Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies

January 11, 2017 2 Comments

These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are fantastic! Fudgy, peanut buttery, brown sugar blondies topped with a crackly, crisp sugar topping and rich, melt in your mouth Hershey Kisses. Just like the cookies but so much easier! Everyone’s had a peanut butter blossom cookie, but have you tried Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies?! These are so much easier than dropping cookies and make for gooey, fudgy bars!

I don’t know about you, but peanut butter blossoms are some of my favorite cookies.

A soft and chewy peanut butter cookie topped with a solid chocolate Kiss candy… just perfection!

I know they’re kind of Christmas-y, or at least, they’re popular at Christmastime in the Parker household. But I figured since they’re made with Kisses and Valentine’s Day is coming up… well, you can do the math 🙂

I found the idea for these from my friend Ashley over at Baker by Nature, and because I was pondering ways to make these cookies into bars. Personally, bars are one of my favorite things to make because they’re such a cinch – throw the ingredients into the pan and bake! No dropping, rolling, or cutting anything out, and certainly no waiting for batches to finish before you can put another pan in. Not even a dough chilling!

These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are fantastic! Fudgy, peanut buttery, brown sugar blondies topped with a crackly, crisp sugar topping and rich, melt in your mouth Hershey Kisses. Just like the cookies but so much easier! And these could not be more simple, I promise! Made in one bowl, baked in one pan, mixed with one spatula. See? I told you this was already easier than the cookie version!

To make these, simply melt some butter. You can do this in the microwave, or on the stove – whichever you prefer. I honestly alternate, as sometimes I feel like I’d rather cook it on the stove, or perhaps my microwave’s being used.

These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are fantastic! Fudgy, peanut buttery, brown sugar blondies topped with a crackly, crisp sugar topping and rich, melt in your mouth Hershey Kisses. Just like the cookies but so much easier!  Whisk some brown sugar and peanut butter into the melted butter, followed by eggs, vanilla, and your dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into a foil-lined & greased pan, scatter sugar over the top, and bake! Once it’s baked, take it out of the oven and dot the top with those adorable baby Kisses candies.

And then try not to freak out over their cuteness!

(By the way – these are BABY Hershey’s Kisses. I found them in the baking aisle (near the chocolate chips!) at Target. They’re seriously like half the size of a regular Hershey Kiss candy and they come unwrapped… and are perfect for baking. If you cannot find them, simply use regular Hershey’s Kisses!)

These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are fantastic! Fudgy, peanut buttery, brown sugar blondies topped with a crackly, crisp sugar topping and rich, melt in your mouth Hershey Kisses. Just like the cookies but so much easier!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15-18
 
These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are not only adorable, but seriously tasty, too! Fudgy, gooey peanut butter & brown sugar blondies topped with a sugary topping and cute miniature Hershey's Kisses! Just like the cookies but SO MUCH EASIER!
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • Hershey's Miniature Kisses (available in the baking aisle at Target stores. If you cannot find these unwrapped mini Kisses, use regular unwrapped Kisses or even chocolate chunks)
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" rectangular pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In in medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar until combined and let cool about 5 minutes.
  3. Whisk in the creamy peanut butter, followed by the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla. Whisk in the dry ingredients until a thick, smooth batter comes together.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top liberally with the white sugar. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes, then dot the top with the miniature Hershey's Kisses or chocolate chunks. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are fantastic! Fudgy, peanut buttery, brown sugar blondies topped with a crackly, crisp sugar topping and rich, melt in your mouth Hershey Kisses. Just like the cookies but so much easier! Fudgy, peanut butter & brown sugary goodness topped with a crisp, crackly sugar topping and adorable miniature Kisses. These can’t get any better!

These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are fantastic! Fudgy, peanut buttery, brown sugar blondies topped with a crackly, crisp sugar topping and rich, melt in your mouth Hershey Kisses. Just like the cookies but so much easier! Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Candy, Chocolate, Cookies, Everything!, Peanut Butter

Pecan Praline Blondies

September 27, 2016 8 Comments

These Pecan Praline Blondies are a wonderfully EASY and DECADENT recipe! Made in ONE pot (both the frosting and the blondies), they're sweet, crunchy, gooey, chewy and utterly delicious. Even if you aren’t a Southerner, you probably know what pralines are – those crisp, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth candies filled with crunchy pecans. Get that same flavor here in these addictively irresistible Pecan Praline Blondies!

So I’ve only ever had true, authentic Georgian pralines once. And it was like, the best thing ever of my LIFE.

…And I found them in the gift shop at the Atlanta airport when I had a layover there. #truth

I mean, what else do you do when you’re stranded in a Georgia airport besides read trashy gossip magazines and drink a jumbo-sized Coke Zero? Exactly.

