Peanut Butter Blondies

When I was a kid, every once in a while my mom would take me and my brother to Dunkin Donuts for a treat. Since I was a strange child, I didn't actually like doughnuts, so I would always get a blondie instead. It was a good choice, too, because the blondies were about as big as my head, and I'd have it for the next three days.

So I've always had this idea in my head that blondies were a special treat for special occasions, and when I decided I wanted to use up some of the leftover peanut butter cups that I hoarded that the trick or treaters didn't get, I treated this recipe with a touch of reverence.

I don't like those blondies that are basically just cookie batter pressed into a pan. Those are cookie bars. And while I like dense, cakey bars, I don't really consider them blondies. As far as I'm concerned, a blondie should be a blonde brownie, with a rich, fudgy texture and chewy edges.

That's exactly what these blondies are. The middle is moist and gooey, the edges are chewy, the top even has the same swirly look that my favorite brownie recipe has. Of course, the chopped peanut butter cups and Reese's pieces don't hurt matters either.

Peanut Butter Blondies
Yield: 16 blondies

Ingredients
1½ cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup butter, melted
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup peanut butter candy (I used peanut butter cups and Reese's Pieces)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until fluffy. Add the butter and peanut butter. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Fold in the candy. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, and bake 30-35 minutes, until the edges are firm and the middle is slightly under cooked. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Recipe by Kim