Party Ring Blondies

You’re going love these easy Party Ring blondies, packed full of white chocolate chunks, mini marshmallows and topped with a classic favourite – iced ring biscuits. A fun traybake recipe for all the family!

If there’s one biscuit from my childhood that never fails to make me smile, it has to be a Party Ring!

Yes, a Party Ring – that British staple of children’s birthday parties!

Those crunchy sugar cookie biscuit and glazed in pastel pink, yellow, purple and white icing, with a signature feather swirl, take me right back. Ahh, memories!

No party was complete without them, and a plateful of Party Rings on the buffet table was guaranteed to disappear quickly. It was a case of getting in there quick, stick them on your fingers and munch away as you swayed to the beat of the home disco.

Even now I still eat them in the same way, although they only just fit on my little finger!

What are Party Ring biscuits?

Forget Custard Creams and Chocolate Bourbons; Party Rings are the ultimate retro biscuit in my book.

For over 30 years they have been a British favourite, and for as long as I can remember they’ve always been the same.

If you’ve never had the joy of eating on, it’s a classic vanilla ring biscuit; not soft and chewy, but harder with a crunch like a sugar cookie.

The biscuits are then glazed with runny icing that sets firm. The main colour has always been purple, pink, yellow and white, with another colour dragged through to give a feathered effect. By habit, I always go for the purple and whites ones first!

I’m sure there have been variations on them over the years; I’m certain my Brother had “football” ones and somewhere in the depths of my memories I remember “teddy bear” shaped ones as well.

But it’s still the Party Ring that makes me smile!

Why iced ring blondies

I know you’re sat there thinking it, so I’ll tell you.

Mini Party Rings. Oh yes!

Not only do these beauties come in full-size form, but I’ve also found that you can get them in handy little bags of mini ones. Perfect for keeping a stash in my bag and not feeling guilty about devouring a whole packet in one sitting!

So after my Jammie Dodger cheesecake that topped with mini biscuits, the idea of these blondies started to form in my mind. A brownie was going to be too rich for them, but blondies with that caramely flavour from the white chocolate was going to be just right!

And I couldn’t resist adding a handful of mini marshmallows in there too to complete the birthday party memories.

How to make the best ever blondies

This is the easiest, quickest and most insanely delicious traybake that you’ll ever make, and it’s made in just one bowl!

To make the blondie batter

To start, you will need to gently melt the butter. Be careful not to let it get too hot and burn as it will give your blondies a bitter taste. You can either melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, or in a microwave in 30-second blasts.

Once melted, let it stand for 5 minutes to cool down. If the butter is too hot when you add your eggs, they will start to cook, so letting it cool is really important.

In the meantime, grab a large mixing bowl and add caster sugar and brown sugar and mix them together [1]. When the butter has cooled down, add to the sugars and stir together well [2].

Next, add three eggs and give the mixture a good whisk until it is thick and well combined [3]. Making sure the eggs are properly mixed in will give the blondie a cakey texture when baked [4].

Dry ingredients are next – plain or all-purpose flour, chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chunks and mini marshmallows [5-6]. You could even add some Party Ring pieces as well if you like. Mix it all together [7-8].

When ready, line a brownie pan with baking parchment and pour in the blondie batter [9]. Add a layer of Party Rings, then bake! [10]

How to check blondies are baked

When it’s time to check if your blondies are baked, use a skewer and poke towards the edge.

If your skewer comes out clean then, they’re done. If you wait until your skewer comes out of the centre clean, you’ll get a drier more dense bake. 

So always test the edge!

Can I eat them straight away

Trust me these blondies smell so good when they are baking, and I know how tempting it is to get a slice straight from the oven. But wait, let them cool in the brownie pan first…

Although they will be insanely delicious and caramelly, it’s best to leave them to cool and firm up a bit first. Plus, they’re easier to cut too!

How long will these blondies keep

Once the blondies are cooled, you can slice them into pieces and pop them in an air-tight container. They’ll keep fresh for up 3-4 days.

Alternatively, you can freeze the blondie pieces for up to 1 month. Make sure you place them in a freezer-proof box and defrost thoroughly before eating.

Top tips for making Party Ring Blondies

• Use a mix of brown and white sugar – To get that a perfect butterscotch flavour, make sure some of the sugar you use is a soft brown sugar. It really gives the blondies that caramelly taste. I go with a 2:3 ratio of brown sugar to white.
• Don’t panic – Party Rings are fabulous pastel colours but when baked, the heat will change the colour of the icing glaze. The biscuits are not burning, it’s just a natural response from the heat. They still taste awesome!
• Test your blondies – Check your blondies are baked by gently pushing a toothpick towards the edge of the pan, about an inch in from the side. If it comes out clean, they’re ready. If there is blondie batter on the toothpick pop them back in the oven for a few more minutes.
• Let them cool before cutting – Fresh from the oven blondies smell amazing but if you try and cut them they might be too soft and full apart. For best results, let them cool in the pan before lifting out and slicing into pieces.