Banana cheesecake blondies

Delicious banana cheesecake swirled into rich, buttery blondies with pecans.

Recipe:

Blondie Layer

* 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

* 1 cup browned butter

* 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

* ¼ cup granulated sugar

* 2 eggs

* ½ cup mashed ripe banana

* 1 tsp vanilla

* 1 tsp salt

* ¾ tsp baking powder

* ½–¾ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cheesecake Swirl

* ⅔ cup cream cheese, softened

* 3 tbsp sugar

* 1 egg yolk

* ½ tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden and nutty smelling. Let cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together:

    * browned butter

    * brown sugar

    * granulated sugar

4. Mix in:

    * eggs

    * mashed banana

    * vanilla

5. Fold in:

    * flour

    * salt

    * baking powder

6. Stir in pecans if using.

7. Spread batter into prepared pan.

8. In another bowl, mix together:

    * cream cheese

    * sugar

    * egg yolk

    * vanilla

9. Dollop cheesecake mixture over the blondie batter and swirl with a knife.

10. Optional: sprinkle extra pecans on top during the last 8–10 minutes of baking.

11. Bake for 32–38 minutes, or until:

* edges are set

* top is lightly golden

* center still has a slight jiggle

12. Cool completely before slicing. For cleaner bakery-style bars, chill for 1–2 hours first.