These are elegant and easy. The batter is a variation on chocolate chip cookies, but with fresh raspberries and pecans. Best of all, no shaping or scooping. Just bake into bars, then serve in decadent squares.

Summer Raspberry Blondies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 pint basket fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray (or butter and flour your pan, but the nonstick spray works great).

2. In a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar for a minute or two. Then beat in the eggs and vanilla until it all comes together. Turn off the mixer, and put a wire colander over the bowl. Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix until just incorporated then add the pecans.

3. Spread dough in prepared pan. The dough is sticky, so wet the back of a large metal spoon, and use that to press out the dough evenly. Sprinkle the raspberries over the dough.

4. Bake about 35 minutes, until the top is golden.

Shopping List

Produce
1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Dairy
Eggs
Unsalted butter

Other items
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Brown Sugar
Flour
Non-stick cooking spray (like Pam)
Pecans
Salt
Vanilla extract

Cook’s Notes: Trader Joe’s in Glenview (1407 Waukegan Rd., 847-657-7821), and Northbrook (127 Skokie Blvd., 847-480-9280), sells roasted, unsalted pecans already conveniently chopped for baking.