Sweet, cinnamony cookie butter and dark chocolate chunks come together to create these decadent vegan cookie butter blondies.
“What is this?”
“Don’t go near that. That is some messed up stuff. Cookie butter.”
“Wait…what? Cookie butter? Why would you buy us some messed up stuff?”
That would be the exchange between my husband and I after he discovered our first ever jar of cookie butter in the pantry. If you aren’t familiar with cookie butter, I’d imagine you are having a similar reaction right now. Totally justifiable.
Have you guys tried cookie butter? Have you heard of it? I’m still grappling with the fact that this stuff actually exists. My first cookie butter experience started at Trader Joe’s. I don’t know what kind of mood I must have been in on that day, but when I saw a jar labeled “Cookie Butter” on the shelf, I grabbed it.
Upon first inspection I noted that it was made in the Netherlands. Of course. I should have known. A few years ago at this time I was in the Netherlands for work. I wasn’t eating cookie butter, but do you know what I was eating? Chocolate sprinkles for breakfast.
The breakfast bar at my hotel had at least five different varieties of chocolate sprinkles to put on your toast. So, of course you can count on the Dutch to create something called cookie butter. Butter made from ground up cookies. I bet someone in Amsterdam is eating a cookie butter and chocolate sprinkle sandwich for breakfast right now. It’s probably an American who thinks he’s gone to heaven.
Anyhow, I finally got said jar of cookie butter home for a taste. Guess what it tastes like? Butter made of cookies. Messed up. Don’t crack open a jar of this stuff on the munchies.
That first jar of cookie butter is long gone and I waited quite some time before buying it again. In fact, I waited until I had a recipe idea so that I’d use as much of it up as possible. Better yet, a recipe idea for Christmas cookies. Use it up on something and get it out of the house.
My idea was to sub cookie butter in a peanut butter blondie recipe, and then veganize it. Guess what? It worked out great. Rich, buttery, slightly cinnamony and chocolaty messed up goodness. In fact, these blondies are just as messed up (in the same good way) as the cookie butter that gave birth to their existence. Like I said, get them out of the house.
This time around I didn’t make it to Trader Joe’s. Fortunately, Wegman’s had jars of Speculoos butter, the Belgian version of cookie butter. (I’ve never been to Belguim. Is chocolate for breakfast a thing there too?) Tastewise, I can’t tell the difference, so pick your favorite or most readily available cookie butter and make these deliciously messed up blondies.
Cookie Butter Chocolate Chunk Blondies
Sweet, cinnamony cookie butter and dark chocolate chunks come together to create these decadent vegan cookie butter blondies.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unflavored soy or almond milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 10 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 cup organic brown sugar
- 1 cup smooth cookie butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (10 ounce) bag vegan chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- Whisk together milk and flax seeds and allow mixture to sit for at least ten minutes. You can prepare the rest of your ingredients in the meantime.
Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray or lightly oil a 9x9 or 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the margarine and brown sugar, stirring frequently just until the margarine melts. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cookie butter, vanilla and flax seed mixture. If you have trouble getting the cookie butter to melt you can place the pan back over heat.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the melted butter mixture and mix just until blended. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the mixture evenly in baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Comments