Chocolate Chip Pear Blondies or Mini-Loaves

Rich with chocolate chips and pears, this melt-in-your-mouth vegan treat is delicious as a dessert or tea bread. They’re especially good with tea as a cool-weather dessert. Easy enough as an everyday dessert, yummy enough for holiday fare (especially around the winter holidays), this might just become your go-to sweet bread.

Makes: 9 to 12 squares, or 3 mini-loaves

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup natural granulated sugar
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons safflower or other neutral vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ripe pear, any variety, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the first  5 (dry) ingredients.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the applesauce, oil, and nondairy milk. Stir together; add additional nondairy milk if needed for the wet and dry ingredients to blend, but don’t overdo it — this should be a slightly stiff batter.

Stir in the diced pear and chocolate chips, then pour the batter into a lightly oiled 9- inch square pan, or three mini-loaf pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a knife inserted in the center tests clean.

Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting into squares, wedges, or slices to serve.

• Here are more Vegan Quick Breads and Scones.
• Sweet tooth still craving? Here are more Vegan Baking and Sweets.
• Here are more Fruity Baked Goods.