Bursting with fruity, tangy flavor, these strawberry and lime white chocolate blondies deliver bakery-worthy results with minimal effort. Freeze-dried strawberries are the secret weapon here. They pack an intense, concentrated berry punch without adding any excess moisture, giving you perfectly fudgy blondies every time.
I am a huge, HUGE fan of any and all strawberry flavored baked goods. But it wasn't until very recently that I discovered that the majority of my favorite strawberry cake and cupcake recipes relied solely on artificial strawberry flavor and red food dye. Say what!? So I set out to transform some of my strawberry favorites using more natural ingredients, because summer and spring baking deserves nothing less than the real deal.
Unfortunately, with fresh strawberries having such a high water content, simply replacing the artificial flavors (often in the form of strawberry jello) wasn't really an option. And that's where my warm-weather secret weapon comes in: freeze-dried strawberries! Freeze-dried strawberries pack a huge punch of real, vibrant strawberry flavor without all the added moisture. And they work absolutely perfectly alongside bright, zesty lime and creamy white chocolate in these deliciously fresh, sunshine-worthy summer blondies.
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Equipment Needed
You will need 2 mixing bowls, an electric hand mixer or stand mixer and a 9 x 12 inch baking pan.
Ingredients:
- Freeze Dried Strawberries: You can find these at most grocery stores but I typically get mine from Whole Foods or through Amazon. Make sure that you get freeze-dried and not just dehydrated strawberries as the freeze dried option is much more crisp.
- Fresh Limes: You will be using the zest so organic is best and make sure to wash the skin well.
- White Chocolate Chips: I love Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips!
- All-Purpose Flour
- White Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar: I typically use light brown sugar, but dark brown will work too in a pinch. Just expect a slightly richer flavor.
- Butter: I typically use salted butter in my baking recipes. However, unsalted works fine. Just add a larger pinch of salt to the flour mixture.
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs: Room temperature is ideal.
- Baking Powder
- Powdered Sugar
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Strawberry & Lime White Chocolate Blondies
Don't skip the step of pinching the lime zest into the sugar before adding the other ingredients. This really activates the zest and infuses the sugar with lime flavor.
Err on the side of under-baking these blondies as they will continue to cook some in the pan while cooling.
Be sure to let the blondies cool before icing. Sprinkle the crushed freeze dried strawberries immediately after icing so that they stick to the top of the blondies.
Recipe FAQs
No. Fresh strawberries contain too much moisture and will make the blondies dense or soggy, and regular dried strawberries are usually sweetened and chewy, which doesn't distribute well in the batter. Freeze-dried strawberries are best because they add concentrated strawberry flavor without affecting the texture of the blondies.
Yes. White chocolate pairs especially well with the strawberry and lime, but milk or dark chocolate chips will also work if that's what you prefer.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. They can also be refrigerated for a slightly firmer texture.
The edges should be lightly golden and set, while the center still looks slightly soft. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
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Made this summer strawberry & lime white chocolate blondie recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Strawberry & Lime White Chocolate Blondies
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch prepared baking pan
- Stand mixer or mixing bowls and an electric hand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cups AP flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 lime, zest & juice
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs Ideally room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cups white chocolate chips
- ½ cups freeze dried strawberries, roughly crushed
For the glaze & topping
- 1 lime, zest & juice
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup freeze dried strawberries, roughly crushed For sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. (You can use parchment paper to line the bottom if desired.)In a medium size mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer combine white sugar, brown sugar and the zest of one lime. Use your fingers to pinch the zest into the sugar until it is fragrant and the oils have released.Add in butter and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.Add in eggs one at a time while mixing on medium and then add in vanilla extract and the juice of 1 lime. Mix for about a minute until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add about half of the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.Add in white chocolate chips and freeze dried strawberries. Mix for 3-5 seconds being careful not to overwork. You may need to mix some by hand to ensure sure they are evenly distributed.
- Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan and use a spoon to spread the mixture evenly in the pan. It will be quite thick.Bake at 350 degrees F for 21-24 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan. Then transfer the blondies to a wire wrack to let cool.
- Once the blondies have cooled to a little warmer than room temperature, make the glaze by combining the zest and juice of 1 small lime with about ½ cup of powdered sugar. Stir well until there are no lumps.Drizzle the glaze over the top of the blondies then sprinkle with a few crushed freeze dried strawberries.Cut into 15 pieces and serve. Enjoy!
tanvibytes
These look so delicious-- the pictures look so amazing too!! 😀
I'm craving something sweet now XD.
jamjarkitchen
Thank you!
Rob
I'm a sucker for a blondie and love innovative spins, especially when baking for people who don't love chocolate. (I skipped the white chocolate chips for that reason.) They turned out so delicious!
Marie-Pierre
The freeze-dried strawberry in this recipe goes a long way! Such a healthy and powerful touch! Love the idea!
Elisa
My family is obsessed with these blondies. Love the flavor combo!
jamjarkitchen
So glad y'all liked them!
Brianne
Ooh. I loved these. I've never had a citrusy blondie before!
Darlene
I am in love with these blondies. I ordered the freeze dried strawberries from Amazon and so glad I used what you recommended as they were perfect.