These thick, fudgy dark chocolate cranberry blondies have everything you want in a dessert bar - chewy edges, a dense center, and bursts of tart cranberries mixed with rich chocolate chunks. I first made these last winter when I had leftover cranberries from the holidays, and now they're my go-to whenever I need something impressive but simple. The secret is that extra egg yolk, which gives them an almost brownie-like texture without any fuss.
If you love fruit and chocolate together like I do, you'll also want to try these Cherry Pie Bars or these Chocolate Orange Sandwich Cookies - both have that same cozy, homemade feel.
Why You'll Love This Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
These Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies are simple enough for a weeknight but special enough for company. You don't need a mixer or any fancy equipment - just a bowl, a whisk, and about an hour from start to finish.
The flavors work beautifully together. Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies brings depth, cranberries add brightness, and that hint of orange zest ties it all together. Even people who say they don't like cranberries tend to change their minds after trying these.
They're also really forgiving. You can use an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch round pan, and they'll turn out great either way. Cut them into big squares for dessert or smaller pieces for a sweet snack.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
- Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies Ingredients
- How to Make Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment For Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
- How to Store These Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make these chewy Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies with chocolate.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and that deep, caramel-like sweetness that makes blondies taste like blondies. Light or dark brown sugar both work beautifully here.
- Granulated sugar: Balances the brown sugar and helps create those slightly crispy edges everyone fights over.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter makes these bars dense and rich instead of cakey. Make sure it's slightly cooled before adding the eggs so they don't scramble.
- Egg plus egg yolk: The whole egg provides structure, and that extra yolk is the secret to the fudgy, chewy texture. Room temperature eggs mix in more smoothly.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla brings warmth and makes all the other flavors taste better.
- Orange zest: Just a teaspoon of fresh zest brightens up the chocolate and cranberries without making the blondies taste like orange.
- Baking powder: Gives the blondies a little lift without making them fluffy or cake-like.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate flavor pop.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base and gives the blondies their structure. Stirring it a bit extra helps develop chewiness.
- Bittersweet or dark chocolate chips: Use good-quality chocolate here since it's a main flavor. Chunks work even better than chips if you have them.
- Dried cranberries: Tart, chewy, and the perfect contrast to rich dark chocolate. They soften slightly as the blondies bake.
How to Make Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Making these homemade Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies is easier than you might think.
Prep the ingredients: Take your eggs out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start so they can come to room temperature. Melt the butter and let it cool a bit while you measure everything else. Move an oven rack to the center position and preheat to 325°F (165°C). Line your 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pan with parchment paper, or just grease it well with non-stick spray.
Mix the wet ingredients: Grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and melted butter until they're well combined and smooth. Add the whole egg, that extra yolk, vanilla extract, and orange zest, then whisk for about 30 seconds until everything looks silky and unified.
Add the dry ingredients: Sprinkle the baking powder, salt, and flour over the wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir everything together until you don't see any dry streaks. Keep stirring for about 30 seconds - this builds a little gluten on purpose, which gives you those perfectly chewy blondies. Fold in the chocolate chunks and dried cranberries gently so they're evenly distributed.
Prepare for baking: Scoop the thick batter into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly with your spatula. It'll be dense and a little sticky, which is exactly right.
Bake: Slide the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 28 to 33 minutes. You're looking for edges that are set and slightly golden, with a center that still looks a tiny bit soft. A toothpick poked in the middle should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Cool: Set the hot pan on a cooling rack and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before you try to slice it. This cooling time lets the blondies firm up so they cut cleanly. For a square pan, cut into 9 large or 16 small squares. For a round pan, slice into 12 wedges like a pie.
Store: Keep any leftover blondies in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay fresh and chewy for 4 to 5 days, though they rarely last that long in my house.
Substitutions and Variations
You can make a Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies few swaps based on what you have in your pantry.
Chocolate: If bittersweet chocolate is too intense for you, semi-sweet chips work perfectly. White chocolate would give you something closer to a cranberry bliss blondie, and milk chocolate makes them sweeter and more kid-friendly.
Cranberries: Dried cherries or chopped dried apricots would be delicious. Raisins work too, though you lose that beautiful tart contrast.
Orange zest: Lemon zest gives a brighter, sharper flavor. You could also skip the citrus entirely and add a tiny pinch of cinnamon instead.
Pan size: An 8x8 pan gives you thicker bars, while a 9-inch round pan makes slightly thinner ones. Both are great - just watch the baking time and adjust by a minute or two if needed.
Nuts: A handful of chopped walnuts or pecans adds a nice crunch. Fold them in with the chocolate and cranberries.
Equipment For Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
You don't need much to make these easy Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies.
- 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pan: Either one works beautifully. I like using the round pan when I'm serving these for company since the wedges look a little fancier.
