Gluten-Free Lemon Pistachio Frangipane Blondies

Hi Bakers,

If you love lemons, pistachios and blondies. This is your bake!  It seems like magic to put real lemon flavor into chewy buttery blondies with rich pistachio frangipane, but it’s real, gluten-free, and oh so delicious! Chewy Lemon Frangipane Blondies are the cookie my sister declared her absolute favorite, and I have to agree. These are even better chilled for that extra dense chew you can only get from the fridge. I hope you try these amazing treats and let me know how you like them. ~Carolyn

Gluten-Free Lemon Pistachio Frangipane Blondies

Makes one 8x8” pan

Pistachio Frangipane

Adapted from the English Kitchen’s recipe

4 tablespoons butter, soft

1/3 cup granulated  sugar

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup finely ground Pistachios or Pistachio flour + 2 tablespoons

pinch of salt

Blondie Batter

Dry

1 1/2 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose gluten-free flour

1/4 cup Pistachio Flour

2 teaspoons sweet rice flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1/3 cup whole lemon puree**

Topping

Chopped roasted pistachios

powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F and placethe  rack in the middle position. Line an 8x8” pan with parchment paper.

Whole Lemon Puree**

Wash a large lemon and cut it into quarters. Remove all seeds and then cut into 1/2” pieces. Put into a large, wide-mouthed jar and puree until smooth with a stick blender. Measure out a 1/3 cup of the mixture and discard the rest.

Frangipane

Beat the butter and sugar together in a small bowl. Next, add the egg, vanilla extract, pistachio flour, and salt. Set aside to add to the blondies later.

Blondies

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, microwave the butter and sugars together until the mixture melts and comes together. Mix it well and then let it cool for a few minutes until warm but not hot. Mix in the egg and yolk. Then, stir in the lemon puree. Next, add the dry ingredients, mixing well, and then spread the batter into the baking pan. Dot the top with scoopfuls(about 1 tablespoon per scoop) of pistachio frangipane. Swirl it into blondies with the tip of a knife. You want to leave large bits on it unmixed. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the blondies are browned and puffed on top. If blondies are getting too brown, cover with foil to finish baking. The edges should be set, but you want them soft in the middle. Blondies will firm up when cool but stay chewy in the center. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and chopped pistachios when cooled. Blondies will keep for a week in the fridge and will be extra chewy when chilled. Mine got eaten in a day, so grab them when you can! Enjoy.