Tart cranberries, white and dark chocolate chunks, and toasty pecans all wrapped up in a chewy chestnut flour cookie dough make these gluten-free chestnut cranberry blondies a festive wintertime (or anytime) treat.
Remember when the winter holidays used to mean time off from school, trips to the snow, presents upon presents, and extra helpings of dessert? As a grown-up, the holidays make me more stressed out and anxious than any other time of the year. It's as though every task I've been procrastinating over the previous year has finally come home to roost. I feel like I've been bouncing from project to project without getting much of anything done. I'm a poor multi-tasker and much more happy and productive when I have a little time and space for deep breaths, self-care, and hikes in the woods, i.e. NOT around the holidaze. When December comes knocking, I'd just as soon hide under the duvet stress-eating cookies until January.
Speaking of dessert therapy, I have about 10 recipes that I've wanted to share with you this month, but instead of spending every day baking to my heart's content, other adulting duties called. I'll have to be patient and wait until 2018, which is just around the corner (that thought makes me want to reach for another blondie!). Among the recipes swirling around my head and kitchen (and stomach) are: a delicious punch with some unexpected flavors, a boozy chocolate bundt cake, a moist brown sugar apple cake, a few other chocolatey cookies, and a cozy, spiced coffee drink (that isn't pumpkin spice latte).
But for now, here's a cranberry blondie recipe I whipped up last year on New Years Eve to bring to a party. I adapted the recipe from these gluten-free congo bars laced with rum and coconut (and if you don't happen to have chestnut flour laying around, I recommend giving the congo bars a go!) The cranberry blondies were a huge hit, and I've been waiting all year to share them.
Chestnut flour can be a bit tough to find but it's well worth tracking down or ordering a bag online. It's not the cheapest of flours, but a little goes a long way. Its consistency is especially soft and fine, almost like wheat flour, but it gets a sweet, smoky flavor from chestnuts dried over a fire and then ground to a powder. Here it enhances the butterscotch notes of brown sugar and butter in the blondies. Cranberries bake into tart, jammy pockets that offset the sweet richness of two kinds of chocolate and toasted pecans.
I can't think of a more festive way to celebrate this season. Now how about another helping of dessert? I NEED IT.
More Blondies and Brownies:
- Gluten-Free Blondie Recipe
- Chocolate Cherry Skillet Blondie + Vanilla Bourbon Frozen Yogurt {Gluten-Free}
- Baked Almond Pulp Brownies {free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar}
- Hazelnut No-Bake Brownies {gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free}
- (Gluten-Free!) Bittersweet Whiskey Brownies
*Thanks for reading! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make these gluten-free chestnut cranberry blondies, I’d love to see! Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Chestnut Cranberry Blondies {gluten-free}
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 3/4 cup (95 g) pecans
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, melted and warm
- ¾ cup (155 g) packed organic light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (50 g) sweet white rice flour
- 1/3 cup (40 g) chestnut flour
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) tapioca flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (2 ounces / 60 g) bittersweet (70% cacao mass) chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup (2 ounces) white chocolate (I like Green and Black’s) coarsely chopped
- ½ cup (50 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
- ½ ounce (15 g) each melted white and dark chocolate, for drizzling
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350º. Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper on the bottom and all sides.
- Spread the pecans on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove and let cool, then break or chop into coarse pieces.
- Place the brown sugar in a large bowl and stir in the warm melted butter, then whisk in the egg and vanilla. Place a strainer over the bowl and sift in the sweet rice, chestnut, and tapioca flours with the baking powder and salt. Stir to combine, then stir vigorously for a few seconds; this will help the blondies hold together better when baked. Stir in the nuts, dark and white chocolates, and cranberries. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and spread evenly; it will be a fairly thin layer.
- Bake the blondies until puffed, golden, shiny and slightly cracked on top, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few crumbs, 20-30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature (or chill until firm, 1 hour, for cleaner cuts). Use the parchment handles to remove the blondies from the pan and onto a wire rack. Drizzle with the melted chocolate. Once the chocolate has set, cut into 16 squares.
- The blondies are best the day they are made, but will keep, in an airtight container at cool room temperature or (better yet) refrigerated, for several days.
Notes
Nutrition
Asha Shivakumar says
These look bomb Alanna. I might bake it with the boys sooner than later. And wow, 10 recipes!!!! Can't wait. Your recipes are always on point.
Have a lovely week my dear.
xo
Alanna says
Aw, thanks Asha! You're the sweetest. <3
Angela says
That gravity defying tower of blondies has my name on it! These are such a lovely flavour combination.
Alanna says
Haha, thanks Angela!
Donna in Inwood says
Very pretty. I would like to try, especially as I have a bag of chestnut flour that I would like to use up (and some cranberries....) However one ingredient is problematic for me, the sweet rice flour. I have many grain-free flours in my pantry, all with different properties. Maybe one would be a suitable sub for the rice flour? How about arrowroot powder? It has some natural stickiness, while still being gluten free. I also work with cassava, coconut and almond flour, potato starch, and flax seed meal (somewhat gelatinous). think any of those might work? thx
Alanna says
Hi Donna, I feel you! I would probably try a mix of arrowroot powder or cassava/tapioca and regular white or brown rice flour. Those other flours you mentioned have very different properties so you may have to experiment if you prefer to use them instead. :)
Donna in Inwood says
ok thanks.
