Cherry Bakewell Blondies (Vegan)

Blondies, with a twist! These vegan Bakewell blondies are soft and chewy, with a slightly crispy top finished with a cherry jam swirl and flaked almonds. They’re really easy to make and require no more than ten ingredients.

If you love blondies or anything frangipane, I’m sure you’ll love this slice. All you’ll need is one bowl and 15 minutes to put it together. They’re best made the day before as they need time to set and cool for that blondie texture we all love.

What’s a Bakewell blondie?

A Bakewell blondie is a type of dessert that combines the flavours of a traditional Bakewell tart with the texture of a blondie.

A Bakewell tart is a classic British pastry with a shortcrust pastry shell filled with layers of jam and frangipane and is often topped with flaked almonds (or icing). It’s known for its rich almond flavour and the combination of a crisp pastry base with a soft, moist filling.

The Bakewell blondie typically features a rich, buttery blondie base infused with almond extract and topped with cherry jam and flaked almonds. This creates a balance of almond and cherry flavours with a slight caramel undertone. Who wouldn’t love that?!

What’s the difference between a blondie and a brownie?

If you’ve never had blondies but are a fan of brownies, think of these as their more interesting cousin. They have the same texture but are more like frangipane and cherry slices.

Brownies use cacao and chocolate chips, whereas a classic blondie uses brown sugar for a caramel-flavoured base. The base is quite plain, making it easy to combine with a variety of toppings and flavours. You’ll often see them incorporate nuts, or choc chips (white and normal).

What makes these so good?

They will easily win you over because they’re:

• Chewy and soft with a slightly crispy top
• They’re easy to make. Making them a great recipe to keep handy when you want something delicious but don’t have much time.
• You’ll only require one-bowl to make them. Less dishes, win-win!
• It only requires 45 minutes to make the blondies, with only 15 minutes of that being active time.
• They’re freezer-friendly, so you can always save some for another day when you’re craving a sweet treat or have last-minute guests.
• Ten ingredients are all that’s required to put them together. Most of which you probably already have in the pantry.
• They’re perfect for sharing!

Tips for making the best vegan blondies

• Mixing Wet Ingredients: When mixing the wet ingredients, make sure that they are fully combined. If they are not fully blended, the oil can separate mid-baking. This step is best done with an electric hand mixer to ensure the ingredients are really well incorporated. This also helps to dissolve the brown sugar that contributes to the crust. If you don’t have an electric hand mixer, just use a large whisk and mix vigorously until it’s combined.
• Baking Time: Be careful not to overbake them, as you’ll just end up with a dense slice, and that’s not what we’re making. It’s not the worst thing that can happen, but it just won’t be a blondie. A blondie gets its name due to its texture and slightly underbaked gooeyness. When taken out of the oven, they need to have a slight wobble in the middle. They will continue to bake as they cool. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on them.
• No Butter Required: Many other recipes (vegan or not) call for butter; I chose to use oil instead because it’s more accessible and easier to work with (there’s no need to melt it, then bring it to room temperature as you do with butter). The texture is the same; the only difference is you won’t get that ‘buttery’ flavour.
• Mixing Technique: Don’t overmix the blondie batter; it should be just combined to keep the texture moist. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mix until you don’t see any flour streaks in the batter.
• Baking Dish Size: I used an 8×8-inch cake tin for this recipe, so if you use a different size baking dish your baking time will slightly vary as they will be thinner or thicker. Just make sure that they are baked enough in the middle as otherwise they will sink as they cool and be underbaked. Your best test is to wobble the tin and the centre should wobble a little. If they haven’t set once completely cooled, they are underbaked.

Variations

The variations for this recipe are endless. You can change things up by simply swapping the toppings for whatever you like! If you want to keep it along the Bakewell flavours, you can try raspberry or strawberry jam instead. Vegan white chocolate chips can also be a nice addition if you want them sweeter.

If you want to take it to the next level, you can also drizzle a simple water icing over the top or simply dust them with some icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar).

The almond extract enhances the frangipane flavour. However, it is optional and can be left out if you’d like a more subtle almond flavour in the blondies.

Storage

Always allow the blondies to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Once cooled, I would let them set in the fridge for at least an hour to help with cutting them.

They can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-friendly container or bag for up to two months.

Other recipes you’ll also love:

1. No-Bake Choc Coconut Slice
2. 3-Ingredient Chocolate Puffed Rice Slice
3. Rose and Chocolate Raw Slice
4. Raw Vegan Zesty Lemon Slice

If you try this blondie recipe, let me know! I would love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest. 

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