Chewy Matcha Blondies with Big White Chocolate Chunks

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Matcha white chocolate blondies are chewy squares with a butterscotch-like base and pockets of white chocolate that melt as the bars bake. They’re made in one bowl with melted butter, so the batter comes together in about 15 minutes of hands-on time.

Brown sugar does most of the work for the chew. Two tablespoons of matcha, sifted in with the flour, add an earthy, slightly bitter backbone that stops the white chocolate from reading as cloying.

Pull the pan at 25 to 28 minutes, when the edges are set and the center barely jiggles. Go longer and the bright green fades to dull olive while the crumb dries out.

Then wait. The bars need a full 60 minutes in the pan to firm up, and they cut into 16 clean squares once they do.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One bowl, one whisk, and no mixer required
• Brown sugar and an extra yolk give a chewy center
• Cuts into 16 clean squares once fully cooled
• Keeps 4 days at room temperature, freezes 2 months

Ingredient Notes

• Matcha powder: I use a bright green cooking-grade matcha, which holds its flavor in the oven. For a milder bar, drop to 1 tablespoon (6 g) and add 1 tablespoon more flour.
• White chocolate: Chop a bar with cocoa butter listed near the top of the ingredients so it melts into soft pools. Chips hold their shape and give distinct dots instead. For a less sweet bar, swap in 100 g of chopped dark chocolate.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works if you cut the fine sea salt to 1/4 tsp. For dairy free, use 115 g of dairy-free baking sticks.
• Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses note but muddies the green. Stick with light brown for a cleaner matcha flavor.
• Egg yolk: The extra yolk is what makes the center fudgy instead of cakey. There’s no good substitute, so use two whole eggs only if you accept a lighter, springier crumb.
• All-purpose flour: A 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend should work, though the bars will be more fragile when warm. Let them cool the full 60 minutes before lifting them out.

Chewy Matcha Blondies with Big White Chocolate Chunks

One-bowl matcha blondies with white chocolate chunks, baked 25 to 28 minutes at 175 C / 350 F and cooled 60 minutes before cutting into 16 squares.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 27 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 42 minutes mins

Servings: 16 bars

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Japanese-inspired

Calories: 201

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 115 g unsalted butter (1/2 cup); melted and cooled for 5 minutes
• 150 g light brown sugar (3/4 cup); packed
• 50 g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 140 g all-purpose flour (1 cup plus 1 tbsp); spooned and leveled, or weighed
• 12 g cooking-grade matcha powder (2 tbsp); sifted with the flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 130 g white chocolate bar chopped into chunks, folded into the batter
• 40 g white chocolate bar chopped, for scattering on top

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 175 C / 350 F with a rack in the center. Line a 20 cm / 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides so the bars lift out. Melt the butter and let it cool for 5 minutes.
2. In a 2.8 L / 3-quart bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars for 1 minute until glossy with no dry lumps. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and whisk for another minute until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
3. Sift the flour, matcha, baking powder, and salt over the bowl. Fold with a silicone spatula until only a few dry streaks remain, then fold in 130 g of the chopped white chocolate. Stop mixing as soon as the streaks disappear.
4. Scrape the thick batter into the pan and press it level into the corners with a damp spatula. Scatter the remaining 40 g of white chocolate over the top.
5. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the edges are set, the center barely jiggles, and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Don't wait for a clean toothpick, or the bars will dry out and the green will turn olive.
6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 60 minutes. Lift out by the parchment, then cut into 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between cuts.

Notes

• Weigh the flour. A packed scoop can add 20 g and turn the bars cakey.
• Let the melted butter cool 5 minutes before whisking in the eggs.
• Pull the pan when the center barely jiggles, then cool the full 60 minutes.
• Wipe the knife between cuts so green crumbs don't smear the white chocolate.

Tips for Success

• Sift the matcha with the flour through a fine-mesh sieve, because clumped matcha leaves bitter green specks that never fully disperse in the batter.
• Cool the melted butter for 5 minutes before whisking in the eggs so the heat doesn’t start to cook the yolk.
• Chop a white chocolate bar by hand instead of using chips when you want melted pools of chocolate in every bite.
• Press the batter level with a damp spatula, since the thick dough won’t settle on its own and thin corners bake faster.
• Wipe the knife clean between cuts, because dragging green crumbs through the white chocolate smears the cut faces.

Variations

• Fold in 1 tablespoon of toasted black sesame seeds with the flour for a nutty, savory edge that pairs well with matcha.
• Replace the white chocolate with 100 g of chopped dark chocolate for a less sweet bar with sharper contrast against the green tea.
• Add 60 g of chopped roasted pistachios with the white chocolate for crunch and a slightly salty finish. This makes the bars contain nuts.

Storage and Reheating

Matcha white chocolate blondies keep for 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container, with a sheet of parchment between layers. In a kitchen warmer than 24 C / 75 F, refrigerate them for up to 5 days and let them sit 20 minutes before eating.

For longer storage, wrap each cooled bar in parchment and freeze in a zip bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 45 minutes.

To warm a bar, microwave it for 8 to 10 seconds. The white chocolate softens and the center turns fudgy again.

Serving Suggestions

Matcha white chocolate blondies are best served at room temperature, cut into 16 squares of about 5 cm / 2 inches. Straight from the fridge they turn dense and the matcha tastes flatter.

Pair them with unsweetened hojicha, iced genmaicha, or black coffee, since the bars carry plenty of sugar. For a plated dessert, warm a bar for 8 seconds and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a few sliced strawberries.

For a bake sale or lunchbox, stack the squares with parchment between layers. They hold their edges well and travel without crumbling.

FAQ

Why did my matcha blondies turn brown instead of bright green?

Overbaking is the usual cause, because heat dulls matcha’s chlorophyll to olive or khaki. Bake at 175 C / 350 F and pull the pan at 25 to 28 minutes, when the edges are set and the center barely jiggles. Old or low-grade matcha also starts out duller, so use a fresh tin.

Can I use ceremonial matcha instead of baking-grade matcha in blondies?

Yes, use the same 12 g, but it’s an expensive swap. Butter, sugar, and 175 C / 350 F heat flatten the delicate sweetness that ceremonial matcha is priced for. I save it for whisked tea and use a bright green cooking-grade powder here, which has a sturdier, slightly bitter flavor that stands up to white chocolate.

Can I freeze matcha white chocolate blondies, and how do I thaw them?

Yes, they freeze well for up to 2 months. Cool the pan completely, cut into 16 squares, wrap each in parchment, and pack them in a zip bag. Thaw a bar at room temperature for 45 minutes, then microwave it for 8 to 10 seconds if you want a soft center.

What goes well with matcha white chocolate blondies?

Unsweetened drinks work best, such as hojicha, iced genmaicha, or black coffee, because the bars are sweet. For dessert, warm a bar for 8 seconds in the microwave and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Fresh strawberries or raspberries add acidity that balances the white chocolate.

How do I make matcha white chocolate blondies dairy free?

Swap the butter for 115 g of dairy-free baking sticks and use a dairy-free white chocolate bar, since regular white chocolate contains milk powder. The bars still contain eggs. Expect a slightly softer set, so give them the full 60-minute cool before cutting.

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

A matcha blondie gets its chew from brown sugar and butter with no cocoa, so the green color stays visible. A brownie is built on cocoa or dark chocolate, which turns the crumb brown and mutes the matcha. Blondies taste of butterscotch with a green tea finish, while brownies taste mostly of chocolate.

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