Caramel Coconut Cashew Blondies

These nutty blondies are studded with creamy white chocolate and topped with a super simple homemade dulce de leche, toasted coconut, and crunchy cashews.

Does anyone else feel like they just need a vacation?

Maybe it’s the former teacher in me, but come June 1st, I have the hardest time motivating myself to do anything because it’s summertime, baby! This year, I feel that longing for rest at an exponential rate. We took a quick little anniversary trip to NYC at the beginning of the month and then I got sick when we got home. Because I was out of commission for a few weeks, playing catch up has just been the worst. I’ve been scrambling to finish all of my client work before deadlines and at the end of the day, I’m just wiped and I need a break.

I would love to hide away on a tropical beach with a book, tuning out the world entirely for a bit so that I can actually re-charge. Unfortunately for me, that’s not in the cards this summer so I may just be turning off my social media accounts and making these loaded tropical-esque blondies—I’ll take it.

caramel coconut cashew blondies

The idea for this recipe started as “hawaiian cookie bars” scribbled in my notebook. I was thinking white chocolate, macadamia nuts, maybe a little coconut—flavors that made me feel like I was on an island or at the very least, hanging out the Disney Polynesian Resort.

Trader Joe’s was fresh out of macadamia nuts when I was recipe testing and I needed something sticky to bind it all together, so we settled on cashews and dulce de leche.

Kind of like a clean-out-the-pantry cookie bar, these are simple and easy and a real crowd pleaser. We start with a brown sugar blondie layer, studded with chopped white chocolate. Then, homemade dulce de leche (so easy, I promise) is poured over the top, and the bars are finished with toasted coconut, toasted cashews, more white chocolate, and a little pink salt.

A quick chill really helps the dulce de leche firm up, but I honestly don’t mind sticky caramel dripping down my hands so skipping it is also an option. Make a batch, share with friends, and pretend like you’re on vacation.

Yield one 9x13 pan, about 24 squares

Author Anna Ramiz

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

2 H & 30 M

Inactive time

4 Hour

Total time

7 Hour

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Caramel Coconut Cashew Blondies

( 0 reviews )

These nutty blondies are studded with creamy white chocolate and topped with a super simple homemade dulce de leche, toasted coconut, and crunchy cashews.

Ingredients

for the dulce de leche

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

for the white chocolate blondies

• 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup (170 g) butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup (57 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup (300 g) brown sugar
• 8 oz white chocolate, chopped

for the topping

• 2.5 oz cashews, toasted
• 1 cup (2 oz) coconut, toasted
• 3 oz white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 tsp pink salt

Instructions

1. Make the dulce de leche: Remove all paper wrapping from the can of sweetened condensed milk. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water until the can is completely submerged. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 2 hours, adding more water as needed to keep the can submerged the entire time. Use tongs to remove the can from the water and place on a towel to cool completely, at least 4 hours, before opening. The dulce de leche can be made ahead and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
2. Preheat the oven to 325° F and line a 9x13” baking dish with parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth and homogenized. Add the brown sugar and whisk until to combine.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until all of the flour has been incorporated. Add the chopped white chocolate and stir again to disperse. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and smooth into an even layer.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are deeply browned. Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes.
7. Spread the dulce de leche in an even layer over the surface of the blondies and then sprinkle with toasted cashews, toasted coconut, and chopped with chocolate. Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for at least an hour.
8. Sprinkle with pink salt, slice, and serve

Notes

A quick note on making homemade dulce de leche: Be extra careful when removing the hot can from the simmering water. I like to use tongs to lift the can out of the water and then I let it cool down on a kitchen towel. Let the dulce de leche cool COMPLETELY or it will explode hot caramel when you open in. I would give a minimum of 4 hours, but recommend longer. Better safe than sorry!

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Coffee Cinnamon Buns

Soft, pillowy sweet dough filled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a coffee glaze.

I felt like the biggest baking nerd creating this recipe last week. This was a completely unplanned recipe, born out of a serious cinnamon roll craving. I couldn’t get the idea of pillowy, soft sweet dough, filled with cinnamon sugar and twisted into delicate knots out of my head and so I found myself, sitting in front of my computer last week creating a sweet dough spreadsheet. I have a bunch of sweet dough recipes—you can check out my Browned Butter Spelt Cinnamon Buns, Tahini Orange Cinnamon Rolls, and Einkorn Pecan Sticky Buns if you don’t believe me—but they all vary slightly and I wanted to create the perfect sweet dough ratios. I compiled all of my sweet dough recipes into one very organized document, converted everything to baker’s percentages, and then decided what ratios I wanted to use for this recipe. Lo and behold, the perfect sweet dough was born.

The final dough has a fairly high enrichment percentage (milk, butter, and eggs) which makes it moist and soft, perfect for spinning and swirling and rolling into these coffee cinnamon buns.

the dough

This dough is a simple, enriched sweet dough with a high ratio of milk, eggs, and butter. It’s made brioche-style and we start by proofing the yeast in the warm milk. Then the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt, are added and mixed to form a thick dough. With the mixer running on a lower speed, softened butter is incorporated a little at a time, before the mixer speed increases and the dough kneads for a decent amount of time—until it’s smooth and elastic, with a strong network of gluten strands.

The dough rests at room temperature until doubled in size and then there are two options for shaping and the second proof. Option #1: Punch the dough down and transfer it to the refrigerator for an overnight cold proof. In the morning, let the dough warm up slightly, roll it, fill it, and shape it, and then let the buns proof for another 30 minutes or so before baking. Option #2: After the first proof, go ahead and roll, fill, and shape the dough and then transfer the cinnamon buns to the refrigerator for their overnight proof. Give them about an hour at room temperature before baking. You can adapt this recipe to fit your schedule.

the filling and frosting

Because I wanted the dough to be the star, we leaned into simplicity for this recipe. A very classic cinnamon, sugar, and butter filling is smeared over the dough before shaping and I topped them with a strong coffee glaze making them really perfect for lazy weekend mornings.

Yield 12

Author Anna Ramiz

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

20 Min

Inactive time

13 Hour

Total time

13 H & 50 M

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Coffee Cinnamon Buns

( 0 reviews )

Soft, pillowy sweet dough filled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a coffee glaze.

IngredientsUSMetric

for the sweet dough

• 140 g (1/2 cup +3 tbsp) buttermilk, warmed
• 10 g (2 3/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 345 g (2 3/4 cup) all purpose flour
• 3 g (1 tsp) kosher salt
• 100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

for the filling

• 56 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 100 g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 of a nutmeg pod, grated
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

for the glaze

• 70 g (1/3 cup) heavy cream
• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 120 g (about 1 cup) powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Combine warmed buttermilk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and let sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
2. While the yeast is proofing, combine sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. When the yeast is foamy, add the egg and egg yolk and whisk to incorporate. Add the dry ingredients and begin kneading on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until all of the flour has been incorporated and a dough begins to form.
4. With the mixer running, add the butter a tablespoon or so at a time. When all of the butter has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium high and knead for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and let proof at room temperature for an hour to an hour and a half, until the dough has doubled in size.
6. Punch the dough down and transfer to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, just to make the dough a little easier to work with. **see notes for alternate proofing instructions**
7. While the dough is chilling, combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and salt and stir to form a smooth paste.
8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and rolled into a 12x18” rectangle.
9. Smear the cinnamon butter mixture over the center and right two-thirds of the dough.
10. Fold the left third of the dough into the center and then fold the right third over the dough into the center as well (like folding a letter, but horizontally).
11. Turn the rectangle 90° and roll out a little, just to stretch it about an inch vertically.
12. Cut the dough into 12 strips. Roll each strip up like a snail and tuck the end under the center of the bun.
13. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator overnight, or about 12 hours.
14. When you’re ready to bake, preheat to the oven to 375° F and take the cinnamon buns out of the refrigerator. Remove the plastic wrap and cover loosely with a towel. Let rest for about an hour, until they come to room temperature.
15. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until deeply golden.
16. While the buns are baking, make the coffee glaze. Combine heavy cream and instant coffee in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer to dissolve the coffee. Transfer to a measuring cup and whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.
17. Pour the glaze over the warm cinnamon buns and serve immediately.

Notes

**For alternative proofing instructions, see the blog post above!

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

A thick and creamy New York style cheesecake with a buttery chocolate cookie crust and studded with miniature chocolate chips.

I lived in Durham, NC until I was 8 and let me tell you, I think the highlight of my first 8 years of life might have been Elmo’s Diner. Elmo’s is a quirky little diner off of 9th Street, just down the road from the Duke University Campus. It was quaint and cozy and we went for just about every occasion. Brunch with my aunts and uncles? We were at Elmo’s. Dinner with my grandparents, obviously Elmo’s. I even had a birthday party there I loved it so much. And rightfully so, because according to my memory, everything at Elmo’s was perfect and delicious. (Also, you could color pictures of ducks and they’d hang them on the wall, which made me feel a bit like a celebrity.)

Elmo’s had a lot going for it. They had little cups of the best tomato basil soup my 8 year old self had ever had. They had really great cheeseburgers, omelettes, pancakes—you know, all the best diner food. But the chocolate chip cheesecake was the star. My cousin Joey and I were a little bit obsessed with Elmo’s chocolate chip cheesecake. We shared a slice every time we went and even now, 20 years later, we still catch ourselves dreaming of the Elmo’s chocolate chip cheesecake.

Looking back, I don’t know that it was anything fancy. I remember it was tall and thick, definitely a NY style cheesecake, with a graham cracker crust and miniature chocolate chips suspended inside. There were no fancy garnishes or sauces, and it was definitely a diner-style cheesecake. But as a kid, it was perfect. Even now, I can close my eyes and picture myself back in that diner, all of my family shoved around a big table. The adults are drinking coffee and chatting and Joey and I are down at the end of the table, mixing all the remaining dips and sauces and seasonings in the bottom of a sticky plastic cup (you know, like 8 year olds in the 90s did), waiting for our perfect slice of chocolate chip cheesecake. It’s cool how food imprints itself in your memories that way.

a really great chocolate chip cheesecake

Let’s talk cheesecake. There is a whole world of cheesecakes out there—ricotta, basque, Japanese, the kind you get at cheesecake factory…the list goes on. Because cheesecake can be pretty heavy, my go-to recipe is usually a creamy, cheesecake base lightened up by incorporating whipped egg whites. Not so, for this recipe. From my memory, the Elmo’s cheesecake was tall and dense, so that’s what we’re doing here. This is not a cheesecake for the faint of heart.

Traditionally, New York style cheesecakes are thick and hefty, incorporating lots of cream cheese and then usually sour cream and/or heavy cream to help smooth things out a bit. For this recipe, we’re using a full 2 pounds of cream cheese plus sour cream AND heavy cream for an extra smooth, tangy bite.

If you notice, the recipe incorporates a bit of flour to help bind everything together and stiffen the cheesecake slightly. Because we’re using the flour for it’s starch and not it’s gluten, you should be able to easily substitute a gluten-free flour blend in it’s place. (I have not tested this, but the science says it should work fine). You can also use cornstarch or just leave the flour out for a still very delicious, yet slightly less hefty slice of cheesecake.

For the crust, all of my fancy ideas went straight out the window. This is a classic. I went with Annie’s chocolate Teddy Grahams, which were an excellent choice, but you can choose any cookie your heart desires. A traditional graham cracker crust would be great, as would Oreos. Get wild with it.

Yield 8-10, one 9" cake

Author Anna Ramiz

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

1 H & 15 M

Inactive time

6 Hour

Total time

7 H & 35 M

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

( 0 reviews )

A thick and creamy New York style cheesecake with a buttery chocolate cookie crust and studded with miniature chocolate chips.

IngredientsUSMetric

for the crust

• 7.5 ounces Chocolate Teddy Grahams, or other cookie
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter

for the cheesecake

• 2 lbs cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (56 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (56 g) heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour, divided
• 8 oz miniature chocolate chips

Instructions Fahrenheit Celsius

to make the crust

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F and line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.
2. Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse for about 30 seconds, until finely ground. Transfer them to a bowl.
3. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter, and stir until everything is moistened.
4. Pour the cookie crumb mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands to firmly press it into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned and set. Let cool completely while you make the filling.

to make the cheesecake

1. Lower the oven temperature to 300° F.
2. Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about a minute, until smooth and fluffy.
3. Add the granulated sugar and mix again until evenly dispersed.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed until very smooth.
5. With the mixer on low speed, at the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
6. Place 1 tbsp of the flour in a medium bowl with all but 2 tbsp of the chocolate chips. Toss to coat.
7. Add the remainder of the flour to the cheesecake filling and beat one last time, until well-combined and very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold a few times with a rubber spatula to ensure even distribution.
8. Add the flour-coated chocolate chips to the batter and fold to mix in. Pour the batter into the cooled crust and sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of chocolate chips over the top.
9. Bake, without opening the door to the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the cheesecake is set and there is only a slight wobble on the top. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool on the counter for another 30 minutes.
10. Wrap the cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
11. When you’re ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and slice using a sharp knife.

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