Bee Pollen Sesame Blondies

Makes 16 bars.

These chewy blondies bring together two indulgent flavors: sesame and bee pollen. The robust nuttiness of tahini sets the best stage for the gentle honeyed notes of bee pollen to shine. Nutty, nourishing, and not-too-sweet, these blondies are a great bake to serve at movie nights, cozy gatherings, or even diced for topping sundaes!

It’s important to add the tahini in last, after all of the other ingredients have already been incorporated. Like melted chocolate, tahini has a tendency to seize if water is introduced too soon and will break the batter.

Want to add even more nuttiness? You can fold in up to 1/4 cup of sesame seeds or chopped nuts into the batter for added nutrition and a satisfying crunch with each bite.

Note: You can replace the melted butter in this recipe with olive oil.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled plus extra for the pan
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons bee pollen, divided
1¼ cups brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup tahini

For the glaze:
¼ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan, then line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Grease the top of the parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the bee pollen. In another medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ½ cup melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated, then fold in the tahini until smooth. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden on the outside and the center is set but is still soft, 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool in the pan, and cut into 16 squares.

While the blondies cool, put the powdered sugar and milk into a small bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the blondies then sprinkle on the remaining 2 teaspoons of bee pollen.