Anyway, I bought a big ol’ bag of pralines because I needed to understand what this Southern classic dessert hype was all about. And I think I maybe arrived at my house with one or two pralines left – I seriously ate. them. ALL.

So now I need to plan a trip just to go back to the South and eat my weight in pralines. Because that’s totally something I’d do. #alsotruth

I have tried making pralines at home, but typically pralines are quite finicky and require a precise kind of climate. If it’s too humid, they may never set up. Typically, that means no pralines in the summertime, and I really loathe having Mother Nature dictate when I can and cannot have candy. You already do it to my fruits and vegetables, but damn you for preventing me from making pralines!

These Pecan Praline Blondies take the guesswork and magic spells out of making pralines. You don’t need a specific climate, you don’t need to break out your book of witchcraft and wizardry, and you don’t need to do rain dances and/or prayers to ensure it works. This recipe is that easy.

These Pecan Praline Blondies are a wonderfully EASY and DECADENT recipe! Made in ONE pot (both the frosting and the blondies), they're sweet, crunchy, gooey, chewy and utterly delicious. Not to mention, this recipe is a one-pot recipe. That’s right: a single pot is used to make both the blondie batter and the praline frosting. I win at eliminating unnecessary dishes! That’s how much I hate putting dishes away.

So break out your favorite sauce pot and preheat the oven. We’re taking a tour of the South in your mouth. Or… wait, that doesn’t sound right. Whatever. Oh look, PRALINES!!

These Pecan Praline Blondies are a wonderfully EASY and DECADENT recipe! Made in ONE pot (both the frosting and the blondies), they're sweet, crunchy, gooey, chewy and utterly delicious.

Print
Pecan Praline Blondies
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15-18
 
These Pecan Praline Blondies are fantastic! Rich and sinfully sweet with crunchy pecans and loads of butter and brown sugar. A must-make!
Ingredients
  • FOR BLONDIES:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • FOR PRALINE ICING:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9" baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. To make the blondies: In a medium/large sauce pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the brown sugar until combined. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes. After it's cooled off a little, whisk in the eggs and the vanilla until combined. Lastly, whisk in the salt, baking powder and flour until a soft batter forms.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for approx. 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
  4. Wipe out the sauce pot and return it to the stove. To make the praline icing: Add the butter and brown sugar to the sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add in the heavy cream and bring back up to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes. Once cooled off a little bit, add in the powdered sugar. Fold in the pecans.
  5. Working quickly, spread the praline icing over the blondie base in an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set the icing before cutting into bars.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Pecan Praline Blondies are a wonderfully EASY and DECADENT recipe! Made in ONE pot (both the frosting and the blondies), they're sweet, crunchy, gooey, chewy and utterly delicious. I love how buttery, rich and brown sugary these blondies are! They’re the perfect dessert and one of my new favorites! A must-make for any blondie lover.

These Pecan Praline Blondies are a wonderfully EASY and DECADENT recipe! Made in ONE pot (both the frosting and the blondies), they're sweet, crunchy, gooey, chewy and utterly delicious. Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Everything!, Sweet and Salty

Brown Butter Espresso M&M Blondies

April 1, 2016 2 Comments

These Brown Butter Espresso M&M's Blondies are incredible! Such amazing flavor, rich and deep with espresso and vanilla. Sea salt on top and M&M's add a nice crunch. You'll love this easy recipe!

So I just did my taxes.

Actually, I had an accountant do my taxes because even double-digit multiplication proves to be too much for me.

And I’m sad to report that I owe money this year.

WHYYY does the IRS cramp my style?

It’s like they don’t want me to spend my hard earned money on clothes, purses and deep tissue massages. The IRS – the land of the unfashionable stiff necked people.

Anyway, it’s fine that I owe. I mean, I’d rather owe and pay it than not pay it and be a criminal by the time I’m 26. Tax evasion isn’t a good look. Well, unless you’re Theresa from the Real Housewives of New Jersey, who only served a hot minute in prison and now has her own TV show and book deal. So I guess tax evasion isn’t so bad?

Don’t worry. I’m only joking. Kind of.

Something I won’t be evading is this pan of Brown Butter Espresso M&M Blondies. They are spectacular, people. Sweet, salty, and bursting with rich, warm, aromatic vanilla and espresso powder. To make ’em extra special and gourmet, I sprinkled coarse sea salt on top just before baking to give them a wonderful crunch and salty bite. You could totally omit this if you’d like – but who denies a little extra flavor, am I right?

First y’all need to brown your butter. This is crucial if you want to call these Brown Butter Blondies. Browning your butter imparts such amazing flavor into these blondies- adding a wonderful warmth and nuttiness. Just be sure to watch your butter like a hawk, because it can go from gorgeously amber to hideously burnt in a matter of seconds. Trust.

