Matcha Blondies with White Chocolate and Coconut

Want matcha squares without the pronounced taste of dark chocolate? These blondies combine about 5 tsp (10 g) of matcha with plant-based white chocolate and coconut. The batter makes nine squares in 1 hour 10 minutes overall, including 30 minutes of cooling.

The recipe is plant-based if the white chocolate you buy is, too. If you'd rather make a cake to share than nine squares, matcha and chocolate desserts include that format too.

• Prep time 15 minutes
• Bake time 25 minutes
• Cooling time 30 minutes
• Total time 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield 9 squares
• Equipment 7-inch (18 cm) square pan, parchment paper, small saucepan, two bowls, sieve, spatula, and cooling rack

Ingredients for matcha coconut blondies

• 4.9 oz (140 g) wheat flour
• about 5 tsp (10 g) matcha
• About 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
• 3.2 oz (90 g) brown sugar
• 2.8 oz (80 g) plant-based white chocolate
• 1.8 oz (50 g) coconut oil
• 3.5 oz (100 g) plain soy yogurt
• 0.88 oz (25 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut

How to bake matcha blondies

1. Preheat a conventional oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line a 7-inch (18 cm) square pan with parchment paper.
3. Melt the 2.8 oz (80 g) of plant-based white chocolate with the 1.8 oz (50 g) of coconut oil in a small saucepan over very low heat.
4. Let the melted mixture cool slightly for 3 minutes.
5. Mix the 3.5 oz (100 g) of soy yogurt with the 3.2 oz (90 g) of brown sugar in a bowl.
6. Pour the warm melted chocolate into the bowl.
7. Sift the 4.9 oz (140 g) of flour, about 5 tsp (10 g) of matcha, and about 1 tsp (4 g) of baking powder into a second bowl.
8. Add the 0.88 oz (25 g) of unsweetened desiccated coconut to the dry ingredients.
9. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
10. Fold them in with a spatula until no dry flour remains.
11. Spread the batter in the lined pan.
12. Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F (175°C), until the center is set and no liquid batter remains.
13. Let the blondies cool for 30 minutes in their pan on a rack.
14. Remove the cooled slab from the pan.
15. Cut it into nine even squares.

Stop folding as soon as the dry flour disappears. Extra mixing tightens the batter; if any flour remains at the bottom, make just one last pass with the spatula. Then wait the full 30 minutes of cooling: the white chocolate and coconut oil firm up before cutting.

Matcha blondies or brownies: which should you make?

The blondie keeps a pale base of plant-based white chocolate, brown sugar, and coconut. Cocoa takes the lead in matcha brownies, made with dark chocolate, butter, and eggs; their squares are darker. That difference matters if you cook without animal products: of the two, the blondie is the suitable choice. We keep coconut here because you can still taste it without losing the tea.

Which matcha suits these nine squares?

For these white chocolate squares, the oven and sugar lead us to choose Essence matcha for baking in the batter. To spread the green color through all nine squares, sift the flour with about 5 tsp (10 g) of matcha.

How should you serve them?

We serve the cut blondies at room temperature, without frosting. In a warm room, refrigerate them, then take them out before serving. Coconut gives this recipe its character; another flavor would call for rebalancing the batter.

Our tip. Lift the cooled slab by the parchment paper. Divide it into three rows in each direction for nine squares without breaking the corners.

Allergens. Wheat (gluten) and soy. Check the plant-based white chocolate's ingredients too.