Toasted Coconut Ginger Blondies

Ever since I won a large jar of organic virgin coconut oil, I have been using it often, for my skin, hair and cooking. There are a lot of health benefits with using coconut oil. You should really check it out. Then I won some coconut cream concentrate, and have been enjoying it on my toast in the morning with some almond butter. Now I am really getting into coconut lately, and just bought 2lb bucket of coconut flakes.


I was checking out Tropical Traditions free coconut recipes so I can find many new ways to use the ingredients. I found these Toasted Coconut Ginger Blondies that use coconut oil and the coconut flakes, then adding my other favorite crystallized ginger. I like the way they have the recipes organized because you can search them by what they use, next I am checking out some of these recipes using the coconut cream concentrate. I mean they have everything from Coconut Chai Smoothie, Coconutty Creamy Grits, to Spicy Coconut Fish Recipe, with many more in between.

Now you know that I'm not much of a baker, so I was cautious trying to follow the recipe so I wouldn't have failure on my hands. I was making these to bring along when we went to visit my in-laws. Of course I still had to make a few changes...I didn't add as much crystallized ginger even though I'm a ginger fan, not everyone is, so I toned it down just a little, then I thought a tablespoon of vanilla was a lot, I used less then added some coconut extract, and ground ginger, and as always less sugar, then added a few chocolate chips. That's it!

Ingredients:
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger (called for 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter, or coconut oil, (I used coconut oil and a little coconut cream concentrate)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar ( it called for 3/4 cup)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1/2-1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan with extra fat of choice.
Sift the sifted flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together into a small bowl. Stir in the crystallized ginger.
Melt fat of choice gently . Whisk in brown sugar, mixing well. Let cool slightly if warm.
Whisk egg, vanilla and coconut extract into the sugar mixture. Mix in flour mixture in stages until well combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spread batter into prepared pan and sprinkle flaked coconut on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.


I've never made blondies before so I wasn't sure how they were supposed to look going into the pan. I really had to spread the batter in there! It was more like a cookie dough.

It came out okay, but I was wondering about 1/8 tsp baking soda? Why bother? I don't know if I measured that little of an amount correctly. What would have happened if I added 1/4 tsp?

They were so good and I think it still had enough ginger with the smaller amount, yet still had a nice ginger bite to it. My daughter even liked it.

My pan was a little larger than 8"X8" by a half inch 8.5 x 8.5 and the were a little flat, but no big deal. I think maybe next time I will use a smaller pan though. They sure smelled good when they were baking in the oven.

The chocolate chips were a nice touch! The bars were such a big hit they didn't last long. I didn't get to save one for breakfast!