Brown your butter all nice like, then let it cool for a sec. Once it’s cooled down a little, stir in your brown sugar. I used dark brown sugar because I wanted a really deep flavor, but light works too! Then stir in your eggs, a healthy helping of vanilla extract, some baking soda & flour, and of course – your espresso powder!

Espresso powder can be found near the coffee in most grocery stores. I use a brand called Medaglia D’Oro which has wonderful flavor. In this recipe I added two Tablespoons – but you can add more or less to suit your taste. I found that two Tablespoons was just right – not super coffee-like, but had a nice jolt.

And lastly – duh. M&M’s! I used mini M&M’s because they cover more surface area and I personally don’t like large chunks to chew through. I’ve actually never been a super fan of chunky food. Call me crazy, I already know it.

Throw on the sea salt – be liberal! Liberate yoself. Bake it until it’s nice and golden and then EAT. Please, for the love of Pete, EAT.

If the IRS accepted these blondies as a form of payment, honey, they’d be paying me!

These Brown Butter Espresso M&M's Blondies are incredible! Such amazing flavor, rich and deep with espresso and vanilla. Sea salt on top and M&M's add a nice crunch. You'll love this easy recipe!

Print
Brown Butter Espresso M&M Blondies
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15
 
These Brown Butter Espresso M&M Blondies are incredible! Rich, with wonderful deep espresso flavor, gooey chocolate M&M's and sea salt on top. A perfect sweet & salty treat!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp espresso powder (more or less to suit your taste)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 & ½ cups miniature M&M's candies
  • 1-2 Tbsp sea salt, for sprinkling on top (more or less to suit your salty preferences)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally spray a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir it around occasionally, watching it constantly, as it deepens and darkens in color. The mixture will bubble up, then start to look foamy, but keep stirring and checking it until it's nutty and fragrant and a deep amber color. Once achieved, immediately remove it from the heat and cool it for about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the brown sugar until combined, then the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the espresso powder, followed by the baking soda and flour until a soft batter has formed. Stir in the M&M's candies.
  4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the sea salt. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Brown Butter Espresso M&M's Blondies are incredible! Such amazing flavor, rich and deep with espresso and vanilla. Sea salt on top and M&M's add a nice crunch. You'll love this easy recipe! These are a sweet and salty lover’s DREAM come true! I ate mine with a big cup of coffee and I highly recommend you do the same!

These Brown Butter Espresso M&M's Blondies are incredible! Such amazing flavor, rich and deep with espresso and vanilla. Sea salt on top and M&M's add a nice crunch. You'll love this easy recipe! Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Candy, Chocolate, Coffee, Everything!, Sweet and Salty

Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies

March 16, 2016 4 Comments

These Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies are a rich, sweet and salty dessert that's sure to please! This easy recipe comes together in minutes and has delightful pockets of rich Cadbury chocolate swirled throughout. Perfect for Easter! Can I be real with you for a sec?

I’ve tried to like Cadbury Eggs – I really have. I buy them every year, thinking that this year will be different. That, and the adorable rabbit on the package. Seriously, they could put that rabbit on a pack of cigarettes and I’d buy them – and I don’t even smoke.

But honestly? I don’t much care for the chocolate. I know, I know – don’t shoot me, please.

I can get down on that crisp candy coating. Dear lawwwd, give me a bag of candy coating shards and I will polish it off faster than you can say ‘Easter bunny.’ But the whole chocolate part? Not. So. Much.

This is probably because I grew up eating the crappiest chocolate imaginable – like the stuff the dollar store sells which is probably just brown-dyed chemicals and not chocolate at all. And then there’s Cadbury, in all its regal British glory, and little miss boxed mac & cheese over here doesn’t know what to do with the finer foods in life, so I just make up excuses about the chocolate to candy coating ratio to hide the fact that I’m a heathen.

It’s simple math, really.

Just like when I took a food & wine class in college. Okay, so it was just an awesome excuse to get loaded at 9am on a Tuesday, but don’t judge me. The class would be tasting the wine and defining the notes and aromatics and I just sat there with wine in my mouth like, “yup, tastes grape-y, like grape soda without the fizz.” Meanwhile, everyone silently judged me because no fancy person drinks grape soda. Let’s just get real – grape soda is like, the lowest on the soda totem pole. And defining a fine cabernet as “grape soda-y” was like announcing to the class that I’m poor and unrefined. And like grape soda.

BUT, I know there are classy folk out there in the world who enjoy Cadbury Eggs – and who find cabernet to be lovely and not at all soda-like. So this recipe is for YOU.

These Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies are, in a word, divine. Even I enjoyed them, probably because they were buried among the most decadent blondie alive.

