Bacon-Date Whole-Grain Blondies
This whole-grain bacon (yes, bacon!) and date blondie recipe has half the amount of brown sugar and butter as a traditional recipe and is made with 100% whole-wheat flour. The results: scrumptious toffee-flavored treats with fewer calories and less added sugars per serving. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2015
Ingredients
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing it to slightly overhang opposite edges. Coat with cooking spray.
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Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling often, until fragrant and starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in brown sugar; let cool for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
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Whisk eggs and vanilla into the cooled butter mixture until well combined. Add the flour mixture in two additions, gently folding until just combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons each dates and bacon; fold the remaining dates and bacon into the batter. Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the reserved dates and bacon on top.
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Bake the blondies until light brown around the edges, 18 to 22 minutes. They will appear slightly underbaked in the center; but will firm up as they cool. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours. To cut, grab the overhanging parchment or foil and transfer the whole batch to a cutting board, then cut into 24 bars.
Tips
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and store airtight for up to 3 days; freeze for up to 3 months.
Try white whole-wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour in baked goods. It's made from hard white wheat berries, which makes it lighter in color and flavor than regular whole-wheat flour, but with the same nutritional properties. Look for it near other whole-grain flours. For the best flavor, store it airtight in the freezer.
To Cut Perfect Bars: Grab the overhanging parchment or foil and transfer the whole batch to a cutting board, then cut into bars.
Nutrition Facts
1/2 starch, 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat