These rich Chocolate Chip Blondies with Cashew Butter will be your favorite easy fix when a sweet craving hits! With the perfect combination of creamy nut butter and chocolate chips, these blondies are sweetened with pure maple syrup and are gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and Paleo.
Any Pippin fans out there? An unlikely intro to a paleo treat recipe post, but, for some reason editing photos led to the song “Corner of the Sky” popping into my head after at least 10 years of dormancy.
I just linked to the original version, but was pleasantly surprised to find through my Google search that there was a broadway revival in 2013. Where the heck have I been? Well, a little obsessed with running and paleo as my blog would suggest. I was introduced to the show in 6th grade, and, although I’m still in some ways trying to find my corner, wherever it may be I’m sure as hell taking these incredible paleo chocolate chip blondies with me!
I love how thinking in song lyrics is the only way to think sometimes. That all those little sound bites that your brain has collected over the years actually mean something and pop up when you least expect it, in order to communicate something to you. Is this blog my corner of the sky? I have a feeling that I’m the type of person who will always feel the itch to search for more, new, or better. That said I think if you’re that type, a blog is a pretty perfect place to do all of those things!
Um, where was I? I somehow got caught up with trying to find the meaning of my existence again, pardon me for that. You’ll love these blondies, trust me, you will. Paleo or not they’re just good, and you can use your favorite creamy nut butter so don’t feel tied down to the cashew.
These sweet, fudgey, nut buttery bars were very much kid and husband approved – heck, Adam even suggested that I should start selling my baked goods after trying these. I mean I obviously told him he was insane for thinking I had time, energy, or interest in doing such a thing, since most days I struggle just to get everyone in our own family fed. But still, the blondies and I took it as a compliment 🙂
Chocolate Chip Cashew Butter Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 cup creamycashew butter or a preferred creamy nut butter
- 1/4 cup grade A dark amberpure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 blanched almond flour - use 1 cup if you want cakier texture
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- generous pinch fine grain sea salt
- 1/3 cup Enjoy Life brand dark chocolate chips or preferred brand
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8x8 inch baking dish with coconut oil all over, or line with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl combine the egg, cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla, and beat well until smooth.
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Add the almond flour, baking soda, and salt and mix to fully combine into a thick, sticky batter. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips evenly.
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Transfer the entire mixture to the prepared baking dish (you'll need to scrape the bowl!) and using a piece of wax paper or parchment paper, press the mixture down evenly into the baking dish (the wax or parchment paper helps because it will be sticky)
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Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown, do not overbake!
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Let cool completely before cutting into squares and serving!
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Enjoy!
Do songs or song lyrics pop into your head to tell you something?
Favorite nut butter? Chunky or smooth?
Have you found your corner of the sky?
The Cookie ChRUNicles says
I always end up with a song in my head! I am loving Trader Joe’s Crunchy with chia seed and flax even more than my usual Peanut Butter & Co. Crunch time at the moment. It’s just so good 🙂
Michele says
I need a trip to TJs soon, it’s been too long!
SuzLyfe says
Pippin is actually coming to Chicago! You should come and see it. Les Miz and Aida lyrics have a tendency of ear worming their way into my days. Actually, there are quite a few musicals like that for me.
On the subject of these blondies, they look magnificent. And cashew butter is my FAVE. Have a great weekend!
Michele says
Les Mis is probably my all time favorite and the soundtrack will play in my head often. So cool about Pippin! I wasn’t sure anyone would know what I was talking about 🙂
Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine says
Looks delicious! I will definitely be trying these out. I made something similar last weekend, but it was supposed to have coconut oil and I had run out and not realized it, so I used regular butter instead so they didnt turn out as good. But they didnt have any nut butter and I think that would make all the difference!
Michele says
I think since it’s just a tbsp butter would be fine if that’s all you have! These are pretty forgiving, I made them twice and this version was better, but the first was really good too 🙂
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
These look soooooooooo good! Like a batch of cookie dough bars 😀 And I’d have to go with almond as my favourite nut butter, but that’s mostly because it’s the one that gives me the least trouble with my allergies. Peanut is out for sure, and the rest are kind of iffy.
Michele says
Yes, definitely a cookie dough quality 🙂 Almond is the golden standard I think!
Jamie says
Love this! Thank you for sharing the recipe : ) I can’t wait to try it!! I’m a smooth nut butter kind of girl… Almond will always be my favorite, but I love cashew when I’m mixing it up! Hope you have a fabulous day : )
Michele says
I have to go smooth, for some reason the chunks in the crunchy kind bother me! Have a great weekend 🙂
Skinny Fitalicious says
I thought I was the only person who knew of Pippin! I was the student director for it in high school. I love cashew in baked goods! So creamy!!!