You start with the blondie base, which is pretty much all 2’s. Two sticks of butter, two cups of brown sugar, two eggs, 2 cups flour… then add a few 1’s: 1 Tablespoon of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 & 1/2 cups of chopped Cadbury Eggs. When I say ‘Cadbury Eggs’, I’m talking about those crisp miniature candy-coated eggs, not the creme-filled eggs. Just FYI.

Bake it all up with a healthy sprinkling of sea salt on top for fantastic flavor and crunch. Cut ’em into bars and serve them immediately – everyone who eats one will be impressed with your good taste. I promise.

This recipe is heathen-approved.

These Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies are a rich, sweet and salty dessert that's sure to please! This easy recipe comes together in minutes and has delightful pockets of rich Cadbury chocolate swirled throughout. Perfect for Easter!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies
Author: 
Recipe type: Blondies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15
 
These Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies feature the delicious, eponymous candy in these perfectly salted, brown sugary blondies!
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 & ½ cups chopped Cadbury Eggs (I used a mixture of milk chocolate eggs and white chocolate eggs)
  • 1 Tbsp sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In a large saucepot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Let stand for about 5 minutes.
  3. Whisk in the brown sugar until combined, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and flour until a soft batter has formed. Fold in the chopped Cadbury egg candies.
  4. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the sea salt. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies are a rich, sweet and salty dessert that's sure to please! This easy recipe comes together in minutes and has delightful pockets of rich Cadbury chocolate swirled throughout. Perfect for Easter! Sweet, salty, caramel-y and chocolaty, these blondies will rock your socks off!

Be sure to pin this recipe to your favorite Easter board on Pinterest!

These Salted Cadbury Egg Blondies are a rich, sweet and salty dessert that's sure to please! This easy recipe comes together in minutes and has delightful pockets of rich Cadbury chocolate swirled throughout. Perfect for Easter!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Candy, Chocolate, Easter, Everything!, Holiday, Sweet and Salty

Snickerdoodle Blondies

January 5, 2016 6 Comments

These Snickerdoodle Blondies are thick, chewy and soft pillows of heaven! So easy, minimal cleanup, and totally foolproof.I’m baaaaaaaaaack!

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season spent with friends, fam, and furry pals. I had an amazing holiday and mini vacay, and now I’m excited to be back and kicking off the new year with these Snickerdoodle Blondies!

But first – I have some exciting news I wanted to share with you guys.

Friends – I AM WRITING A COOKBOOK!! And I couldn’t be MORE EXCITED.

Most little girls dream of being singers or dancers, but my dream was to write a book one day. I would sit and write stories all day long, dreaming up plot ideas in my little head. Little did I know that I’d be writing not just a book, but a cookbook of all things. I’m sure little kid Hayley would be freaking out right now 🙂

It’s so surreal to me, actually. Signing the contract, sealing the envelope and delivering it to the publisher was a dream come true. And I’ve spent most of my vacation dreaming up some FABULOUS desserts for my book! I can’t tell you what they are yet, but just know that if you love this blog, you’ll love my cookbook!

And as I celebrate this momentous occasion, I have to celebrate you guys – my beloved readers. Without you, my site would not be as successful as it is and I wouldn’t have a career doing my dream job. Without your encouraging words, serious support and major love for all things sugary, I don’t know where I’d be today. So from the bottom of my butter-loving heart, thank you. I owe this all to you and I appreciate each and every one of you!

Now let’s talk about these blondies, which were promptly devoured .34873 seconds after my shoot was finished. They’re chewy, rich and buttery and packed with cinnamon flavor. I used my classic blondie base which never fails me and tastes splendid. Chock full of butter, brown sugar and vanilla flavors, baked until chewy and soft, and so versatile – you can literally throw anything in this batter and it’d be divine.

For this recipe, however, I kept it simple by adding in some ground cinnamon and topping it with cinnamon sugar. You could always throw in a couple white chocolate chips for extra texture and sweetness, but I wanted to keep these classic and they are. You guys are going to love them!

These Snickerdoodle Blondies are thick, chewy and soft pillows of heaven! So easy, minimal cleanup, and totally foolproof.

4.5 from 2 reviews
Print
Snickerdoodle Blondies
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15
 
These Snickerdoodle Blondies are a classic! So easy, versatile, and utterly delicious!
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar (I used dark for richer flavor, but light works too!)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • About ¼ cup cinnamon sugar mixture
  • Optional add-ins: nuts, white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and remove from heat, cooling for about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar until combined. Stir in the eggs and vanilla, then the cinnamon, baking soda and flour until a thick batter forms. Spread the batter evenly into the baking pan and sprinkle liberally with the cinnamon sugar blend.
  3. Bake for approx. 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (not wet). Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Everything!

