Snickerdoodle Blondies

Who needs brownies when you have Snickerdoodle Blondies?  

When I first started frequenting baking sites a few years ago, I was bombarded with recipes for Blondies.  I had no idea what the hell they were.  And since most contained coconut or tree nuts, I sort of passed them by without giving them much thought.  But then last week I had a pathetic Eureka! moment when I realized that blondies are -- and brace yourself for this -- brownies without chocolate.  Get it?  Blondies?  What a shocking revelation.  I like to think the concept was just so unexciting that my brain didn't want to make the connection.  Because what's a brownie without the chocolate?  Pointless, that's what.

But I figured there was no harm in trying them anyhow.  I posted on twitter asking for favourite recipes, and searched some of my best resources.  I had some great responses and now have a few recipes to try in the future. 

Since I recently discovered Snickerdoodles, I knew they might be able to win me over to the blondie side. So I settled on making Snickerdoodle blondies.

I admit: they won me over.  They're dense and chewy with the perfect hint of spice.  They're basically like eating a giant, thick Snickerdoodle, which is fine by my standards.  And although I didn't have any nutmeg (a problem that will never happen again), they were delicious without.

Snickerdoodle Blondie Recipe

Adapted from The Crepes of Wrath

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and/or line a 9×13 inch pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be somewhat cookiebatter-ish, so it’s best to spread it out with a greased spatula or your hands). Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting. Makes 20-24 bars.