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Before you run, please know that these blondies are the vanilla counterpart to a chocolate brownie recipe that I made with a can of black beans. White bean blondies are dense, fudgey, sweet and full of sweet delicious caramel notes from the honey. You absolutely cannot taste the beans here, I promise!
Yes, we're making another dessert with beans. And no, you will absolutely not be able to taste the beans here! The texture of these blondies is like a cross between a super dense brownie and fudge. They are super sweet, chewy and satisfying.
Like my black bean brownies, we're going to puree everything together in the food processor. This is crucial for making sure no trace of the beans remains--neither texture nor taste.
I love these white bean blondies because they're a high protein snack for my kids. If they don't think that their mom would sneak beans into their dessert by now, are they ever going to figure it out? Just wait until they figure out what's in my chickpea cookie dough, hah!
Ingredients
We're using simple baking ingredients today, plus a can of white beans to make these blondies. While you might expect a healthy dessert that uses beans to be vegan, I have to point out that these white bean blondies rely on butter and an egg to come together. It's essential for the buttery, caramel taste and to create the chewy texture of blondies.
If you're looking for a the best blondies recipe without beans, I linked you to that also. This recipe below is based on that recipe, with less butter because the beans take the place of half of it.
- White Beans. One 15-ounce can of white beans, like navy beans, cannellini beans or anything plain and neutral. I don't recommend lima beans (or butter beans, as we call them around here). The softest (and best) beans for this recipe is a can of navy beans. Great Northern white beans can be a bit too firm and have thicker skins.
- Baking Powder.
- Salt. If you're someone who typically omits salt in baking recipes, please, I beg you not to do that here. We need ¼ teaspoon of salt to balance out the sweet flavors.
- Brown Sugar. Dark brown sugar is best here, because we're relying on the caramel flavors of the molasses in the brown sugar. However, light brown sugar will work.
- Vanilla Extract. Yes, it's really 2 whole teaspoons of vanilla extract in this recipe.
- Butter. We only need half a stick of melted butter, because the beans take the place of some of the butter in this blondie recipe.
- Egg. One large egg; the whole egg--both white and yolk.
- Flour. All-purpose flour that has been fluffed, scooped and leveled in the measuring cup before using.
How to Make White Bean Blondies
You need a food processor or blender to make this recipe. The ingredients need to be perfectly smooth before adding the flour and egg. Here is the food processor I love.
In a food processor (at least a 3-cup model), combine the beans, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, vanilla and melted butter. Puree this mixture until very smooth, at least 1 minute--stop and scrape the sides if necessary.
Next, add the flour and pulse to combine lightly. Finally, add the whole egg and pulse just to combine.
Scrape the mixture (it will be very thick!) into an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper in both directions. Bake at 350-degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
The white bean blondies are done when a toothpick inserted comes out with only a few moist crumbs, but not overly wet batter. Remove the blondies from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Variations on White Bean Blondies
- Beans - Any type of small white beans work for this recipe, but do not use large white beans, like lima or butter beans. Great Northern beans can be a bit too firm, so I really recommend canned navy beans. Cannellini beans are my second choice for this recipe.
- Sugar - Dark brown sugar is great here, but you can also swap it for an equal amount of your favorite honey instead.
- Chocolate - These white bean blondies are even more delicious when sprinkled with chocolate chips or chocolate chunks before baking.
Storage
These blondies can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. They can also be wrapped tightly and kept in the fridge for a few days longer. I don't really recommend freezing them, as the texture might change after defrosting.
Are these white bean blondies vegan?
This recipe is not vegan, because it contains butter and an egg. Also, my suggestions for using honey instead of brown sugar is a non-vegan option.
Which beans are white beans?
Technically, beans that belong in the white bean family are: navy beans, Great Northern beans, cannellini beans and lima beans. You can use any of these for this white bean blondie recipe except lima beans.
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- Yellow Dal
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- Pork N Beans
White Bean Blondies
Yield: 9
Prep Time: 9 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 9 minutes
Blondies made with white beans for a healthy sweet treat!
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can of navy beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line an 8” brownie pan with parchment paper in both directions, using metal clips to hold the sides.
- In the bowl of a food processor (or blender), add the beans, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, vanilla and melted butter. Blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and blend again, if necessary.
- Add the flour and pulse to combine, scraping down the sides to ensure it’s all incorporated.
- Add the egg and pulse lightly to combine.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pan (it will be very thick!) and bake on the center rack for 15 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick inserted comes out only barely moist or with slightly wet crumbs, but not overly liquid-y.
Notes
Beans - Any type of small white beans work for this recipe, but do not use large white beans, like lima or butter beans. Great Northern beans can be a bit too firm, so I really recommend canned navy beans. Cannelini beans are okay, too.
Sugar - Dark brown sugar is great here, but you can also use light brown sugar or your favorite honey instead.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 219Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 283mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 5gSugar: 10gProtein: 7g
