Traditional blondies get a comforting, cold-weather twist with the addition of sweet potato. These Can You Vegan It? fudgy squares can easily be made vegan-friendly by swapping in a few simple ingredients. And the addition of chopped pecans kicks things up a notch, adding a nice crunch and a decadent touch. Feel free to sub in different nuts, toffee bits, or anything else you might be craving. Tip: serve warm to keep you toasty during blustery winter nights.
Sweet Potato Blondies
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 75 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
Blondie Base
⅔ cup unsalted butter (or vegan butter)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg (or vegan egg substitute) 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup of pecans (optional)
Sweet Potato Top
1 small sweet potato
3 Tbsp condensed milk (or vegan condensed milk)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the small sweet potato for 40 minutes. To save time, you can peel and cut the sweet potato into large even pieces, then boil until soft. It will cook faster when boiled, but I suggest baking it instead to maintain all the delicious flavor.
2. As the sweet potato bakes, prepare the batter by browning the butter first. Add the butter to a pot on low heat. As the butter begins to melt, stir and slowly raise to medium heat. Be careful when you increase the heat, as it’s very easy to burn the butter. If possible, use a light-colored pot so you can see the butter clearly as it begins to brown. Stir continuously — and once the butter has reached a golden brown color, remove and sift into a large bowl.
3. Once the butter has cooled to room temperature, add the light brown sugar and combine. Then add the egg and stir in the vanilla.
4. Add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder) to the mix and combine well. Be careful not to over mix. Then fold in the chopped pecans and pour the batter into a buttered baking dish. Set aside.
5. Once the sweet potato is soft and fully baked, remove it from the oven and turn down the heat to 350°F (to bake the blondies). Let the sweet potato cool, then remove its skin and mash it up in a large bowl. Next, add the condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans. Mix until all ingredients are evenly combined.
6. Pour the sweet potato mixture on top of the blondie batter in the baking dish. Spread it on top as an even layer. Add a few more crushed pecans to top it off. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
