How to Make my BILLIONAIRE BLUEBERRY BLONDIES by Cleo Coyle (2024)

With blueberry season in full swing, my husband (and partner in crime-writing) asked me to bake up a pan of these babies this week.Marc thought I should call themMondies. They are, after all, a cross between aMuffinand aBlondie.Frankly, I preferBluffin.

My Blueberry Blondies have...

(A.)The cozy familiarity of a blueberry muffin, but with...

(B.)Delicious caramel and butterscotch background notes (from the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla), and a...

(C.) Slightly chewy texture and crusty top reminiscent of a true blondie, even more so after they've cooled completely. They're also...

HEALTHIFIED!(Well, somewhat, anyway.)

An 8-inch square pan of blondies would typically call for 1 whole stick (8 T.) of butter. I’m using only 3 T. butter and including plenty of blueberries, a superfood that offers nutrition and fiber.I also use mostly brown sugar, which has a tad more nutrition value than white.

Once strained, Norwegian Egg Coffee produces a very pretty (and smooth!) amber-colored beverage. The egg proteins are what make the magic, as they do in today's recipe for Blueberry Blondies. To see my recipe for Norwegian Egg Coffee, click here.

The key to maintaining the chewy texture with less butter is the astringent ingredient (in this case vinegar, but you could also use lemon juice). It interacts with the proteins in the incredible, edible egg (a baker's trick that's been around for years).

To see more egg-protein magic of the culinary variety,click here, and read my post about Norwegian Egg Coffee. The egg helps clarify the brew, and a Norwegian chemist explains it all for us.

May you eat with joyand (slightly) less guilt.

~ Cleo

Billionaire Blondies? Yes!

Cleo Coyle has a partner in crime-writing—her husband. Learn about their books by clickinghereandhere.

A delicious, low-fat cross between a butterscotch blondie and a blueberry muffin, these Blueberry Blondies are a bonus recipe from one of our most popular Coffeehouse Mysteries, Billionaire Blend, in which Clare, our coffeehouse manager and amateur sleuth, saves the life of a high-tech billionaire who hires her to create the most expensive coffee blend on the planet. A dream come true? Maybe not...

Billionaire Blend: A Coffeehouse Mystery by Cleo Coyle

AsClare is pulled deeper into Eric Thorner's world,a mesmerizing circle of cutting-edge luxuries and cutthroat rivalries, she begins to wonder: Is this charming CEO marked for termination? Or is he the one making a killing?

To solve this case, Clare will have to bribe a bomb squad lieutenant; conjure up a menu for a "billionaire's potluck"; fix her daughter's love life; stop a Slayer while working with one; and stay alive while doing it.

To see more of the recipes featured in this (our 13th) culinary mystery from our long-running series, click here.And enjoy today's bonus recipe, which can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries, so you can eat with blueberry joy all year round...

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Cleo Coyle's Blueberry Blondies

Makes one 8-inch square pan of blondies
(In my photo, you see 16 squares)

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar(Do not omit! The vinegar
interacts with the eggs to create the proper texture.)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup white, granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest(grated rind of a lemon,
yellow only, no bitter white pith)

1/4 teaspoon table salt (+ a generous pinch)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1 - Prep oven and pan:Preheat oven to 325° F. Because this is a relatively low fat recipe and blueberries secrete juice as they bake, the best way to prevent sticking is to create a parchment paper sling for your 8-inch square pan(see my photo).

Step 2 – One bowl mixing method:Into a large mixing bowl, break 2 eggs, add the cider vinegar, and whisk well. Add the brown and white sugars, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Add the melted (and cooled!) butter and the baking soda. Whisk again until smooth. Now add the flour and switch to a spoon or spatula, stirring well. (Do not over-mix at this point.) Gently fold in the blueberries, trying not to smash or crush them.

Step 3 – Bake:Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan and bake in your well pre-heated 325° F oven for 30 to 40 minutes (exact time depends on your oven). The low temperature and long cooking time helps with even baking. The pan of blondies is done when the top isdeep golden brownand firmly set. The slight cracking that you see in my photos (the kind you usually find on the top surface of a brownie or blondie) will appear when the blondies are cooled and cut.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before gently lifting by the parchment paper handles. Cut into 16 small squares and...eat with joy!

F o o d i e
Photos

Adding melted (and cooled) butter to the batter.

Batter is thick but loose enough to pour. Be sure to even it out in the pan.