Peanut butter is one of my desert island foods, and I especially relish the opportunity to open a fresh jar. My fixation crosses over to baking – only peanut butter with chocolate surpasses peanut butter alone. Simultaneously salty and sweet, these tasty peanut butter cup blondies feature a crisp crust and chewy center. Did I mention that when you chop up mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s and mix them into the batter, the cups add melty goodness to every bite? You won’t regret including these blondies in your weekend baking list!
Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
Adapted from Cooking Light
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 Tbsp low-fat milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/2 ounces (90) mini peanut butter cups, divided (from Trader Joe’s)
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk together peanut butter, melted butter, milk, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Roughly chop up half of the mini peanut butter cups, then stir into batter.
Spread batter evenly into prepared baking dish; smooth top with an offset spatula. Scatter remaining mini peanut butter cups over batter. Bake for 18 minutes, or until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Remove from oven to cool completely in pan on a wire rack; cut into bars with a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or wrap individually in waxed paper and freeze for up to a month.
Yield – 30 bars (serving size: 1 bar)
Calories – 132
Carbs – 17
