I’m finally coming up to the end of my UX bootcamp (next week is the last week!), and I realized that I have not been utilizing my larger audience for baking as much as I should have. Last time I asked what everyone wanted me to bake, they all unanimously said oatmeal cookies… which are great, but… I wanted to be somewhat more adventurous. It’s one girl’s birthday on Monday next week, and all she wants is chocolate chip cookies! So I took matters into my own hands and made these matcha blondies to bring in on a random day because I wanted to make something a bit more exciting.
There were a surprising number of people in this program who had never had matcha before. I supposed I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I just assumed everyone has tried, or at least been made aware of matcha! These are a good entry point for people new to matcha, I think. They’re fudgy, sweetened, and have white chocolate chips. A bit easier to try than an unsweetened matcha.
And while they’re sweet, they aren’t too sweet. These definitely had a strong earthy/matcha taste. It was a nice change from the flavors I typically bake with! It was also nice to bring in to class to try and expand the dessert minds of my oatmeal-cookie-loving classmates.
I was admittedly slightly worried what the reaction to these green bars would be, before I could explain what they were. I love matcha, and the color green, so green bars don’t freak me out. But looking at them, and while editing these photos, I can see that the green is not exactly a natural or typical color for baked goods. It feels a bit like these Blue Chocolate Chip Cookies, but then at least the color of these blondies matches the taste.
I’ve also become pretty good at making things gluten free! If you’re not baking something that relies heavily on gluten for texture, the 1:1 gluten free flour substitutes work really well. But also, I’m trying to use up the gluten free flour I have before my class is finished.
If you’re looking to change things up and get out of a baking rut by using a less common flavor, I highly recommend these matcha blondies. They certainly were a hit with my class!
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PinIngredients
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup gluten free flour
2 tbsp matcha powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8×8 baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the butter. Let cool slightly, and then add in the brown sugar. Mix until just combined. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- Add in your matcha powder, flour, and baking powder. Mix until just combined.
- Lastly, add in the white chocolate chips and mix.
- Scoop batter into your prepared baking pan, and smooth it out. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the center stops jiggling when you gently shake the pan.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into them