These chai spiced blondies, dotted with walnuts, are soft, chewy and delightfully spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg and pepper.
This particular recipe was inspired by the spices found in a Masala Chai, and I used this brownie recipe, as a base recipe to work from.
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A Note on Chai and Masala Chai
Chai is what tea, normal tea and milk, is called in India, more accurately, the word chai is a Hindi word that refers to tea. While Masala Chai refers to a milk tea spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, coriander, and pepper to name a few.
As with all other dishes that originate from India, different regions will use different types of spices and flavourings within the tea. We must remember India is a large country, rich in history, and diversity.
Chai Latte in the Western World is typically made from a powdered instant type drink that contains black tea, and spices (amongst the other stabiliser and sweeteners). While chai tea (tea tea?) consists of either black, green, or rooibos with a blend of spices.
What You Need for this Recipe
Equipment
This recipe doesn't require any special equipment, a mixing bowl, a whisk, a spatula and a 9"x9" square cake tin.
Ingredients
- Butter or vegan baking margarine
- Caster or Granulated White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Walnuts (optional)
- Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cardamom, ground pepper
- Vanilla Extract
- Plain, Standard Grade or All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
Substititions/Variations
Plain/all-purpose/standard grade flour can be substituted on a 1-to-1 basis for recipes that have ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking powder per 125 grams/1 cups of flour. If the recipe requires more than 1 teaspoon per cup, simply add the extra baking powder to the recipe to make up the difference. Self-raising/rising flours may already contain salt so this may need to be omitted from the recipe as well.
Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)/Baking Powder Substitutes: 1 teaspoon of baking powder = ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
Have your favourite spice blend - whether it is chai spice, pumpkin spice, or even a hot-cross bun mix you like? You can substitute out the spices with 4 ½ teaspoons of your own spice blend.
These walnuts can be replaced with pecans or almonds. Alternatively, white or milk chocolate would also be great in this recipe.
The caster or white sugar can be substituted out with brown sugar, or brown sugar with white sugar. Keep in mind that a blondie's butterscotch and caramel notes come from brown sugar.
Making Walnut Chai Spiced Blondies
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan-assisted. Grease and line a 9"x9" (22cm x 22cm) square tin using the sling method (see image below with blondie batter in the tin).
Step 2 - Melt the butter in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave. Add in the sugars, and whisk together. Then pop the butter-sugar mixture back into the microwave for 30 seconds, whisk again and repeat 2 times. When you are done the sugar will have dissolved into the butter, and the mixture will have thickened. Allow to butter mixture to cool a bit. Add in the spices and vanilla extract. Whisk through. Add the eggs and whisk vigorously for at least a minute.
Step 3 - Add the flour, salt and baking powder and stir through until just mixed. Add the walnuts and stir through. Pour into the prepared tin, give a few good bangs on the kitchen counter to remove air bubbles and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chai spiced blondie bar has just set.
Step 4 - Allow the blondie to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before lifting out using the baking paper slings and cool completely on a wired rack. Slice into 16 to 25 pieces, serve and enjoy!
Have a look at the Walnut Chai Spiced Blondies Story!
Pro Tips for this Recipe
The temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. For convection, fan-forced, fan-assisted, or air-fryers, the temperature must be reduced by 20°C/25°F.
For baking, make sure the oven is fully preheated, and that the rack is in the middle of the oven. Open the oven as little as possible. For best baking results use an oven thermometer.
Remember that all ovens work slightly differently and bake times may need to be adjusted for your specific oven.
Bang the pan on the kitchen counter before baking to remove air bubbles from the batter.
If halving the recipe - bake in a loaf tin.
Walnut skins can taste bitter, to remove skins once toasted, place the warm nuts in a clean tea towel and rub gently to remove the skins.
Storage and Freezing
These blondies can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for 2 to 3 days.
Walnut Chai Spiced Blondies FAQ
Blondies should be fairly dense, moist, soft and chewy in the middle.
No. Not all blondie recipes contain white chocolate. The base of the blondie flavour comes from the brown sugar used
Historically blondies or blondie bars have existed for a full decade before brownies came on the scene.
Brownies are typically fudgy, chewy and have an intense chocolate flavour, while blondies do not contain chocolate but have notes of butterscotch and caramel - which come from the brown sugar used in the recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Walnut & Chai Spiced Blondies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 160 grams butter
- 100 grams white granulated sugar (caster/granulated)
- 100 grams light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 eggs (large)
- 160 grams plain flour (all-purpose/standard grade)
- ½ teaspoon table salt table
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 75 grams walnuts lightly toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan assisted. Grease and line a 9"x9" (22cm x 22cm) square tin using the sling method (see image below with blondie batter in the tin).
- Melt the butter in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave. Add in the sugars, and whisk together. Then pop the butter-sugar mixture back into the microwave for 30 seconds, whisk again and repeat 2 times. When you are done the sugar will have dissolved into the butter, and the mixture will have thickened. Allow to butter mixture to cool a bit. Add in the spices and vanilla extract. Whisk through. Add the eggs and whisk vigorously for at least a minute.
- Add the flour, salt and baking powder and stir through until just mixed. Add the walnuts and stir through. Pour into the prepared tin, give a few good bangs on the kitchen counter to remove air bubbles and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chai spiced blondie bar has just set.
- Allow the blondie to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before lifting out using the baking paper slings and cool completely on a wired rack. Slice into 16 to 25 pieces, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate. If scaling the recipe remember to scale your cook and bakeware accordingly. All temperatures stated are conventional, unless otherwise stated. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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