Description
Banana Blondies are a deliciously moist and flavorful dessert bar featuring crushed vanilla wafers in both the crust and the batter, combined with banana pudding mix and white chocolate chips. These blondies offer a unique twist on traditional recipes with a creamy banana taste and a soft, chewy texture perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Crust
- 16 Ounces Vanilla Wafers (about 1 ½ Boxes)
- ¾ Cup Butter (measured prior to melting)
Batter
- 3 Cups Flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 ¼ Cup White Sugar
- 2 Boxes Banana Pudding Mix (3.4 Ounces each, instant pudding)
- 3 Eggs
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- Remaining ¾ Cup Butter (melted)
- 1 Cup Crushed Vanilla Wafers (set aside from initial crushing)
- 2 Cups White Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray to ensure easy removal of the blondies after baking.
- Crush Vanilla Wafers: Place all vanilla wafers into a large plastic baggie and crush them until mostly fine crumbs form. Set aside 1 cup of the crushed wafers for the batter.
- Make Crust: Pour the remaining crushed vanilla wafers into a large bowl. Add ¾ cup of butter (measured before melting) and mix until fully combined to form a crust mixture.
- Form and Bake Crust: Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes to set the crust.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, white sugar, and dry banana pudding mix until well blended.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the eggs, vanilla extract, and remaining melted butter until the batter is just combined. Be careful not to overmix to avoid a dense texture.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold the white chocolate chips and reserved 1 cup of crushed vanilla wafers into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Assemble and Bake: Spread the batter evenly over the baked crust in the pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan before slicing to set properly. Serve as is or garnish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an indulgent treat.
Notes
- Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter allows better control over salt levels. If only salted butter is available, omit or reduce added salt in the recipe.
- Baking Soda Freshness: Replace baking soda every 6-12 months to ensure potent leavening.
- Flour Measuring: Spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife to avoid packing which leads to dry results.
- Use Instant Pudding Mix: Must use instant banana pudding mix, not cook-and-serve types, for correct texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Helps achieve smooth mixing and consistent batter texture.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix just until ingredients incorporate to prevent tough blondies.
- Avoid Overbaking: Blondies will firm up as they cool; remove when slightly underdone to maintain moistness.
- Cooling: Cool completely before slicing for clean cuts.
- Serving Suggestion: Garnish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for extra decadence.