Triple Chip Blondies

October 27, 2015 8 Comments

These Triple Chip Blondies are the BEST! Buttery, chewy, gooey and loaded with butterscotch, peanut butter and chocolate chips, they're sure to please everyone's taste buds! One of my favorite stores on earth is Trader Joe’s.

I’ve talked about Trader Joe’s before, and I still feel the same way. But in case you don’t know, I love the store but I hate the clientele.

Every time I go, everyone and their mother is there shopping, so there’s never a great time to shop there. And everyone and their mother push their carts at about -58736 mph, thus always causing blockages in the aisles. And when you politely ask them to move? Chaos. Utter chaos. They act as if they’ve never been asked such an indecency in their lives.

And then there’s the whole shopping aspect. Everyone treats the products like they’re in a museum, holding up a package of frozen sweet potatoes like it’s the Mona Lisa, or staring in wonderment at a can of green beans like it’s the freakin’ second coming of Jesus. I just don’t understand what goes on in the minds of the average Trader Joe’s customer is all.

Meanwhile, I shop there on a mission: to be in and out as quickly as possible without forgetting anything. So I went yesterday and put my mission to the test, passing just barely. It was tough – they had just started handing out free samples and no one understands the concept of GRABBING YOUR FREE SAMPLE AND THEN LEAVING QUICKLY – but I made it out alive.

The parking lot, though? Whole ‘nother story.

Anywho, one of the ingredients I grabbed were Trader Joe’s chocolate chips. I like theirs a lot, and it was the inspiration for these Triple Chip Blondies. I don’t have a whole lot of blondie recipes on this blog which is a travesty since they’re my favorite dessert, so I’m fixing that ASAP with these bars. They’re gloriously studded with three different kinds of chips for a gooey, fantastically chewy bar that’s sure to please. And they couldn’t be easier to make, too.

Plus, this produces the best blondie base for any recipe. It’s chewy with a crisp top, gooey and rich, thanks to two cups of brown sugar and two sticks of butter… and a generous Tablespoon of vanilla extract. Then throw in the chips and you’ve got the most amazing bars. Trust me.

Make them!

These Triple Chip Blondies are the BEST! Buttery, chewy, gooey and loaded with butterscotch, peanut butter and chocolate chips, they're sure to please everyone's taste buds!

5.0 from 2 reviews
Print
Triple Chip Blondies
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15-24
 
These Triple Chip Blondies are incredible! If you don't like one of the chip flavors, substitute with another chip or omit completely. This base recipe is so flexible!
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup butterscotch chips
  • ½ cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large microwaveable bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Lastly, stir in the baking powder, salt and flour until a soft batter forms. Stir in the three chips and spread into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake for approx. 22-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with fudgy crumbs. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Triple Chip Blondies are the BEST! Buttery, chewy, gooey and loaded with butterscotch, peanut butter and chocolate chips, they're sure to please everyone's taste buds! Loaded with butterscotch, peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips, these Triple Chip Blondies are sure to please! Don’t like a chip flavor? Omit it completely or substitute with something else… white chocolate chips, toffee bits, or even mint chips.

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Sweet and Salty

Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs

April 22, 2015 26 Comments

These Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs are the bomb! Brown sugary blondies are wrapped around bits of blackberry pie and coated in rich white chocolate. The ultimate spring and summertime treat!

I’d like to preface this by saying I typically loathe blackberries with an intense passion.

(I know, right? I am weird. Newsflash of the century, really).

This probably has to do with the fact that I am pretty sure they are the berries I stuffed my face with in my freshman year of high school from the mystery bush that protruded from a backyard onto the field where we had P.E. I remember feeling very strange after that, so maybe they weren’t blackberries after all but instead some strange hallucinogenic berry I consumed. Or poison.

ANYWHO.

And then there’s the fact that I had this ex boyfriend who like, loved blackberries. He always talked about going blackberry picking in Washington and bought handfuls of pints at Trader Joe’s. Because I really liked him, I tried to really like blackberries. I mean, tried as hard as I tried to like going to the gym (which he also liked to do), tried to like wearing tank tops (which I feel only enhance my broad shoulders), and tried to like getting pedicures (which he didn’t like to do, but I feel so weird about doing for some unknown reason).

Shocker of the year? It didn’t work. I never could get there mentally. So I threw out all my tank tops and gave up liking blackberries. C’est la vie.

But, since I like YOU and you probably like blackberries (as most of the population does), I decided to make YOU these blondie bombs bursting with blackberry goodness. Note that these are actual blackberries, not mystery fruit from your high school’s track field. This is an important factor here.

These Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs are the bomb! Brown sugary blondies are wrapped around bits of blackberry pie and coated in rich white chocolate. The ultimate spring and summertime treat! These Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs start off like this: a fudgy, brown sugary blondie is wrapped around a teensy piece of crisp and juicy blackberry pie. Then the whole thing is dunked under a blanket of white chocolate and adorned with a single blackberry. Simple, beautiful, and scrumptious. And? I liked them. I actually liked them. Probably because it involved pie, but whatever. I liked them. Tank tops? Still no. Gym? HA.

