These Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies are a delightful fusion of a nutty brown butter blondie and the sweet, fruity flavor of strawberries and cream. Swirled with strawberry jam, studded with white chocolate chips, and topped with fresh berries, they are a beautiful and delicious treat.
Finished with a vibrant pink glaze made from freeze-dried strawberries, these bars are chewy, buttery, and perfect for spring picnics or Valentine’s Day.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: The nutty depth of browned butter complements the floral sweetness of honey and strawberries, while white chocolate adds a creamy richness.
- Texture: These bars are dense and chewy with pockets of sticky jam, melting chocolate, and soft baked fruit, topped with a smooth glaze.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 25 minutes bake time.
- Difficulty: Easy. Browning the butter adds gourmet flavor with just a few minutes of extra effort.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a 9×13 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper for easy removal. A medium pot is used to brown the butter, and a large bowl is needed for mixing. The ingredients combine wholesome elements like whole wheat pastry flour and honey with indulgent touches like white chocolate and freeze-dried strawberry powder for the icing.
Ingredient Notes
- Salted Butter – You will brown this to create a rich, toffee-like base flavor. Since it is salted, it balances the sweetness of the honey and chocolate perfectly.
- Honey or Light Brown Sugar – Honey adds a unique floral sweetness and keeps the blondies moist, but brown sugar works for a more traditional chew.
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – This flour is lighter than regular whole wheat but adds a nutty flavor and nutrition. All-purpose flour is a direct substitute if you prefer.
- Strawberry Jam – Swirled into the batter, this adds concentrated fruit flavor and moisture.
- White Chocolate Chips – These provide creamy pockets of sweetness that pair beautifully with the tart berries.
- Fresh Strawberries – Sliced and scattered on top, they roast slightly in the oven, becoming jammy and intense.
- Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder – This is the secret to the vibrant pink icing with intense strawberry flavor without adding extra liquid.
- Vanilla Extract – Essential for that bakery-style aroma.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Flour – If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour, use a mix of half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour, or just straight all-purpose flour.
- Fruit – Raspberries are a fantastic alternative to strawberries in this recipe.
- Nuts – Chopped pistachios or macadamia nuts would add a lovely crunch.
- Glaze – If you can’t find freeze-dried powder, you can make a simple vanilla glaze or skip it entirely.
How to Make Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Brown Butter: Add the butter to a medium pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown, swirling occasionally, until it smells toasted and amber specks appear, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Make Batter: Whisk the honey, eggs, and vanilla into the cooled butter. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until just combined.
- Swirl: Add spoonfuls of the strawberry jam to the dough. Sprinkle over the white chocolate chips. Then, gently fold the jam and chocolate into the dough, creating swirls of strawberry jam throughout rather than mixing it in completely.
- Top and Bake: Spread the dough out into the prepared dish. Evenly sprinkle the sliced fresh strawberries over the top of the dough. Bake for 22-25 minutes, just until set in the center. (Do not overbake, or they will be dry).
- Make Icing: To make the icing, mix the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, hot milk, and 3-4 tablespoons of strawberry powder in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add additional milk to thin, as needed, until it reaches a drizzling consistency.
- Finish: Drizzle the pink glaze over the warm or cooled bars. Let set for 5 minutes. Cut into bars, snack, and enjoy!
Pro Tip: When swirling the jam, less is more. Drag your spatula through the batter just a few times. If you overmix, the batter will turn a muddy pink color instead of having distinct, gooey pockets of jam.
Recipe Tips
- Cooling Butter: Make sure to let the brown butter cool for at least 5 minutes before adding the eggs. If it’s too hot, you might accidentally scramble the eggs!
- Strawberry Powder: If you can only find freeze-dried strawberry slices, simply pulse them in a blender or crush them in a bag to make your own powder.
- Checking Doneness: Blondies are best when slightly underbaked. They should look set on the edges but still be soft in the middle. They will firm up as they cool.
FAQs
- Can I use frozen strawberries? It is best to use fresh strawberries for the topping. Frozen berries release too much water and can make the top of the blondies soggy.
- How do I store these? Because of the fresh fruit, store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Can I make this dairy-free? Yes, use vegan butter, dairy-free white chocolate chips, and plant-based milk.
Serving Suggestions
- Tea: Serve these with a cup of herbal tea or iced tea for a lovely afternoon snack.
- Dessert: Warm a blondie slightly and top with vanilla ice cream.
- Brunch: These are wholesome enough (thanks to the whole wheat flour and fruit) to serve as a sweet treat at brunch.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked blondies (without the fresh strawberry slices on top if possible, as they get mushy, but baked in is okay). Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. The glaze may become sticky upon thawing.
- Baking Ahead: Bake the bars a day ahead and glaze them right before serving for the freshest presentation.
Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 15-18 Bars 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies are a delightful fusion of a nutty brown butter blondie and the sweet, fruity flavor of strawberries and cream. Swirled with strawberry jam, studded with white chocolate chips, and topped with fresh berries, they are a beautiful and delicious treat. Finished with a vibrant pink glaze made from freeze-dried strawberries, these bars are chewy, buttery, and perfect for spring picnics or Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients
The Brown Butter Blondie
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup honey (or light brown sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
The Mix-Ins & Topping
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
The Strawberry Glaze
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder
- 1/4 cup hot milk (plus more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Brown Butter
Add the butter to a medium pot over medium heat. Cook: Allow the butter to bubble and brown, swirling occasionally, until it smells toasted and amber specks appear (about 2–3 minutes). Cool: Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Make Batter
Whisk the honey (or sugar), eggs, and vanilla into the cooled butter.
Dry Ingredients
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined.
Swirl
Dollop spoonfuls of strawberry jam onto the dough and sprinkle over the white chocolate chips. Fold: Gently fold the jam and chocolate into the dough just a few times to create swirls (do not mix completely, or the batter will turn muddy).
Bake
Spread the dough into the prepared dish. Top: Evenly sprinkle the sliced fresh strawberries over the top. Cook: Bake for 22–25 minutes, just until set in the center. (Do not overbake; they should remain soft).
Make Icing
In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, powdered sugar, strawberry powder, hot milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk if needed to reach a drizzling consistency.
Finish
Drizzle the pink glaze over the warm or cooled bars. Let set for 5 minutes before cutting.
Notes
The “Swirl” Technique: Less is more when swirling the jam. Drag your spatula through the batter just 2-3 times. distinct, gooey pockets of jam are better than a uniform pink batter.
Cooling Butter: Ensure the browned butter cools for at least 5 minutes before adding the eggs. If it’s boiling hot, you will scramble the eggs!
Strawberry Powder: This ingredient gives the icing a vibrant color and intense flavor without making it watery. If you can only find freeze-dried strawberry slices, simply pulverize them in a blender or crush them in a bag to make your own powder.
Flour Swap: Whole wheat pastry flour adds a nutty flavor that pairs well with the brown butter, but standard all-purpose flour works perfectly as a 1:1 substitute.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Blondies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: strawberry blondies, white chocolate strawberry bars, brown butter recipes, valentine's day desserts, picnic treats, fruit blondies, freeze dried strawberry recipes
