What's Baking: Quinoa-Cacao Blondies

Browned butter and raw cacao nibs take these gluten-free quinoa blondies to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Last weekend, Dustin and I headed to Wausau to run a few errands. While in town I made a quick stop at the Downtown Grocery, which is currently temporarily located in the Wausau Mall while they rebuild after a fire at their old location last fall. My main goal was to stock back up on Condor Coffee, our favorite locally-roasted small-batch coffee company. (We're partial to the Guatemala light roast.)

I was also in desperate need of a snack for the ride home. I decided to eschew the delicious-looking cookies for the healthier-sounding quinoa-almond blondie. 

I was instantly intrigued by its taste – the blondie had a slightly crunchy texture from the quinoa and almonds. And then the cacao nibs that studded the blondie added just the right amount of chocolate flavor. I'm always looking for healthier treats to make at home – could I make this bar in my own kitchen?

Turns out, why yes, yes I can bake my own quinoa blondies at home. And dare I say, these blondies are even better than Downtown Grocery's? (Them there's fightin' words!)

I based my blondie recipe off the ingredients list printed on the bar's packaging. In addition to quinoa flour, I also added in some quinoa flakes to add in even more crunchy texture to the blondie. Though the ingredients listed both butter and vegetable oil, I only used unsalted butter. I browned the butter to bring out a deeper, nutty and caramel flavor. I also added a bit of flaky sea salt to counterbalance the sweetness of the bars.

The end result? An out-of-this-world blondie bar experience. Seriously! Okay, fine, so maybe I'm just really proud of myself for figuring out how to make these blondies in my own kitchen. But they really are tasty, I promise!

Quinoa-Cacao Blondies (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 blondies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and browned

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, plus additional for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup quinoa flour

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup cacao nibs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and then spray the paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the browned butter to the brown sugar and stir until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Stir in the salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Then stir in the quinoa flour and quinoa flakes. Mix in the sliced almonds and cacao nibs. 

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the blondies are set in the center and light brown along the edges. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.