For these bombs, I used those simple $1 handpies you can find at any supermarket or convenience store – you know the ones in the crinkly paper wrapper. You can use any fruit-based pie you’d like and I’m particularly drawn to the idea of using apple or cherry, but for this I used a mixed berry which tastes more blackberry-ish than anything else. Again, any fruit filling will work. Leave the chocolate and banana cream for yourself for now, save the fruity stuff for bombing later.

Also? The verb ‘bombing’ totally works here since we’re making blondie bombs. In case you were wondering.

Bombs away, my blackberry friends!

These Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs are the bomb! Brown sugary blondies are wrapped around bits of blackberry pie and coated in rich white chocolate. The ultimate spring and summertime treat!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Print
Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs
Author: 
Recipe type: Brownie Bombs
Serves: 15
 
These Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs are such a fun summertime treat! Loaded with buttery, brown sugar-laced blondies, crisp and juicy blackberry pie and white chocolate, they're perfect for any occasion. Feel free to replace the berry pie with another fruit-flavored pie of your choice.
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar (I used dark, but either works)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 & ½ mixed berry hand pies (or another fruit-flavored hand pie of your choice)
  • 1 pkg Vanilla CandiQuik
  • 15 blackberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar to combine. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Lastly, add in the flour and pinch of salt until a thick batter has formed.
  2. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
  3. While blondies cool, prepare your pies. Cut each hand pie into 6 equal pieces so you have a total of 18. You'll only need 15 for this, so eat the extra three 🙂 Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and freeze until completely solid.
  4. Cut each blondie into about 1-2" square. Flatten it in the palm of your hand and wrap it around a frozen pie piece, rolling it in your hand to pinch the blondies around the pie to seal it. Return to the baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
  5. Melt the CandiQuik according to package directions. Drop each bomb into the melted white chocolate and coat completely, allowing excess to drip off. Return to the baking sheet and immediately garnish with a blackberry. Bombs can be stored in the fridge (with berries on top) for 2 days or room temperature for up to 1 day.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs are the bomb! Brown sugary blondies are wrapped around bits of blackberry pie and coated in rich white chocolate. The ultimate spring and summertime treat! These are so fruity, sweet and perfectly spiced from the buttery blondies, the crisp pie crust and the juicy brightness of the blackberries. You could also drizzle these with chocolate for a prettier look and for a contrast in flavor and color.

These Blackberry Pie Blondie Bombs are the bomb! Brown sugary blondies are wrapped around bits of blackberry pie and coated in rich white chocolate. The ultimate spring and summertime treat! Hope you have a sweet day!

xo, Hayley

 

 

Filed Under: Blondies, Brownie Bombs, Everything!, Pie

Apple Fritter Blondies {Apple Fritter Week!!}

October 24, 2014 14 Comments

applefritterblondiesBlondies. Is there anything they can’t do?

Okay, maybe there are some things. But mostly, they’re my favorite food and are perfect in my eyes. Salty, sweet, brown-sugary. Buttery. Chewy. Fan-freaking-tastic. And these blondies in particular are even cooler than your standard blondie since they’re studded with soft, tender caramelized apples and topped with a crunchy apple cider glaze.

In short: they’re my new favorite. And they’re pretty irresistible.

#AppleFritterWeek has now come to a close and I couldn’t think of a better, apple-frittery recipe to close it off on a high note than these blondies. And assuming you race home and try them ASAP, I think you’ll agree!

DSC_0907A

5.0 from 2 reviews
Print
Apple Fritter Blondies {Apple Fritter Week!!}
Author: 
Recipe type: Blondies, Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 15
 
Soft and chewy brown sugary blondies are loaded up with tender, caramelized apples for an Apple Fritter Blondie that's sure to impress!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 Tbsp
  • 2 cups dark brown sugar, plus ¼ cup
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • Pinch salt
  • 2-3 smaller Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 Tbsp apple cider
  • Splash hot water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Toss in the 2 Tbsp butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and the apples and saute for about 2-3 minutes or until tender, but not quite soft. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Gently stream in the eggs, whisking constantly so as not to scramble them, and the vanilla. Stir in the baking soda, flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until a soft batter has formed. Fold in the apples and their juices.
  3. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden and appears set. Do not over-bake past the 25-minute mark as the bars will continue to cook as they cool. Cool the bars completely before glazing.
  4. To make the glaze, in a small bowl combine the powdered sugar, hot water and apple cider until glaze is pourable. Pour over the top of the blondies and allow it to set before cutting into squares.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

DSC_0910ASigh. And they say nothing’s perfect 🙂

I hope you guys have enjoyed Apple Fritter Week as much as I have!! Thanks so much, and have a great weekend!! <3

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Dog Food, Everything!

