Vegan Blondies

I tend to make brownies more than blondies and then when I do make blondies, I remember how much I love the caramel flavor that the brown sugar gives them.  A blondie is basically a brownie but with brown sugar in place of the chocolate.  There are a few more differences in the recipes but that's the main one.  I like making the blondies in a slightly smaller pan than brownies for a thicker treat.  I use a 7-inch square brown paper pan that I buy at NY Cake (nycake.com).  The good thing about using paper pans is that you can give the blondies as a gift wrapped in cellophane paper or simply wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap for easy transport to your next outing. There are also variations of blondie recipes that include coconut, nuts and chips.  I prefer the straight-up blondie with nothing added.

1 stick margarine
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose or spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbs vanilla
1 tbs non-dairy milk (preferably almond milk)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides; spray with non-stick cooking spray.  If using a paper pan, lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan combine margarine and brown sugar; warm over medium heat, stirring often until melted.  Pour into a large bowl and set a side to cool slightly.   In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum.  Stir vanilla and almond milk into brown sugar mixture until combined.  Gently fold in flour mixture until fully incorporated and smooth.

Scrape into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes.  Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Remove blondies from baking pan and peel off foil; cut blondies into 1-2 inch squares (yields 16-20).  If using paper pan, leave blondies in pan and cut to desired size.

Blondies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or wrapped well and frozen for up to 3 months.