Blueberry Cornmeal Bars

1 part blondie, 1 part corn cake, all parts delicious.

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Summer is prime berry baking season, but no matter how many muffins, pancakes, and cobblers I’ve already whipped up, I’m always game for a batch of these blueberry cornmeal bars. Jammy blueberries are scattered throughout a fudgy cornmeal cake for a dessert that’s 1 part blondie, 1 part corn cake, and all parts delicious. 

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in these bars. If buying fresh, I recommend opting for smaller berries whenever possible: they often have a more concentrated flavor and they will also distribute better into the batter. If using frozen, don’t thaw them before folding into the batter and baking.

Cornmeal comes in a variety of textures and colors. For these bars, I recommend choosing yellow (for the color!) and sticking with the finest grind you can find. Cornmeal will always bring a bit of texture with it, but if you try to use anything labeled coarse-ground, the bars will likely end up feeling a bit gritty.

Modeled on a typical blondie recipe, these bars are intended to be moist and fudgy, even when fully baked. To achieve the ideal texture, I highly recommend using a metal baking pan. Metal heats up and cools down more quickly than glass, and this will help your blondies bake through quickly and evenly. Use glass, and you risk ending up with a raw center and overbaked crusty edges.

These bars can be made a day in advance. Since they’re so dense and moist, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature (especially if your kitchen is hot, as mine is during the summertime!) Let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying. Leftovers can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 1 month.

Enjoy!

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Blueberry Cornmeal Bars

(Makes 16)

1 c. (200 g.) packed light brown sugar

¾ c. (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

¼ c. maple syrup

¾ tsp. kosher salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. baking powder

1 1/3 c. (160 g.) all-purpose flour

2/3 c. (80 g.) finely ground cornmeal

8 oz. (1 1 1/3 c.) blueberries, divided

Equipment: 9”x 9” metal baking pan, parchment paper, large bowl, hand whisk, rubber spatula

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°, rack in the middle position. Spray a 9” x 9” metal baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides. 

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter, maple syrup and kosher salt and whisk until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until completely incorporated, then add baking powder and whisk until well distributed.

Add all-purpose flour and cornmeal. Using a rubber spatula, fold in until just a few dry streaks remain. Fold in about 1 cup blueberries.

Dollop blondie dough into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Press remaining blueberries into the top. 

Bake blondies until deeply browned around the edges and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, 28-32 minutes. Let cool completely in pan, then use the parchment paper to lift the blondies out onto a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.