St. Patrick’s Day blondie bars are a healthy chewy cookie bar studded with chocolate candies. Using green chocolate candies make the perfect holiday dessert.
For those who know me well, or have been following the blog for some time now, you know that I don’t like mint. Well, specifically mint flavored foods. Or mint and chocolate.
Which makes things a little difficult around St. Patty’s day when it seems like everywhere you turn there’s some sort of mint dessert out there.
I honestly never thought I would be making or sharing a mint dessert with all of you. But here we are.
These blondie bars actually incorporate mint M&Ms into the mix. And I have to say, I didn’t totally mind them!
Now, you won’t find me indulging hard core into all things mint, but progress is progress, right?
The thing is, the batter for these bars, the chewy factor and the crispy brownie-like edges totally got me.
Oh, and the fact that the batter is healthy!
So these bars technically fall into the healthy-ish category being loaded with M&M’s. But you could totally swap them out for some dark chocolate chips for a healthier alternative.
Why not get into what makes these bars so healthy and delish, shall we?
Healthy blondie bars batter
I don’t know about you, but my fave type of brownies are the ones with crispy edges and soft, gooey centers.
That’s exactly how these blondie bars turned out. And all without oil or butter!
In place of those two we’re using tahini. Tahini is ground sesame seeds, which adds a nutty flavor to the bars. It also pairs really well with the chocolate.
Also pairing well with tahini is pure maple syrup and coconut sugar. They both add a natural caramel flavor.
White whole wheat flour rounds out this healthy blondie bars batter.
Your blondie bar add-in choices
Here’s where you can get a little creative, and your batter goes from super healthy to healthy-ish.
It’s totally up to you, but for this recipe, like I mentioned, I used mint M&M’s.
If you’re not a mint fan, opt for the classic M&M’s. Preferably the green kind for a little St. Patty’s day inspiration.
Or, if you’re not making these for any holiday at all and really just want to enjoy a healthy blondie bar, dig out those dark chocolate chips.
Ooey, gooey and chewy blondie bars
Like I said earlier, these bars definitely fall into that ooey, gooey and chewy category.
They’re soo soft and chewy, but have that little burst of mint and chocolate.
I can definitely see myself making these babies on repeat this year.
Oh, and they freeze really well. So if you’re looking for an easy sweet treat to keep on hand, these bars should be a must on your list as well.
Looking for more healthy bar recipes? Check these out:
Gluten Free Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars
- 2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup tahini
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup M&M’s*
-
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9” x 13” pan with baking spray.
-
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl, stir together the tahini, pure maple syrup and coconut sugar. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time and stir to combine. Add vanilla and stir to combine.
-
Add dry ingredients, half at a time, stirring after each addition, until combined.
-
Stir in the M&M’s.
-
Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and bars are golden brown.
-
Remove and cool before slicing.
*Note: You can also use dark chocolate chips if you would like a slightly healthier version to the M&M’s.
