Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe – does baking really get any better than this? And yes, they look every bit as good as they taste!

Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe, anyone? If you’ve never had a blondie before then now’s the time to start – this is a remix of my classic one-bowl gluten-free blondies recipe that you absolutely need to try ASAP.

So, what is a blondie, first of all? Well, it’s gooey and fudgy like a brownie… but instead of being chocolatey, it’s a usually a vanilla based flavour.

However, today, we’re mixing things up a bit to create cherry bakewell blondies – yep, a wonderful combo of almond, raspberry jam and actual cherry bakewells.

Sound good? Of course it does! Fortunately, they’re super easy to make too.

Here’s a few reasons you need to make these just in case you weren’t convinced already…

Why make my Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe?

They’re super easy to make – they actually only require 15 minutes of effort, then put your feet up while they bake in the oven.
You only need one mixing bowl to make this, so that means less washing up and less faff!
The taste is absolutely *out of this world*. The texture is like a fudgy brownie, but with a jammy finish, flaked almonds and chunky cherry bakewells on top.
You’d NEVER know these were gluten-free… you’ll have to fight the muggles to keep them away from these!

So what do my cherry bakewell blondies taste like?

Like nothing else, I can assure you! Even if you skip adding the actual cherry bakewell tarts in the top, these still taste exactly like a bakewell: sweet, jammy, with a delightful almond-y kick.

The texture is super fudgy, with chunky white chocolate chips, sticky jam and crunchy flaked almonds. Honestly, you just need to stop reading and try them!

Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe, keep scrolling until you see the recipe card for the measurements and method…

Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe: What you’ll need…

Butter: This humble ingredient is the secret to a super fudgy texture and a buttery taste.
Light Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar gives my blondies a subtle, almost caramelised flavour.
Caster Sugar: This isn’t just for sweetness – along with the brown sugar, it gives the blondies their distinctive crisp, paper-like finish on top.
Large Eggs: I always tend to use large eggs, so I’d recommend you do for this one as well!
Almond Extract: This ensures a lovely bakewell-like flavour when combined with the raspberry jam that just can’t be beat.
Gluten-free Plain Flour: I use the FREEE by Doves Farm blend available in the UK, but any blend should do just fine.
Ground almonds: Not only do these add a super moist texture, but they add to the bakewell flavour! Feel free to substitute with more gluten-free plain flour if you’d prefer.
Xanthan Gum: A little goes a long way as a gluten replacer!
Cornflour (cornstarch): This lightens the otherwise heavier flour to help give my blondies their trademark, heavenly texture. It’s the starchy white powder, not cornmeal or polenta!
White chocolate chips: Because… why not? Though they are optional!
Raspberry jam: They add a lovely jammy flavour and finish these off perfectly.
Flaked almonds: These toast beautifully and of course, add welcome taste and texture.
Gluten-free bakewell tarts: These are the ultimate finishing touch, though are also, essentially optional. You’ll find these down the free from aisle in the supermarket.

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling!

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time baking this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

It is gluten free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make sure that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten free products. Double check your sprinkles to make sure they’re gf too.

Can I make your Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe dairy free?

Yes! Simply:

Use Stork hard margarine instead of butter
Use dairy-free white chocolate chips, if using
Ensure your gluten-free bakewell tarts are dairy-free too.

Can I make your Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe vegan?

Yes! Follow the advice above to make these dairy-free (ensuring your gluten-free bakewell tarts are vegan too) then all you’re left to contend with is two large eggs.

Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg. I’d recommend using banana, aquafaba or an egg replacement powder.

3 tablespoons of aquafaba (pre-whisked until frothy) water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten free.
1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
1 small, ripe banana (mashed)

I haven’t tested all of these egg-replacements so let me know how you get on in the comments below this post.

Is your Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe low FODMAP?

If you use lactose-free white chocolate chips, then omit the gluten-free bakewell tarts and flaked almonds, one slice would be low FODMAP and suitable for the elimination phase of the diet.

Which gluten-free bakewell tarts did you use?

I used these from Tesco (which are also dairy-free if that helps) but any from supermarket free from aisles would work too.

Do I need any special equipment to make your Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe?

In terms of kitchen gadgets, an electric hand mixer would make life a little easier, but these are actually really easy to make entirely by hand.

What you will need however is a 9″ square baking tin – here’s the one I use. Apart from that, you’ll just need a little baking paper too!

Do I need weighing scales to make your cherry bakewell blondies?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any of my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

Can I make this recipe without xanthan gum?

You’ll see xanthan gum in a lot of my recipes as it’s an essential ingredient in gluten free baking – in cakes and biscuits, it helps to replace gluten by binding the texture together.

As we’re using gluten free plain flour which has no xanthan gum added, I’d always recommend leaving it in. But if you struggle to tolerate it, feel free to omit it from this recipe.

Can I make your cherry bakewell blondies without/with less sugar?

I can understand the need to reduce sugar in our foods, but sugar is integral to the structure of this bake – it’s not just for adding a sweet taste.

Sugar helps to achieve that nice crisp finish on the top of your blondies – so definitely remove/reduce at your own risk!

To reduce the sugar, I’d recommend omitting the gluten-free bakewell tarts on top, as well as the white chocolate chips.

Can I use other sugar apart from brown sugar in this recipe?

Brown sugar not only adds a distinct taste, but it’s unrefined and contains molasses which will greatly contribute to the lovely gooey, fudgy finish of your blondies.

You’re welcome to substitute it for caster sugar, but I’d always recommend using brown sugar for these if you can.

Can I make this recipe using other gluten free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?

There’s a big difference between ‘gluten free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten free flour. When I say ‘gluten free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten free flours, not just one, singular flour.

Most gluten free flour you buy in the supermarket typically contains a blend of rice flour, potato flour, maize flour, tapioca flour AND buckwheat flour. That’s a lot of different flours!

In gluten free self-raising flour, there’s usually even a little baking powder and xanthan gum in it too which always helps. So to replace it with just one specific type of flour… that’s not going to cut it at all. Definitely go for a gluten free flour blend.

How long can I keep your cherry bakewell blondies for?

In an airtight container, they should last up to 3-4 days. If you intend to keep them any longer than that, see the info below on how to freeze them.

Can I freeze my cherry bakewell blondies?

Yep! You can freeze them for up to 2-3 months without a problem – just make sure you put it in an airtight plastic container. It’s probably a good idea to slice it all first so you can defrost a slice at a time.

A single slice should take around 3-4 hours to thaw at room temperature.

Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe: Troubleshooting

My blondies aren’t fudgy and moist in the middle like yours. They’re more like cake. What did I do wrong?

If you followed the recipe to the letter, then it’s likely that your oven was either too hot, or they were in too long. Over-baking blondies will mean they have no moisture to them and become more like a cake.

Still perfectly edible, but not much of a blondie.

Also, remember, that if you use a bigger baking tin than mine, your mixture will be spread thinner. Which means they’ll cook faster!

My blondies are really wet in the middle instead of being fudgy. What did I do?

Firstly, make sure that you allow them to fully cool. They’re still ‘baking’ as they cool!

When they first come out of the oven, they’ll still be a little moist if you poke them with a skewer, but after allowing them to cool, they should be the perfect fudgy, consistency.

If you allowed them to fully cool, then it’s likely that you haven’t baked them long enough – in that case, they’ll definitely be more on the sloppy side. Instead of being nice and fudgy whilst holding their shape.

Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe: Method

Oh and here’s a printable version of my Cherry Bakewell blondies recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️