Fudgy Strawberry Blondies Recipe: Sweet Berries & Buttery Bars

These Strawberry Blondies are gooey, buttery, and delicious. They’re brightened with fresh lemon zest, studded with chopped strawberries, and studded with sweet white chocolate. No mixer is required—just one bowl—and they make a perfect spring or summer dessert.

Stack of strawberry blondies

These strawberry lemon blondies have the moist, slightly chewy texture everyone loves in blondies. Fresh strawberries soften and caramelize as they bake, which pairs beautifully with lemon and creamy white chocolate.

If you enjoy blondies, you might like other variations such as banana blondies, blueberry blondies, or white chocolate and raspberry blondies.

Why this recipe works

  • Fresh strawberries and lemon zest keep the blondies juicy and add bright, summery flavor.
  • They’re ideal for spring and summer gatherings or a simple home-baked treat.
  • No mixer is needed: everything is made in one bowl and comes together quickly.
  • White chocolate balances the tartness with a creamy sweetness.

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for strawberry blondies laid out

Notes on a few ingredients:

  • Cardamom: Adds a warm, aromatic note. It’s optional—omit if you don’t have it.
  • Butter: Use melted unsalted butter and add it while still warm for best texture.
  • Brown sugar: Gives blondies their caramel-like flavor and chewy texture. Use light or dark.
  • Egg: Use one large egg at room temperature to help the batter emulsify.
  • Lemon zest: Zest a lemon with a microplane for a bright, fresh flavor.
  • Strawberries: Use fresh, chopped strawberries. If using frozen, thaw completely and drain excess liquid.
  • White chocolate: A bar chopped or white chocolate chips both work.

See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Substitutions

  • Swap brown sugar for granulated sugar if preferred.
  • Use chopped white chocolate instead of white chocolate chips.
  • If fresh strawberries aren’t available, thawed frozen strawberries can be used—drain any excess liquid before folding them into the batter.

Instructions

Whisking egg into melted butter and sugar
Blondie batter in a bowl next to a pan

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to lift the blondies out after baking.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cardamom (if using), and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the melted warm butter and brown sugar until combined, then whisk in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, then gently fold in the chopped strawberries and white chocolate.

Strawberry blondie batter spread in a pan
Baked strawberry blondies cooling in pan

Step 3: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 350°F for about 24–29 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is just firm; a toothpick inserted near the center should come out with a few moist crumbs.

Step 4: Cool the pan on a wire rack. Once completely cool, use the parchment overhang to lift the blondies from the pan, slice, and serve.

Expert tips

Tip 1: Choose fully ripe strawberries—bright red to the tip—for the best sweetness.

Tip 2: Remove the stem and white core when prepping strawberries to avoid bitter bits.

Tip 3: Spoon and level flour when measuring to avoid packing too much into the cup.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the difference between a brownie and a blondie?

Both can be soft and fudgy, but brownies are chocolate-based while blondies rely on brown sugar and vanilla for their caramel-like flavor.

How do you store leftover blondies?

Store cooled, sliced blondies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze tightly wrapped blondies for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Golden strawberry blondies cut into squares

More strawberry recipes you will love

  • Strawberry mousse
    Strawberry Mousse
  • Strawberry cream cheese muffins
    Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins
  • Strawberry crumble bars
    Strawberry Crumble Bars
  • Strawberry basil cake
    Strawberry Basil Cake

If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment — I’d love to hear how it turned out!

Overhead of strawberry blondies

Strawberry Blondies

Moist, buttery blondies flavored with lemon and studded with strawberries and white chocolate. Simple to make and crowd-pleasing.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 33 mins
Servings: 16 blondies
Calories: 160 kcal per blondie

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Oven mitts
  • 8 inch square pan
  • Offset spatula (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (125 g) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (optional)
  • 1/2 cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted and warm
  • 2/3 cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 1/2 medium lemon)
  • 3/4 cup (144 g) fresh strawberries, chopped
  • 2/3 cup (about 99 g) white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment, leaving a two-inch overhang on two sides.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom (if using), and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, and egg, whisking to combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula until just combined, then gently fold in strawberries and white chocolate.
  4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 24–29 minutes, until edges are set and center has a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

  • Strawberries: Frozen berries may be used if thawed and drained before mixing.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

Serving: 1 blondie
Calories: 160 kcal
Carbohydrates: 21 g
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 8 g

Please note nutrition values are estimates from a calculator and should be used as a guideline.