For the Love of Cashews
Is it just me? Or does every Costco shopper end up buying those huge tubs of cashews because they’re just way too tempting?
Even among my own family members, I can count quite a few who have a weakness for those lovely, whole crescent-shaped nuts crammed generously into those big plastic containers. Indeed, when I visit, I can’t help but notice the tub sitting on a coffee table or kitchen table, ready to be opened at the slightest hunger pang.
I’m definitely guilty of that. But I also wanted to do more with my hoard of cashews than just shovel them into my mouth.
Leave it to Martha Stewart to come to the rescue.
Her “Butterscotch-Cashew Blondies” are tender with a touch of crunch and a wonderful caramel-toffee-vanilla flavor.
The recipe is from her cookbook, “Martha Stewart’s Cookies” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy and haven’t been able to stop baking from ever since.
These bar cookies are as easy as it gets. They’re loaded with butterscotch chips, toffee bits and, of course, plenty of chopped cashews. The recipe calls for unsalted nuts. But you can easily use the salted kind if you like your baked goods to have more of a saltier edge. Just decrease slightly the 3/4 teaspoon of salt called for in the dough.
Enjoy these blondies, and the fact that you’ll still have plenty of cashews left in that big ol’ tub to eat out of hand when the craving hits.
Butterscotch-Cashew Blondies
(Makes 9 large or 16 small)
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup toffee bits
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang. (Alternatively, you can use aluminum foil instead.) Butter lining (not overhang).
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and mix, scraping down sides of bowl, until well combined. Mix in butterscotch chips, cashews, and toffee.
Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into blondies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, 42 to 45 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares. Blondies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
Adapted from “Martha Stewart’s Cookies” by Martha Stewart
More Cookie Recipes From Martha: Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
And: Brown-Butter Toffee Blondies
Ooohhh, those look amazingly tempting! What a marvelous combination. So droolworthy.
Cheers,
Rosa
Oh, yes, the Costco tubs of cashews… Sooo dangerous…
The brownies look and sound wonderful!
I love cashews so these sound amazing.
I wonder if a weakness for giant tubs of cashews is an Asian thing? My parents’ pantry always had at least 3 different tubs of cashews from Costco. And now that they’ve discovered the chocolate covered nuts…oh man!
PS: Great looking dessert! I’ll have to make it for my mom sometime soon 🙂
I always end up with those big tubs of mixed nuts so there’s not much baking I can do with them but I don’t mind shoving them into my mouth! Can’t wait till the holidays. Costco always has the best treats!
A Facebook friend just wrote on my wall that those Costco tubs should be labeled “CRACKshews”! Love it!
I cracked up (pun intended) reading about the Costco cashew bins. My mom had those in our house was I was growing up, and I haven’t been able to shake the addiction. Thanks so much for the flashback, and your recipe looks great!
We didn’t have cashews but always had something with peanuts lying around. Love blondies…never had it with cashews before.
Your cashews blondies look fantastic…would love to have a piece of it.
Hope you are having a wonderful week Carolyn 🙂
I never really remember just how delicious cashews are…until I buy some. And then I’m hooked. These blondies look delicious!
Costco just came to Australia and I have yet to step foot in there although I heard there are a lot of bargains. The only problem is the bulk buy which I’d imagine would take us months if at all not perishables!
This is such a simple and delicious recipe. Gotta bookmark it and try out the recipe this weekend.
I have a love-hate relationship with Costco! I usually don’t ended up with just 1 type of nut after each visit, but 2 or 3 at least! Besides cashews, I love pistachio and smoked almonds! 🙂
Hehe I just bought some small bags of flavoured cashews this weekend. They’re so moreish though! I find it really hard to stop at eating a handful. I think these blondies would be similarly moreish! 😀
What a great idea using cashews. That’ by far my favorite nut. I used to make my own peanut butter and considered trying it with cashews, but I never did.
i get so excited about butterscotch chips, it’s ridiculous. i love cashews, too, so these little blondies are oh-so-alluring to me!
Man I wish I could just walk into a Costco right now. No such thing as “big box warehouse stores” here in Kuching.
I’d make some cashew butter with the big ol’ tub of cashews.
Thank you for the nice recipe. Happy Holidays!