Delicious Cherry Blondies

I’m always looking for ways to use fresh cherries when they’re in season. Sure, I could eat them straight from the bowl, but there’s something about baking with them that makes me happy. These cherry blondies are what happens when you combine white chocolate, almonds, and those gorgeous summer cherries into one pan.

Blondies are easier than cookies because you don’t have to scoop individual portions onto baking sheets. You just spread the batter in a pan and walk away. The white chocolate melts into the batter and creates little pockets of sweetness, while the cherries add a fruity bite that keeps these from being too sweet.

I like to make these when I have people coming over. They look fancy with the cherry halves on top, but honestly, they take less effort than most brownies. Plus, you can cut them into squares ahead of time and just leave them on the counter until you’re ready to serve.

What Kind of Cherries Should I Use?

Fresh cherries are ideal for these blondies, and you can use either sweet or tart varieties depending on your preference. Sweet cherries like Bing or Rainier will give you a milder, candy-like flavor, while tart cherries like Montmorency add a nice tangy contrast to the sweet blondie base. If fresh cherries aren’t in season, frozen cherries work just fine – just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture before chopping. You’ll want to pit and chop your cherries into smaller pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the batter and don’t sink to the bottom while baking.

Options for Substitutions

These blondies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Fresh cherries: If fresh cherries aren’t in season, you can use frozen cherries – just thaw them completely and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture before chopping. Dried cherries work too, though they’ll give you a chewier texture.
• White chocolate chips: Regular chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks make a great swap here. You could also try butterscotch chips for a different flavor profile.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works fine – just reduce or skip the added salt in the recipe to avoid over-salting.
• Sliced almonds: Not a fan of almonds? Try chopped pecans, walnuts, or even hazelnuts instead. You can also leave the nuts out completely if you prefer.
• All-purpose flour: For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture might be slightly different, but they’ll still turn out tasty.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making blondies is overbaking them, which turns them dry and cake-like instead of chewy and fudgy – pull them from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean.

Skipping the cooling time for your butter and white chocolate mixture is another common error that can scramble your eggs when you add them, so make sure to wait the full 15-20 minutes before mixing in the sugar.

Fresh cherries release a lot of juice while baking, so pat them dry with a paper towel before chopping and folding them into the batter to prevent soggy spots.

For cleaner cuts and better texture, resist the urge to slice into your blondies right away – letting them cool completely in the pan helps them set properly and makes cutting much easier.

What to Serve With Cherry Blondies?

These cherry blondies are perfect on their own, but they’re even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top while they’re still warm from the oven. The cold ice cream melting into the sweet, fruity blondie is pretty hard to beat. If you’re serving them for a party or get-together, try pairing them with fresh whipped cream and extra cherries on the side. They also go great with a hot cup of coffee or cold glass of milk for an afternoon snack.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your cherry blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. I actually prefer them cold from the fridge because the white chocolate gets a bit firmer and the cherry flavor really pops.

Freeze: These blondies freeze really well for up to 3 months. Cut them into individual squares and wrap each one in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag. That way you can grab just one or two whenever you need a sweet treat without thawing the whole batch.

Enjoy: If you’re eating them from the freezer, let them sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes to thaw. You can also warm them up in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds if you want that fresh-baked feel with slightly melty white chocolate.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2250
• Protein: 26-30 g
• Fat: 110-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 265-280 g

Ingredients

For the batter:

• 1/2 cup butter (unsalted, ideally high-fat)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup fresh cherries (pitted and quartered)

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered or roughly chopped)
• 1/4 cup cherries (pitted and halved)

Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

While it heats, line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on two sides for easy removal later.

This setup ensures your blondies bake evenly and come out cleanly.

Step 2: Melt Butter and White Chocolate Together

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white chocolate

Cut the unsalted butter into small cubes and place it in a heat-safe bowl with the chopped white chocolate.

Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (a double boiler method), stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth—about 3-5 minutes.

Let the mixture cool for 15-20 minutes until it’s warm but not hot; this prevents the eggs from scrambling when added later.

I like to let it cool slightly longer than the recipe suggests because it gives me more control over the final texture.

Step 3: Build the Wet Batter Base

• butter-chocolate mixture from Step 2
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs

Once the butter-chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in the granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until well combined and slightly lightened in color.

Add the vanilla extract and almond extract, stirring to incorporate.

Then add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition until fully incorporated before adding the next egg.

This gradual incorporation prevents lumps and creates a cohesive batter.

Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients and Fold Into Batter

• wet batter from Step 3
• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and sea salt.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the wet batter from Step 3 until just barely combined—don’t overmix, as this keeps the blondies tender rather than tough.

The batter should look slightly streaky when you move to the next step.

Step 5: Fold in Cherries and Transfer to Pan

• batter from Step 4
• 1/2 cup fresh cherries

Gently fold the pitted and quartered fresh cherries into the batter from Step 4 until evenly distributed.

Pour the batter into your prepared 8×8 inch baking dish, spreading it gently and evenly.

I recommend folding in the cherries by hand at the end rather than processing them, which keeps their structure intact and prevents them from releasing too much juice prematurely.

Step 6: Top and Bake

• batter from Step 5
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cherries

Scatter the slivered almonds evenly across the top of the batter, then arrange the halved cherries on top in a decorative pattern, pressing them gently into the batter so they stay put during baking.

Bake in your preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it—the blondies should be golden brown and set but still tender.

Step 7: Cool and Slice

Remove the blondies from the oven and let them cool completely to room temperature in the baking dish—this takes about 1-2 hours and is important for achieving clean, stable slices.

Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole block out of the pan, place it on a cutting board, and cut into 9 or 12 equal pieces with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean edges.

Delicious Cherry Blondies

Delicious Delicious Cherry Blondies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 12 slices

Calories 2175 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the batter

• 1/2 cup butter (unsalted, ideally high-fat)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup fresh cherries (pitted and quartered)

For the topping

• 1/3 cup almonds (slivered or roughly chopped)
• 1/4 cup cherries (pitted and halved)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on two sides for easy removal later. This setup ensures your blondies bake evenly and come out cleanly.
• Cut the unsalted butter into small cubes and place it in a heat-safe bowl with the chopped white chocolate. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (a double boiler method), stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth—about 3-5 minutes. Let the mixture cool for 15-20 minutes until it's warm but not hot; this prevents the eggs from scrambling when added later. I like to let it cool slightly longer than the recipe suggests because it gives me more control over the final texture.
• Once the butter-chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in the granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until well combined and slightly lightened in color. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract, stirring to incorporate. Then add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition until fully incorporated before adding the next egg. This gradual incorporation prevents lumps and creates a cohesive batter.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and sea salt. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the wet batter from Step 3 until just barely combined—don't overmix, as this keeps the blondies tender rather than tough. The batter should look slightly streaky when you move to the next step.
• Gently fold the pitted and quartered fresh cherries into the batter from Step 4 until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into your prepared 8x8 inch baking dish, spreading it gently and evenly. I recommend folding in the cherries by hand at the end rather than processing them, which keeps their structure intact and prevents them from releasing too much juice prematurely.
• Scatter the slivered almonds evenly across the top of the batter, then arrange the halved cherries on top in a decorative pattern, pressing them gently into the batter so they stay put during baking. Bake in your preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it—the blondies should be golden brown and set but still tender.
• Remove the blondies from the oven and let them cool completely to room temperature in the baking dish—this takes about 1-2 hours and is important for achieving clean, stable slices. Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole block out of the pan, place it on a cutting board, and cut into 9 or 12 equal pieces with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean edges.