Jennifer in Idaho says
Here's the thing about rice . . . It happens to be the one grain that absorbs arsenic from the soil. Please research this online. Thus, continued use of rice can cause a build-up of arsenic, a known carcinogen [causes cancer] in the body. It's a Bummer, I hated learning this.
Alanna says
That's exactly why I use a blend of alternative flours, to minimize my rice flour intake. :)
Trish Shobert says
Wow! Are these ever good, or as my husband said, “Decadent!” I have tried a number of your recipes and they are always so good. I actually found your blog through a link and was pleasantly surprised to find you are part of gff magazine. I subscribe and enjoy it thoroughly. I’ve also made recipes from the magazine that I now know are yours. Consistently top notch! I’d love to see you have separate categories under your comments to include whether someone has actually made the recipe. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes - thank you for your excellent work!
Alanna says
Thanks so much for trying these blondies - I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Not many readers brave chestnut flour, so kudos! If you're a fan, there are more chestnut flour recipes in my book too!
I love knowing that you've made recipes from GFF that were mine. Which ones if I may ask?
That's a really smart idea for the comments. Have you seen that on other sites? I'd love to know how it would work!
Trish says
I have made your cherry chestnut chocolate chip cookies (whoa!) and your banana teff cake with chocolate ganache - so good! Next I hope to try the teff buttermilk pancakes. So many recipes, so little time ;-) Your photography is beautiful and a great way to entice someone to try your recipes. It drew me in! I have seen the separate categories of reply on the minimalist baker site and find it’s a quicker way to determine if I want to try a recipe and/or modifications. Thank you again for excellent work.
Alanna says
Ah, I'll check out Minimalist Baker's comment structure - that sounds really helpful! I'm so glad you're enjoying my recipes! Thanks a bunch for the sweet note. :)
Lena says
Hi Alanna, these are delicious and were a huge hit at work today! Any chance this recipe could be doubled??
Thanks so much, I can't keep up with all your great recipes 😆
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked them!! I think doubling the recipe and baking in a 9x12 or 13 pan should work great. Please let me know how they turn out!
Lena says
Thanks! I will try and let you know. I will definitely be making them again soon😀
Alanna says
Perfect, please do!
Lena says
Happy New Year Alanna! I made these blondies yesterday in a 9 by 13 pan doubling all ingredients. I baked them for about 45 minutes. They were as good as the first batch! Thanks again 😍
Alanna says
Ahh that's wonderful! I'm so glad you like them. :D
Tara says
Alanna,
I was wondering if I would be able to use this recipe in place of the brownie batter in your bourbon pumpkin cheesecake brownies - in an attempt to make pumpkin cheesecake blondies. Do you think it would work?
Alanna says
Ooooh I LOVE that idea! I would leave out the cranberries otherwise I'm worried the batter might be too wet. And I'm not sure how this firmer batter will swirl with the cream cheese. But I bet it would be tasty, whatever happens?!
Tara says
Thank you! I will plan on giving it a try without the cranberries. Every recipe of yours is fantastic, and I wish I could try them all! I would also love to make these just as they are sometime in the near future.
Lena says
Hi Alanna, just posted about your delicious Paleo Lemon Cake, now I have a question about these chestnut cranberry blondies. I have made these in the past and loved them. I do not have any chestnut flour at the moment (tried Ladd Hill and they are sold out). I see you posted in the recipe that oat flour may work. I was curious if you have tried any substitutions since you posted the recipe? I would really like to make them for Thanksgiving. Thanks so much!
Alanna says
Hi Lena! I'm so glad you love this recipe! I haven't tested this exact version with oat flour in place of chestnut flour, but I make my classic gluten-free blondies with 1/2 c sweet rice, 1/4 c oat flour, and 2 T tapioca flour. So I think subbing oat flour for the chestnut flour will work, you'll just want to sub by weight or add a little extra oat flour since it weighs lighter than chestnut flour and can be less absorbent. If you have any teff flour on hand, I think that would work well too. Please let me know what you try!
Lena says
Hi Alanna, happy healthy holidays!
I'm making these again! I finally got more chestnut flour, oat works too I'm happy to say. I'm gifting these blondies to a friend who also loves ginger, do you think crystallized ginger would work here along with everything else?
Alanna says
I think that would be utterly divine! Please let me know how it turns out. Happy healthy holidays to you too!
Lena says
Hi Alanna, the ginger addition was quite nice! I only added 20 gms as I didn't want to overpower them the first time around. I made 3 batches today to share for the holidays. Thank you so much for the quick reply!
Alanna says
Oh wow, you were quick! I hope they are very loved by their recipients!