Michele says
I wish we were friends in real life! Wasn’t sure anyone would know what I was talking about 🙂
Kim says
Cannot wait to try these–look SO GOOD.
Michele says
Hope you like them!
suzysuzyheather says
Shut Up and Dance! 🙂 I love cashew butter. These look incredible! Happy weekend Michele!
Michele says
Yes, I remember you’re a cashew fan! Now that I think of it it’s probably in too many of my recipes, must branch out!
misszippy1 says
Love blondies! Very excited to give this recipe a try.
Michele says
Hope you do, and that you like it 🙂
Strength and Sunshine says
You had me with the cashew butter <3
I really can't pick my favorite nut butter….it's to hard! And I love smooth and crunchy, salted and unsalted, flavored and unflavored. As long as it's a nut…in butter form, I'm a fan!
Michele says
Haha good point, I’m not saying I hate any of them 😉 There is something about the flavor of cashew though that I really love, sweet and sort of delicate, yum 🙂
Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment says
I am a huge musical buff, but Pippin is one I haven’t seen yet. These blondies look delicious. I agree with you – selling your treats would be a ton of work! Some days it’s enough just getting myself fed. Happy Friday!
Michele says
There is no way I’m up for selling food, that’s for sure 🙂 Sharing recipes itself is a lot of work! Have a great weekend 🙂
tara says
Yes…pippin won the tony as best revival. i have season tickets to broadway in cleveland and we saw pippin in april. i really liked it. also loved kinky boots this year. In NYC we are going to see Hedwig next weekend and i anticipate loving that too ! i am so type a accountant that i have such an appreciation for the arts and theater. when i grow up i wanna be on broadway…it could still happen…right ?
Michele says
LOL I have the same thought about being on Broadway one day. I think one day has past so now my bathroom will have to do 🙂
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
Hubba Hubba!!! Blondies are the BOMB!
Michele says
Yup, delish!
runwiki says
Delicious! I love Cashew butter! Pinning!
Michele says
Awesome, thanks!
Sneha says
haha.. 🙂 awesome. one. 🙂
Morgan @ Managing Mommyhood says
I was in choir for 12 (?!) years in school so I think in lyrics a LOT more than I would like to admit.. anyway, these are on my new agenda of thing I must make now..good thing I have a care package to send to my brother because I think I would eat this whole tray..
Michele says
Thinking in lyrics is just plain fun 🙂 Hope you make these and enjoy!
Sue @ This Mama Runs For Cupcakes says
I’m an almond butter girl. These look amazing and I can’t wait to try them!
Michele says
Thanks! Hope you like them 🙂
runningyourbody says
Michelle these look ridiculously amazing! I can’t wait to try these out. I have celiac disease and have long been good on the GF diet, but am going to go on the low FODMAPS diet now and am very thankful for your resources to get some good recipes! A million thanks.
Michele says
Glad you’ve found the low FODMAP resources helpful! It’s tricky but the more I experiment the more I get a handle on eating and cooking this way. My earlier recipes were so heavy on garlic and onions but many of my recent ones are low in FODMAPS, with the occasional honey and cashew thrown in. I actually find those don’t seem to bother me, still learning 🙂
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says
Sometimes I think my mind is one never ending giant playlist. There’s always song lyrics running around up there.
These bars look amazing. I may have to give them a whirl.
Jillie says
I always have a soundtrack playing in my head! I don’t know what silence is anymore. These blondies look delicious – and you posted it in time since I just whipped up some cashew butter in my house!
Michele says
Nice! I’ve never made homemade nut butter, that has to change!
Becky says
I read your blog regularly but never comment. However, I made these brownies last night and had to tell you that they were a big hit with my family. Even my 7 year old daughter (who can usually tell when a treat is a healthier version), gobbled them up. Victory!
Thanks for all the recipe and running inspiration you provide. I’m hoping I can lace up my running shoes again soon. I have a 6 week old baby and can’t wait to get back out there!
Michele says
That’s awesome, so happy to hear it! My loved them too and asked me to make more a couple of times 🙂 good luck getting started up again with running, take it nice and easy!
cookiesnchem says
Yummy! I make something similar with peanut butter and it always shocks people with how delicious they are 🙂 Thanks for sharing your cashew butter version. Now I have to get my hands on some cashew buttah!
Michele says
I love cashew butter for baking – texture is great!
cookiesnchem says
Awesome. I’ve heard the flavour is nice and mild so it doesn’t overpower anything, which is fantastic!
Michele says
Totally, you can sort of give it whatever flavor you want 🙂
Michelle says
How should I store these? Loved this recipe so much!!
Michele says
Covered and kept in the refrigerator is best. Glad you like them!