White Chocolate Apricot Pistachio Blondies

Dried fruit has been a close close friend lately.  My mom sent me an amazing variety of dried fruit and nuts for Christmas, and we dispatched it embarrassingly quickly.  It had dried white and yellow peaches, apricots, apples, pears, plums and more.  These blondies are full of dried apricots, white chocolate chips, and slightly salty pistachios.  The pistachios give these bars a little burst of salt to tone down the sweetness of the white chocolate.  

White Chocolate Apricot Pistachio Blondies

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup pistachios

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease a 9 inch square baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over two sides.

In a large bowl, stir together the butter and sugar until well blended.  Stir in the egg and vanilla until smooth.  Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir until just combined.  Stir in the white chocolate chips, dried apricots, and pistachios until incorporated.  

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, and bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the center is puffed and golden. Remove blondies from the oven and let cool completely before cutting.  Makes 16 bars.  

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy