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Strawberry lemon blondies weren't even supposed to happen that Saturday. I was cleaning out the fridge before grocery shopping when I found a carton of strawberries on the edge of going bad. Too soft for eating but perfect for baking, I figured. A quick mental inventory of my pantry and that half lemon sitting on the counter, and suddenly I was pulling out butter to soften instead of heading to the store.
My neighbor Tommy (who swears he hates "pink food") ate three of these in one sitting when I brought them to our block party last summer. His wife kept giving him the side-eye while he mumbled "just one more" with his mouth full. Now she texts me whenever they're having company to see if I might "happen to be baking those strawberry things."
Simple Ingredients
- Butter: The real deal, unsalted. Don't even think about substituting.
- Sugar: Just plain white sugar. I've tried fancy ones and honestly couldn't tell the difference.
- Egg: One large one, at room temperature if you remember (I often don't).
- Lemon juice: Fresh squeezed makes a difference you can taste.
- Flour: All-purpose, nothing fancy needed here.
- Baking powder: Check the expiration date if yours has been sitting around.
- Salt: Even sweet things need salt. Trust me on this.
- Fresh strawberries: The riper the better, but not mushy.
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Making The Magic Happen
- Setting The Stage
- Line your pan with parchment paper, leaving those long edges for handles. I learned this the hard way after destroying a batch trying to pry them out of the pan. Crank your oven to 350°F and give it time to heat up properly - my old oven takes forever to reach temperature.
- The Butter Business
- Beat that butter and sugar until it's actually fluffy - not just mixed. This takes me about 3 minutes with my stand mixer (longer if my butter isn't quite soft enough). It should look lighter in color and almost creamy before you move on.
- Adding The Wet Stuff
- Beat in the egg until completely mixed in - no streaks of egg white should be visible. Then add your lemon juice. Don't panic when the mixture looks curdled and weird - it'll sort itself out once you add the flour. The first time this happened I nearly threw it all out thinking I'd ruined it.
- Flour Power
- Mix your dry ingredients in a separate bowl. I know it's annoying to dirty another dish, but it ensures everything gets evenly distributed. Add to the wet mixture and stir just until no dry patches remain. Overmix and you'll end up with tough blondies - and life's too short for tough blondies.
- Berry Careful
- Fold in those strawberry pieces with a light hand. I use a rubber spatula and a gentle scooping motion from the bottom up. The dough gets pretty thick at this point, almost like cookie dough. Don't worry - that's normal.
- Pan Plan
- Scrape the mixture into your pan and spread it out. This isn't like cake batter that flows into place - you'll need to work it into the corners. I use the back of a measuring cup to press it evenly, sometimes dipping it in a little water to prevent sticking.
My kids always fight over who gets to make the glaze because smashing strawberries is apparently peak entertainment when you're under ten. Last time, my youngest got so enthusiastic with the "smashing part" that we had pink splatters on the ceiling for weeks. The dog, however, was thrilled with his unexpected strawberry shower.
Perfect Pairings
These are fabulous with afternoon tea or coffee (especially on the porch if you've got one). For dessert, I've served them with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. My mother-in-law likes hers with extra fresh strawberries on top, which honestly looks beautiful but means more work, so I only do that when I'm trying to impress her.
Switch It Up
When strawberries aren't great, I've made these with raspberries instead - even prettier pink color but watch out for those seeds. Blueberries work too, though the color is less "wow." During the holidays, I add a drop of almond extract to the batter and top with slivered almonds before baking - feels fancy but takes zero extra effort.
Keeping Them Fresh
They'll keep at room temperature for a couple days if your kitchen isn't too hot. After that, refrigerate them. I've frozen unfrosted ones for up to two months - just thaw at room temperature and glaze before serving. The texture isn't quite the same after freezing, but at 10pm when you suddenly remember you promised to bring something to tomorrow's meeting, they're a lifesaver.
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I've probably made these strawberry lemon blondies twenty times since discovering the recipe. They've been to baby showers, book club meetings, and "I'm sorry I backed into your mailbox" neighbor visits. There's something about that pretty pink color that makes people smile before they even take a bite. Then when they do taste them - that perfect balance of buttery, tangy, and sweet - they always reach for another. And isn't that really the best compliment a baker can get?
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use frozen strawberries?
- Fresh strawberries work best, but if using frozen, thaw and drain them well before dicing and folding into the batter.
- → How do I store these blondies?
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- → Can I substitute other berries?
- Yes, try blueberries, raspberries or a combination of berries. Rhubarb also works well paired with strawberries.
- → Why is my glaze soaking into the blondies?
- Make sure blondies are completely cool before glazing, and add more powdered sugar if glaze is too thin.
- → Can I freeze these blondies?
- Yes, freeze unglazed blondies for up to 3 months. Thaw before adding the fresh glaze.