Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies with Caramelized Butter

Craving something sweet that still feels special—even when your energy’s running low? These Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies with Caramelized Butter are rich, chewy dessert bars with simple ingredients and a buttery caramel base. It’s a great recipe to keep on hand when you want a homemade treat that delivers big flavor without needing frosting or extra flair.

This blondie recipe was born from one of those “use what you have” moments. I had half a can of raspberry pie filling, some white chocolate chips, and a craving for something that felt homemade without the effort. Melted butter with dark brown sugar gave the bars a caramelized depth and a nice chewy texture, making them a keeper. I make this easy recipe whenever I need a no-stress dessert that still feels special.

Do you love raspberries as much as I do? Try my mini raspberry muffins with oat streusel. They are a good idea for summer day trips. 

Why You’ll Love These Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies

No fancy Tools Needed. If you can stir and pour, you can make these. One bowl, one pan, zero fuss.

Rich and chewy. Melting the butter and dark brown sugar gives the blondie batter a deep, almost toffee-like base that feels extra satisfying.

Customizable add-ins. Toss in some chopped nuts, coconut, or a drizzle of extra raspberry on top—this base is flexible.

A Canadian Twist on a Classic Sweet Treat

These chewy blondies reflect something I’ve come to appreciate more and more in Canadian kitchens—how we balance homegrown pride with clever shortcuts when needed. Pie filling might not have been a staple in my childhood home (my mom canned everything), but it’s been a fixture in Canadian pantries for decades.

Whether homemade or store-bought, it’s a great way to preserve summer fruit and use it all year. In baking, it brings both flavor and nostalgia—no need for fresh berries or complicated prep. And that mix of tradition and practicality? That’s a very Canadian way to bake.

Let’s Make These Raspberry Blondies.

In a non-stick frying pan heated on medium, melt the butter and dark brown sugar together and cook until the mixture bubbles. That bubbling tells you the sugar has fully dissolved, and the flavor is deepening into a rich caramel flavor. Let it cool for 10–20 minutes, depending on your kitchen temperature. You can speed this up slightly by placing the pot in the fridge, but make sure the mixture is no longer hot before blending with the other ingredients.

 Once cool, whisk in the egg, milk, and vanilla. The dry ingredients—flour and baking powder—are directly added to the cooled butter mixture. Stir just until combined.

Pour the blondie batter into a prepared pan (an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper or greased). Level it out gently. Spoon the raspberry pie filling over the surface and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the sweet white chocolate chips across the top.

Bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and a tester comes out mostly clean.

Cool the bars completely on a wire rack before slicing. These are rich, so cut into 16 small squares (a 4×4 grid) and enjoy as-is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 Ingredients

Note to my Canadian readers: You’re not alone if you’re trying to source ingredients without relying on U.S.-based imports. Supporting Canadian-made products helps keep our food systems strong, our neighbors employed, and our shelves stocked.

Every dollar spent on Canadian products helps strengthen our communities.

And to our American friends—we still love you! We always have and will. But when possible, we’re leaning toward local to keep our shelves stocked and our people supported.

Butter: Forms the base of the blondie and is cooked with brown sugar to develop that signature caramel flavor. I use both Gay Lea and Lactantia^®butter. Did you know you can freeze butter? I buy when it’s on sale for use later all the time.

Dark Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, chewiness, and rich molasses depth—essential for that toffee-like taste. Redpath has always been a family favorite brown sugar product.

Egg: Binds everything together and gives the blondies structure without making them cakey.

Milk: Just a bit helps loosen the batter and balance the richness of the butter and sugar. Beatrice or Nielsen are my preferred Canadian dairies for milk.

Vanilla Extract: Enhances the caramel notes and combines the raspberry and white chocolate flavors.

All-Purpose Flour: Just enough to hold the bars together while keeping the texture soft and chewy. Five Roses is my favorite flour to work with~ and they’ve put out amazing cookbooks over the years too.

Baking Powder: Adds a bit of lift to keep the blondies from becoming too dense.

Raspberry Pie Filling: Sweet, tart, and ready to go, raspberry pie filling adds vibrant color and classic raspberry flavor without any extra prep. E.D. Smith makes a good-quality raspberry pie filling for these bars. 

White Chocolate Chips: Sprinkled on top, they melt just enough to contrast the tart raspberries and caramel base.

Substitutions and Add-Ins For This Blondie Recipe.

Butter: Salted or unsalted butter works well. If using unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the batter.

Dark Brown Sugar – Remains: Essential for that deep caramel flavor; granulated sugar won’t give the same chew or richness.

Egg – Remains: There’s no direct swap here that maintains structure and texture. Egg replacers may change the final result. Note: I always use large eggs. 

Milk: Any milk or dairy-free alternative works fine—it helps with consistency.

Vanilla Extract: Maple or almond extract can be used for a different twist, but it will change the flavor profile.

All-Purpose Flour: A 1:1 gluten-free blend should work if you need to make it gluten-free, but it may affect the texture slightly.

Baking Powder – Remains: Needed for lift; don’t omit or substitute with baking soda unless adjusted correctly.

Raspberry Pie Filling: Cherry, strawberry, or Saskatoon berry fillings all work. Using fresh raspberries to make your pie filling creates a more fruit-forward flavor than store-bought. 

Sweet White Chocolate Chips: If you prefer, you can use chopped white chocolate chunks. If you’re not a fan of white chocolate, try adding dark chocolate chips or even cream cheese baking chips for a different flavor profile. Avoid using milk chocolate, as it can make the bars too sweet. 

Vanilla Ice Cream (optional): Whipped cream, Greek yogurt, or even crème fraîche can be topping alternatives, depending on your serving.

Expert Tips for Serving and Storage

Tip #1: Let caramelized sugar mixture cool.—For best results, let the butter mixture cool for at least 10–20 minutes—so your egg doesn’t cook. The chocolate chips don’t melt prematurely.

Tip #2: Skip the parchment. A light cooking or baking spray is all it takes to keep your blondies from sticking. It saves time, makes cleanup easier, and gives clean, tidy slices.

Tip #3: Avoid overbaking. Pull them once the tops of the blondies are golden brown and the centers still feel soft. The texture will firm up as they cool.

These chewy blondies are a perfect treat fresh from the oven. Top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a swirl of whipped cream to mellow the rich caramel flavor. They’re also great on their own—perfect for packing into picnic baskets or beach bags or enjoying as a sweet grab-and-go snack on a sunny day.

Store these blondies in an airtight container on the counter, and they’ll stay soft and chewy for a couple of days—if they last that long. Need to stretch them a bit longer? Pop them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just a heads-up: they don’t love the freezer—the raspberry filling gets weird, and nobody wants icy blondies.

Have you tried it? Let me know how your white chocolate raspberry blondies turned out and if you added your twist with different fruit, chocolate, or toppings!