These cranberry walnut blondies are soft, thick, chewy, and crazy delicious. They're loaded with unsweetened dried cranberries and raw walnuts. You might have a hard time believing this, but they're gluten free, paleo, and refined sugar free!!
I've been wanting to develop a paleo, gluten free blondie recipe for a while now, and the story behind this one is kind of funny. I originally wanted to make gluten-free blondies with blueberries, but while testing the recipe I wrote up, everything just kept going wrong. So, I started looking around my kitchen for other ingredients I could use in a blonde brownie recipe. I landed on dried cranberries and walnuts, two ingredients that I was using in a salad I'd been eating all week for lunch. And so, this recipe was born! And it turned out better than I ever imagined!!
These paleo and gluten-free blondies have everything you could ever want in a blondie. They're thick as heck, soft, chewy, sweet, and packed with mix-ins. The magic though: they're healthy!! No refined sugars or grains in these babies! Another great part about this recipe is that there is no mixer or any other fancy equipment required. They're the easiest little treats to make!
What are Blondies?
Blondies are sometimes called blonde brownies. What's the difference between a blondie and a brownie? While they both have a gooey, fudgy, and chewy texture, blondies are made without cocoa powder. The taste of a blondie is more vanilla-y and almost like butterscotch. They're also lighter in color than brownies because of the lack of cocoa powder, hence the nickname "blonde brownies"!
The great thing about blondies is that they are super easy to make just like brownies are. They're the ultimate crowd pleaser!
Ingredients to Make Cranberry Walnut Blondies
You only need 9 ingredients to make delicious paleo gluten-free blondies! This is a cranberry walnut blondie recipe, but you can use whatever add-ins you have on hand that are suitable for the paleo diet. Some ideas are paleo chocolate chips, pecans, coconut, and chia seeds. The possibilities are endless! Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Coconut oil
- Coconut sugar
- Paleo flour (I like Bob's Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour)
- Eggs (pasture-raised is best)
- Baking soda
- Pure vanilla extract (2 inch vanilla bean for paleo)
- Kosher salt
- Unsweetened dried cranberries and raw walnuts (or whatever add-ins you like)
How to Make Perfect Cranberry Walnut Blondies
- Do not, I repeat, do NOT over mix your batter!!! I know how tempting it is, but you have to resist! Over mixing the batter will cause your gluten-free blondies to become dense and tough. You want to mix until everything is just barely combined.
- Line and grease your baking pan so that the cranberry walnut blondies will be easy to remove when they finish baking. Stuck blondies are sad blondies.
- Do not over bake your blondies. There is truly nothing worse than a dry blondie! To achieve the soft and chewy blondies of your dreams, take them out of the oven when they appear set on the sides but still gooey and slightly underbaked in the middle. The blondies will continue cooking as they cool, becoming perfectly baked.
- Make sure your blondies cool completely before you cut into them. Also, make sure they are cool before storing them in an airtight container on the counter.
Cranberry Walnut Blondies FAQ
How Long Will Blondies Keep?
They will keep for about 3-5 days. You can store your paleo blondies in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator.
Can I Make Them Vegan?
Yes, you can! Just substitute flax eggs in for the eggs. To make flax eggs, combine 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds (otherwise known as flax meal) with 5 tablespoons of water. Let the egg thicken and come to room temperature. Then, you can add it to the recipe!
Got Anymore Yummy Healthy Dessert Recipes?
Oh, you know it!! They're not all "healthy" per se, but they are allergy-friendly. Here are some recipes you should check out:
- Gluten Free Lemon Lavender Cupcakes
- Chocolate Peppermint Bliss Balls (vegan and gluten free)
- Healthy Apple Crisp Bars (gluten free, refined sugar free)
Cranberry Walnut Blondies: Paleo and Gluten Free
These cranberry walnut blondies are so thick, soft, and chewy, you might not believe they are paleo, gluten free, and healthy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 2 cups coconut sugar
- 2 cups paleo flour
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or 2 inch vanilla bean, scraped)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
- ½ cup raw walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the paleo flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the coconut sugar, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk gently until well combined.
- Slowly begin to add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, ⅓ at a time. Mix with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries and walnuts.
- Transfer the blondie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until the sides are set and the middle is still slightly gooey. When testing the doneness with the toothpick test, a few moist crumbs should be left on the toothpick.
- Let gluten-free blondies cool completely before slicing into 9 pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
You can store your paleo blondies in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator. They will keep for about 3-5 days.
While these blondies are paleo and a healthier alternative to traditional blondies, they are not low in calories.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 572Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 346mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 2gSugar: 49gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is approximate and not always accurate.
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