Lighter Carrot Apple Cheesecake Blondies

Lighter Carrot Apple Cheesecake Blondies

Indulge in the delightful flavors of carrot and apple with a lighter twist. These blondies are made to satisfy your cravings without compromising your healthy eating habits.

Ingredients:

For the Carrot Apple Blondies:

• 1 ½ cups coarsely grated carrots – firmly packed (about 2 large peeled carrots)
• 1 cup coarsely grated apples (one large unpeeled apple like Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (as a substitute for vegetable oil)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Lightened Cheesecake:

• 8 oz. Neufchâtel cheese (light cream cheese), softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt (plain, non-fat)
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• 1/2 Tablespoon whole wheat flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Grease it with cooking spray and set it aside.
2. To make the carrot apple batter, in a large bowl, combine grated carrots and apple, granulated sugar, brown sugar, unsweetened applesauce, egg whites, and vanilla extract. Beat well.
3. Gradually add whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
4. To make the lightened cheesecake mixture, beat softened Neufchâtel cheese (light cream cheese) and sugar until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, and whole wheat flour. Finally, add the egg white and beat just to combine evenly. Transfer the lightened cheesecake mixture into a piping bag or a zip-lock bag and set aside.
5. With a rubber spatula, stir the carrot apple mixture, scraping the bottom to distribute grated carrots and apples evenly. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan.
6. Cut off the corner of the zip-lock or piping bag and pipe the lightened cheesecake mixture diagonally on top of the carrot apple batter. If you have leftovers of the cream cheese mixture when you finish piping crossed lines, tap the pan a few times on a working surface to help the cheesecake lines slightly sink into the carrot apple mixture, then repeat the process of piping. Pipe a new layer of cheesecake mixture, trying to pipe them right across the first ones, until you use it all. Don’t throw away any leftovers of the cheesecake mixture.
7. Bake on a lower rack position for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool completely in the pan. Store in the fridge.

Enjoy your Lighter Carrot Apple Cheesecake Blondies!

Weight Watchers SmartPoints (per serving, assuming 15 servings):

• Green Plan: 4 SmartPoints
• Blue Plan: 4 SmartPoints
• Purple Plan: 4 SmartPoints