewy middle that smells sweetly of strawberry. Lining the pan with foil saves cleanup and cuts come out clean.
If you are in the mood for another bar-style treat, check out my Protein Brownies next.
Table of contents
Dietary Considerations
- This recipe is not gluten-free due to all-purpose flour inclusion. For gluten-free, try my simple alternative recipe with rice flour.
- This recipe is not dairy-free due to butter and sour cream content. For dairy-free, try my easy coconut-oil substitution recipe.
- This recipe is not vegan due to eggs and white chocolate chips. For vegan, try my dairy-free chocolate chips substitution.
- This recipe does not meet keto or low-carb diets due to granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and excessive cornstarch content.
- This recipe is vegetarian and nut-free as it contains no meat, animal gelatin, or any common tree nuts ingredients whatsoever.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Toasty depth The browned butter in this strawberry blondies recipe brings a nutty, caramel note I love, browned until golden in about 5–7 minutes on medium heat.
- Vivid berry punch I stir in freeze-dried strawberry powder and swirl jam ribbons, delivering real berry taste and pink hue with ¼ cup powder and ½ cup jam.
- Chewy, moist center I add 3 tbsp sour cream and 1 tbsp cornstarch so these quick blondies stay tender, with a moist crumb after baking 25–30 minutes.
- Creamy chip pockets I fold white chocolate chips and jam ribbons into these strawberry blondies, so each square shows gooey jam and melted chunks from ½ cup chips.
Homemade Strawberry Blondies with a Twist
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cool Time: 0
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 squares 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: vegetarian
Description
These homemade strawberry blondies are chewy delights swirled with vibrant strawberry jam, dotted with bursts of creamy white chocolate chips, and balanced by the bright, fresh notes of lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberry powder
- ½ cup strawberry jam, seedless
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, ensuring there’s an overhang for easy removal later. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter, swirling it gently until the foam subsides and it achieves a golden brown color with a nutty fragrance—this should take about 5 to 7 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of almond flour, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ cup of freeze-dried strawberry powder. Whisk thoroughly to ensure a uniform mixture. Sifting the freeze-dried powder helps prevent clumps and the cornstarch absorbs excess moisture from the jam to maintain the perfect texture.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cooled brown butter with 1½ cups of light brown sugar and ½ cup of granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Incorporate the 2 large eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until fully blended. Next, fold in 3 tablespoons of sour cream, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest for a fragrant finish.
- Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients using a silicone spatula. Carefully fold the two together until just combined, avoiding any overmixing. This gentle mixing helps maintain a tender crumb for your blondies.
- Spoon half of the batter into the lined pan, spreading it evenly. Next, drop spoonfuls of ½ cup of seedless strawberry jam over the batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter on top, followed by more dollops of jam. Take a knife and gently swirl the jam into the batter. Finally, sprinkle ½ cup of white chocolate chips evenly across the surface to create delicious pockets of sweetness.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. To ensure even baking, rotate the pan halfway through the baking time.
- Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Once cool, lift the blondies out of the pan using the parchment overhang and slice into 16 squares. Cutting after full cooling helps maintain clean edges, though for a gooier slice, you can warm them briefly in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds.
Notes
- Browning the butter is essential, as it adds a depth of flavor that elevates the blondies beyond typical recipes. Make sure to watch the butter closely to avoid burning.
- Using room-temperature ingredients, particularly eggs and butter, ensures a smoother batter and contributes to a better texture.
- If you don’t have freeze-dried strawberry powder, you can grind freeze-dried strawberries until they reach a fine dust consistency, as this provides concentrated flavor.
- To maintain the freshness of your blondies, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 1 month. If needed, thaw and warm in the microwave before serving.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Choose unsalted butter, brown until nutty aroma, cool fully; browning adds depth and prevents raw butter taste.
- Light brown sugar: Pack it firmly for consistent moisture; break up clumps with a fork before mixing for even sweetness.
- Granulated sugar: Adds extra sweetness and helps browning; whisk into butter mixture until fully dissolved for a smooth batter.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature to bind and moisten batter; cold eggs can cause uneven texture.
