Coconut Blondies

Coconut Blondies - made June 25, 2020 from Shutterbean

Still going through my blondie bar phase. All these bar cookies were going in care packages as fast as I could bake, cool, cut and vacuum seal them. I and the rest of the Soldiers Angels Angel Baker team were trying to get baked goods out to every service member who had signed up and had a mail stop date coming up in the very near future. The window was closing to mail out to ensure the packages would arrive in time so I put on the turbo boost of bar cookie baking.

This was one of them. I'm not fond of nuts in baked goods but, as I have to remind myself, I'm not the one eating these and not everyone has the same prejudice I do about it. This recipe made a 9 x 13 pan so I knew I could get enough bar cookies out of them to supply 2-3 care packages.

Whenever you bake with nuts, toast them first to bring out their flavor. In culinary school, our chef instructors always said if the nuts are going inside the dessert, toast first before adding. If they're going on the outside, no need to toast as they will toast during baking. As with many other things in life, I chose to ignore that instruction and I toast the nuts regardless of whether they're baked on the inside or outside. I prefer the taste and texture of toasted pecans (and almonds) in particular to feel just fine ignoring professional advice about it.

As you'd expect in a blondie, this was sweet with just the right brown sugar overtones. The coconut adds great chewiness but it really is the toasted pecans (ha) that add both an additional crunch but also cuts the sweetness of the bar cookie.

If the top is getting too brown but the blondies aren't done yet, lightly cover with foil when the top has reached the desired color, usually just past the halfway mark.

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and cooled
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Measure brown sugar into mixing bowl and pour melted butter over it. Mix to combine. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture in two additions, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined.
4. Stir in pecans and 1 1/2 cups coconut. Spread batter into prepared pan, smoothing top into an even layer. Sprinkle remaining coconut on top. Bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.