- Glass mixing bowl: Large enough to hold all your ingredients comfortably while you whisk.
- Whisk: For combining the sugars, butter, eggs, and flavorings into a smooth mixture.
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon: Essential for stirring in the flour and folding in the chocolate and cranberries without overmixing.
- Cooling rack: Lets air circulate under the pan so the Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies cool evenly and don't get soggy on the bottom.
How to Store These Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
These Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies dessert stay fresh for several days if you store them properly.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. I usually layer them between pieces of parchment paper so they don't stick together, though honestly they disappear so fast in my house that I rarely need to worry about it.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Wrap individual squares in plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag. Thaw them at room temperature for about an hour, or warm them in the microwave for 15 seconds if you want that fresh-baked feel.
If you want to serve them warm, pop a square in the microwave for about 10 seconds. The chocolate gets melty and the whole thing tastes like it just came out of the oven.
Serving Suggestions
These Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies are delicious on their own, but here are a few ways to make them extra special.
Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top. The cold, creamy ice cream against the warm, chewy blondie is absolutely perfect on a chilly evening.
For brunch or an afternoon treat, pair a square with a strong cup of coffee or a mug of hot tea. The slight bitterness of the coffee complements the Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies beautifully.
During the holidays, arrange them on a platter with other homemade treats like Easy Apple Hand Pies or Easy Black and White Cookies. The mix of textures and flavors makes for a really impressive dessert spread.
You could also crumble a blondie over Greek yogurt for breakfast. It sounds indulgent, but the yogurt balances the sweetness and you get protein along with your chocolate.
Expert Tips
Don't skip the cooling time. I know it's tempting to cut into them right away, but those 15 minutes make a huge difference. The Blondies will be gooey and fall apart if you cut them too soon.
Room temperature eggs really matter. They mix into the butter-sugar mixture much more smoothly and create a better texture overall. If you forget to take them out early, just set them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
Stir the flour mixture on purpose. Most recipes tell you not to overmix, but here you actually want to stir for about 30 seconds after adding the flour. That little bit of extra gluten is what makes these Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies chewy instead of crumbly.
Use fresh orange zest. The bottled stuff doesn't have the same bright, citrusy flavor. It only takes a minute to zest an orange, and the difference is noticeable.
Line your pan with parchment. You can grease it instead, but parchment makes it so much easier to lift the whole batch out and cut clean squares. Leave some overhang on two sides so you have handles to grab.
Check for doneness carefully. These Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies should look slightly underdone in the center when you take them out. They'll continue cooking in the hot pan as they cool, and you want them fudgy, not dry.
FAQ
Do cranberries and chocolate go together?
Yes, they're a classic combination. The tartness of cranberries balances the richness of dark chocolate perfectly, creating layers of flavor that keep each bite interesting. The slight bitterness in dark chocolate actually makes the cranberries taste sweeter, while the cranberries prevent the chocolate from feeling too heavy. My daughter Karla was skeptical at first, but now she asks me to make these cranberry blondie treats at least once a month.
Are dark chocolate cranberries healthy?
Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and may have some heart-health benefits when eaten in moderation. Dried cranberries provide vitamin C and fiber. That said, these Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies are still a dessert with sugar and butter, so they're best enjoyed as an occasional treat rather than a health food. I think of them as a slightly better choice than some other sweets, but I'm baking them for enjoyment, not nutrition.
Is dark chocolate better for brownies?
Dark chocolate adds a deeper, more complex flavor to baked goods compared to milk chocolate. It's less sweet, which lets other flavors like vanilla, orange, and cranberry shine through. For brownies and blondies, dark or bittersweet chocolate creates a more sophisticated taste that most adults prefer. Kids might like milk chocolate better, so it really depends on who you're baking for.
What can you make with dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate is incredibly versatile in baking and cooking. Beyond blondies, you can make chocolate chip cookies, brownies, chocolate mousse, hot cocoa, chocolate ganache, truffles, and chocolate bark. It melts beautifully for dipping strawberries or pretzels, and it adds richness to cakes and muffins. I love using it in anything where I want the chocolate flavor to be the star of the show.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Ingredients
Method
- Take the eggs out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before starting.
- Measure all ingredients and set aside.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F (165°C).
- Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square or 9-inch (23 cm) round pan with parchment paper or grease with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and melted butter together until smooth.
- Add the egg, extra yolk, vanilla extract, and orange zest to the bowl, and whisk for about 30 seconds to combine.
- Add the baking powder, salt, and flour, and stir with a spatula or spoon for about 30 seconds to develop gluten for chewiness.
- Fold in the chocolate chunks and dried cranberries.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the pan cool for at least 15 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing.
Leave a Reply