Brown Butter Blondies {A Guest Post from Crazy For Crust!}

September 8, 2014 8 Comments

Howdy, peeps!  Naked Cowboy and I are going to run off together and leave the busy city lights of Times Square behind to have hippie cowkids.  Just kidding — kind of.

Today I’m excited to introduce you to someone you probably already know pretty well.  Her name is Dorothy and she blogs over at Crazy For Crust.  I know I’ve told this story approximately 731 times, but for the 732nd, Dorothy is my neighbor back home in California and we frequently get into shenanigans together.  I tried packing her on my carry-on and TSA was like, “ma’am, I’m sorry but you cannot transport humans onto the cargo of the plane.” It was depressing.  Anyway, be sure to check out Dorothy’s blog because she constantly makes delicious concoctions like these Brownie Gooey Bars (seriously gooey) and these Peanut Butter Butterfinger Blondies, which are a lot like some donuts we had in San Jose a couple months back.

So let’s roll out the yummy pie crust carpet for Dorothy!!
Brown Butter Blondies (1 of 3)Hello Domestic Rebelers! I’m Dorothy from Crazy for Crust. I’m filling in for Hayley today while she whoops it up in NYC and I’m so super jealous. I mean – Hayley is my neighbor. She lives about 3 blocks from me. Where was my NYC invite? Hmmmmmmm Hayley???

Anyway, like I said, Hayley lives super close to me. The funny thing? We met through blogging and only by chance realized we lived near each other. This is funny because whenever I go on a walk or talk to any of my neighbors they say “Oh! I know your friend. That girl with that tattoos and the three-legged dog?”

So obviously everyone else in the world knew where Hayley lived, except me. I’m obviously a very observant person.

You know what I am observant about? Dessert. I’m all over dessert. It’s kind of what I do – my blog is a baking blog served with a slice of my life, which means I post dessert recipes and talk too much.

I’m bringing you my favorite blondie recipe today. I’ve used this blondie in several recipes but my favorite are the Caramel Crunch Blondies. Those have crunch bars and caramels. These? These have Reese’s Pieces.

Peanut Butter + Blondies = best dessert recipe ever.

The only difference between my normal blondie recipe and this one is that I use brown butter. (Or is it browned butter? I never know.) If you don’t know what brown butter is, here’s the scoop: it’s butter that you melt and cook over low heat until it turns brown. Browning it gives the butter a richer, nuttier taste with much more depth than just plain old regular melted butter. That, in turn, gives the blondies a more toffee-like and richer flavor than regular. That, again, is a win.

If you’ve never browned butter before and aren’t sure how to do it, no worries. I wrote a post on how to brown butter. It’s really easy to do. I love using it in brownies, cookies, cakes, frosting – you name it! You must try it.

And, well, try these too. You can sob over them that you’re not in NYC with Hayley. I know I am. 🙂

Brown Butter Blondies (3 of 3)Enjoy! Thanks for having me Hayley! xoxo

5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
Brown Butter Blondies {A Guest Post from Crazy For Crust!}
Author: 
Recipe type: Blondies, Bars
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 24
 
If you've never browned butter before, you MUST try it -- it gives desserts a wonderful caramelly, nutty depth of flavor -- and these Brown Butter Blondies from Dorothy at Crazy For Crust are no exception! A must-make!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1¾ cups mix ins (chocolate chips, Reese’s Pieces, chopped candy, M&Ms…)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray (or just grease it, the foil is for easy removal).
  2. Slice butter into thin slices and place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Melt, stirring often, until it browns. It will foam up and while you’re stirring you’ll notice the butter has turned a dark amber color. Do not walk away from the pan, it burns easily! Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes.
  3. Place brown butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir to combine using a wooden spoon or a spatula. (You can also use a mixer, but it’s not needed.) Stir in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder. Carefully stir in flour.
  4. Add 1 cup of mix-ins. You can use anything you like: chocolate chips, chopped candy, M&M’s, etc. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  5. Press dough into prepared pan. The dough is thick and sticky, so spray your hands with cooking spray to avoid it sticking to you.
  6. Add ¾ cup of remaining mix-ins to the top and lightly press to adhere. I used Reese’s Pieces, but you can use whatever you like (M&Ms would also be pretty).
  7. Bake for 22-28 minutes, until just lightly golden around the edges. It will still be doughy looking in the center. They will finish cooking in the pan - you want them underdone when you remove them from the oven. Cool before slicing. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Enjoy!