- Sour cream: Full-fat and room-temperature sour cream locks in moisture and helps clean edges; plain Greek yogurt works in a pinch.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla at room temperature adds aroma; imitation extract substitutes but offers less depth.
- Lemon zest: Zest thin-skinned lemons before juicing for bright tang; avoid white pith to prevent bitterness.
- All-purpose flour: Stir before measuring for even weight and tender crumb; use a gluten-free 1:1 blend if needed.
- Almond flour: Blanched almond flour adds softness and nutty notes; pulse in blender to remove lumps.
- Cornstarch: Absorbs extra moisture from jam swirl to prevent soggy center; sift beforehand to dodge lumps.
- Baking powder: Check it’s fresh for proper rise; whisk into dry mix to evenly distribute lift.
- Kosher salt: Fine-grain kosher salt enhances flavors without overpowering; weigh for consistency and even seasoning.
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder: Grind crisp berries into fine dust for vivid color and real flavor; strain any seeds for smooth batter.
- Strawberry jam: Seedless jam warms easily into ribbons; let sit at room temperature for smoother swirls.
- White chocolate chips: Good quality chips hold shape; sprinkle after swirling to keep pockets intact.
Recipe Baking Tips
- When freeze-dried powder forms clumps, sift ¼ cup through a fine mesh before whisking dry ingredients to get even berry color distribution.
- If jam pools bottom, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch into ½ cup jam before swirling 20 minutes into baking to limit jam seepage.
- When edges brown too fast, tent foil over pan 20 minutes into baking to prevent overbrowning and preserve sweet center texture.
- For dry blondies, check at 25 minutes into baking and drop bake time by 2 minutes if toothpick comes out dry.
- If batter sticks to parchment, grease sides with 1 teaspoon butter before lining and yield clean edges after cooling for 1 hour.
Serving Suggestions
Serve strawberry blondies alongside cilantro lime rice and air fryer yam fries with roasted thyme cauliflower florets on a platter.
Pair thinly zucchini ribbon salad with lentil tabbouleh to complement cilantro lime rice and yam fries then contrast platable textures.
Use strawberry blondies to create ice cream sandwich bars with lemon gelato and dark chocolate ganache filling on parchment-lined trays.
Turn leftover squares into dessert bite size parfaits with Greek yogurt and fresh berry compote layered in mason jar vessels.
Top strawberry blondies with lemon curd ribbons and toasted almond slivers then arrange squares on oak wood butcher block board.
Drizzle berry coulis alongside coconut cream foam and scatter mint sprigs atop slices then display on stoneware slate platter board.
Recipe variations
- You can use chopped freeze-dried raspberries instead of strawberry powder for a vivid pink swirl and berry taste atop the brown butter of strawberry blondies.
- Add 2 teaspoons lemon zest into the batter along with vanilla extract for a citrus lift that complements strawberry swirl and deep brown butter notes.
- Either almond flour or oat flour can replace half of all-purpose flour to boost nutty flavor and maintain tender crumb in strawberry blondies moist centers.
- If using a 9×9-inch pan instead of 8×8-inch bake 5 minutes longer until set then simply cut warm and serve fresh alongside Gluten-Free Zucchini Brownies.
Save This Recipe!
How to Store?
To keep your strawberry blondies fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Keep lid sealed. Layer parchment sheets between blondies.
Refrigeration: Place cooled blondies in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days. Use parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
Freezing: Wrap blondies in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer bag up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Toasted Coconut Marshmallows
- Chocolate Peanut Clusters
- Boston Creme Donuts
- Lemon Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies
A strawberry blondie is a moist, buttery blondie made with lemon zest and freeze-dried strawberry powder, then topped with white chocolate chips.
Using brown sugar and vanilla extract instead of cocoa powder, chocolate, and granulated sugar makes a blondie different from a brownie.
A blondie is made of brown sugar, vanilla extract, butter, eggs, and flour; it contains no cocoa or melted chocolate and bakes chewy, fudgy.
Yes. Blondies are supposed to be gooey and chewy in the middle—don’t overbake them or they’ll turn dry.
If you enjoyed this Homemade strawberry blondies with a twist or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I appreciate taking time to read about this recipe, thank you!
