Pistachio Blondie Recipe

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal, or lightly grease the pan.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt until evenly combined. Set aside.

Wet ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and slightly glossy (about 30–60 seconds). Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until each is incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract, yogurt, and lemon zest (if using) until homogenous.

Combine

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, folding gently with a spatula until just combined — do not overmix. Fold in the chopped pistachios, reserving about 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top.

Bake

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared 8x8 pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the reserved pistachios over the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 22–28 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.

Cool

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift the blondie slab out onto the rack to cool completely before drizzling. Cooling prevents the white chocolate from seizing or soaking into the bars.

Chop or set out white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Warm gently in 15–20 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between bursts, until fully melted and smooth. Stir in the 1 teaspoon neutral oil to loosen the chocolate and make a glossy drizzle. Alternatively, melt over a double boiler, stirring until smooth and adding oil at the end.

Using a spoon or a small piping bag, drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cooled blondie slab in thin ribbons. If desired, immediately sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt over the drizzle and a few extra chopped pistachios for visual contrast and texture.

Allow the white chocolate to set at room temperature (about 20–30 minutes) or chill briefly (5–10 minutes) to firm up. Once set, cut into 12 squares using a sharp knife (wipe the knife between cuts for cleaner edges) and serve.