Brown Butter Blondies (2 of 3)

signature

Be sure to check out Crazy For Crust for more delicious recipes, and please give her a follow and like on her social channels above! 🙂

Have a buttery Monday!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Candy, Everything!, Sweet and Salty

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Bliss Blondie Bars #LoveDoveFruits

August 4, 2014 7 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #LoveDoveFruits

darkchoccranberryblissOne of my favorite flavor combinations has to be fruit + chocolate.

Just think about it: bananas & chocolate.  Raspberry & chocolate.  Lemon & white chocolate.  Strawberries & dark chocolate.  So many options, people!  It’s impossible to resist chocolate covered fruit — one, because it’s fruit which makes it healthy, and two, because chocolate.

But in all seriousness — fruit and dark chocolate are both really good for you.  Dark chocolate has antioxidants and other magical powers, and fruit boasts tons of nutrients.  Combined together, you have a delicious, better-for-you treat that you can feel good about indulging in 🙂

DSC_0004A

doveeSo when I spotted new Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry at Sam’s Club, I knew I wanted to snack senselessly on it and create something with it.  Each juicy, plump cranberry is surrounded by a luscious layer of dark chocolate.  They’re perfectly poppable, seriously delicious and taste so rich & indulgent, but are actually a decently nutritious, on-the-go snack.  (Plus, they’re at Sam’s Club so they conveniently came in a super-sized bag — more snacking for me! Yay!)

And in case you didn’t know, cranberry + dark chocolate will soon become your new favorite fruit + chocolate pairing.  The tartness of the berries and the smooth richness of the chocolate make for an addictive snack.  And in addition to a delish snack?  These Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry bites make for a great star in these Dark Chocolate Cranberry Bliss Blondie Bars.  

DSC_1007AYou’ve had those Starbucks Cranberry Bliss bars, right?  They usually pop up around the holiday season, but I happen to think cranberries are delightful year-round and I tend to get hankerings often, so I make them throughout the seasons.  These bars are very similar to the Starbucks version, but instead of regular cranberries, they’re filled and topped with chopped Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry.  The result is a soft and chewy brown-sugary blondie filled with juicy chocolate-covered cranberries and white chocolate chips, then topped with a seriously yummy cream cheese icing, more tart chocolate-covered cranberries and some extra dried cranberries to amp up that sweet-tart flavor.

In other words?  They’re simply awesome.  And the Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry has very limited availability in Sam’s Club stores, so you have to track down a bag (or four) and stock up!  And um: blondies filled with chocolate-covered cranberries.  Need I say more?!

DSC_1009A

5.0 from 3 reviews
Print
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Bliss Blondie Bars #LoveDoveFruits
Author: 
Recipe type: Bars
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 16
 
These copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars have a delicious twist, using Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry to add some scrumptious, better-for-you chocolate-covered cranberries to the mix. You won't be able to stop at one!
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks butter, melted
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 & ¾ cups Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry, roughly chopped & divided
  • ¾ cup white chocolate chips
  • FOR FROSTING & TOPPING
  • 4 oz (1/2 pkg) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pkg white chocolate chips
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar together with a spoon. Stir in the eggs + vanilla extract to combine. Add in the flour, baking soda and salt until a batter comes together. Stir in ¾ cup of the chopped Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry and the ¾ cup of white chocolate chips. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and just about set in the center. Cool the bars completely.
  4. To prepare the frosting, melt the remaining package of white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH heat for 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Remove about ¼th of the white chocolate to a smaller bowl; set aside. To the remaining melted white chocolate, add in the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar and beat with an electric mixer for about a minute or until fluffy and soft.
  5. Spread the frosting on top of the blondies in an even layer. Immediately top with the remaining chopped Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry pieces and the dried cranberries. Gently press the toppings into the frosting. Take the remaining reserved white chocolate and drizzle it on top for a garnish. Allow the bars to set for about 20 minutes before cutting into squares (or triangles, like I did). Serve!
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

DSC_0003ACreamy, chewy, sweet, tart and absolutely delicious — the Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry is undeniably the star here in these indulgent blondie bars!  The dark chocolate adds a depth of creamy richness to the brown sugary blondies, and the juicy, fresh cranberries inside add that pop of brightness and a slight tartness which offsets that sweetness beautifully.  Combined with the slight tang of the cream cheese icing and the chewiness of the dried cranberries sprinkled on top, these bars offer amazing flavor and texture — and are gorgeous to boot!

Be sure to pick up your own bag of Dove® Fruit Whole Cranberry at your nearest Sam’s Club store — and remember, they’re only available for a limited time!  In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for Dove® Fruit Whole Cherry, which hits stores soon (um, chocolate + cherry = yes please).  Thanks for indulging with me today!!

Have a scrumptious day!!

xo, Hayley

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Candy, Christmas, Everything!, Sponsored
Next Page »

To the Top