Banana Blondies with Bourbon
May 19, 2017
In the house are moist and creamy Bourbon Banana Blondies. The intense banana flavour comes from over-ripe bananas that have developed a sweet liquor along the underside of the peel. The liquor when baked with melted butter and brown sugar tastes like banana butterscotch. Add bourbon to the batter and the flavours intensify. These cookies cut into bars, or squares. But I like eating my Banana Blondies torn off the corner of an uncut square just out of the oven. I have no restraint when it comes to banana flavour.
The texture of this Banana Blondie is completely in your control. This recipe calls for a touch of baking powder to give the Blondie a bit of lift. In the oven, the pecans toast, and the batter rises to a soft crumb. If you prefer a super dense, fudge? blondie, omit the baking powder. Either way, all blondie recipes use melted butter and brown sugar because these ingredients together produce moisture that doesn’t bake-off. The blondie? will feel soft and creamy in your mouth. You’ll love the outcome. Bake them today and leave me your comments. I’d love to hear about your experiences with this recipe.
I’ve adapted this recipe from the classic Smitten Kitchen recipe. I’ve reduced the sugar and bourbon and added baking powder.
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Ingredients
- 1 stick 113 4 ounces unsalted, butter melted and browned
- 2/3 cups 163.5 grams 5.75 ounces light brown sugar, packed or dark brown sugar (178.5 grams)
- 1 large 1 large 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon bourbon or other whiskey you have on hand
- 1 1/4 cup 153 grams 5.4 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 75 grams 2.5 ounces pecans or walnuts (divided in half)
- 113 grams 4 ounces banana, very black, over-ripe
Instructions
Mise en Place the Banana Blondies
- What is mise en place and how could it benefit you? See The Finer Cookie’s post How to Mise en Place.
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Prepare an 8″ x 8″ square pan with butter or vegetable shortening.
- Cut a piece of parchment 8″ x 8″ to line to the bottom of the pan. Butter it too, then dust the pan with flour.
- Melt and brown the butter in a small saucepan. Let cool. Browning the butter will make an enormous difference in the flavour of your Banana Blondies.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, a hand mixer or in a large bowl for a wooden spoon, measure the brown sugar and set aside.
- Measure the flour, salt, baking powder into a small bowl and combine well. Click here for best weighing and measuring practices.
- Measure the pecans or walnuts and set aside.
- Set your egg near your workspace.
- Set your vanilla, bourbon near your workspace.
- Measure and mash your over-ripe banana and set aside.
Assemble your Banana Blondies
- Pour the melted and browned butter over the brown sugar and mix thoroughly.
- Add 1 egg. Mix very well to combine. See how to crack and separate eggs.
- Note that the batter will be very thin.
- Add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- The add 1/2 the nuts to the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly in your pan.
- Sprinkle the other half of the nuts over top of the unbaked batter.
Bake the Blondies 350F for 20-25 minutes
- Bake the Blondies at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Under baking them slightly will keep them moist and creamy. For a cake-like blondie, bake for a few extra minutes.
- Cool on a rack. Cut into 1″ squares, and enjoy.
- Store in an air tight container at room temperature.
