Pin it A playful, gooey treat blending golden blondie bars, tart cherries, crushed graham crackers, and chocolate chips, finished with a marshmallow swirl and a hint of cherry soda for extra lift.
I first made these for a summer picnic and everyone loved the blend of familiar campfire flavors with the surprise zing of cherry soda. It was the kind of treat that had people coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups (250 g)
- Baking powder: 1 tsp
- Baking soda: ½ tsp
- Salt: ½ tsp
- Unsalted butter, melted and cooled: ½ cup (115 g)
- Light brown sugar, packed: 1 cup (200 g)
- Granulated sugar: ⅓ cup (65 g)
- Large eggs, room temperature: 2
- Pure vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- Cherry soda (not diet): ⅓ cup (80 ml)
- Pitted cherries, halved (fresh or frozen, thawed and drained): 1 cup (175 g)
- Semisweet chocolate chips: ½ cup (85 g)
- Mini marshmallows: 1 cup (70 g)
- Graham crackers, roughly crushed: 1 cup (100 g)
Instructions
- Prepare pan:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9 inch (23x23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Mix dry ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined and glossy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add cherry soda:
- Pour in cherry soda and mix until smooth.
- Combine mixtures:
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in mix-ins:
- Fold in cherries, chocolate chips, and half of the graham crackers.
- Batter in pan:
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining graham cracker pieces and mini marshmallows over the top.
- Bake:
- Bake for 28·32 minutes, or until the center is just set and the edges are golden. For gooier bars, err on the shorter bake time.
- Cool and serve:
- Cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment and cut into squares to serve.
Pin it My kids always ask for these blondies when we have movie nights. They make a perfect, shareable dessert for family gatherings and get a lot of smiles when served slightly warm.
Required Tools
9x9 inch (23x23 cm) baking pan, mixing bowls, whisk and spatula, parchment paper, knife for cutting
Allergen Information
Contains: Wheat (gluten), eggs, milk (butter, chocolate), soy (chocolate), possible tree nuts (if chocolate chips are processed in shared facilities)
Nutritional Information
Per serving: Calories: 230, Total Fat: 8 g, Carbohydrates: 37 g, Protein: 3 g
Pin it These blondies are at their best when still a bit warm and gooey inside. Cut them just before serving for the freshest texture.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → Can I use dried cherries instead of fresh?
Yes, substitute with ½ cup dried cherries soaked briefly in cherry soda to plump them up.
- → What does cherry soda add to the bars?
Cherry soda provides subtle tartness, extra lift, and a distinctive fruity undertone to the blondies.
- → How do I keep the bars gooey?
Bake for a shorter time and serve slightly warm for a softer, gooier texture throughout the bars.
- → Can I add other types of chocolate?
Absolutely! Add chopped milk chocolate or white chocolate chips for different sweetness and flavor blends.
- → Are these suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, the bars are vegetarian as they use eggs, dairy, and no animal-derived gelatin in marshmallows.
- → How should I store leftover blondies?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.