peanut butter swirl chocolate chip blondies

Is anyone else struggling to fill time in the evenings during the week now that shows are on summer hiatus? It feels like the nights are moving very slowly. I suppose that I'm not really complaining about having more idle time at home (man, can it be stressful churning through my DVR'd shows after work! I know, feel sorry for me), but I'm more annoyed that these grossly overpaid actors/hosts/reality show fools don't have to show up to work every day like I do.

Life isn't fair, so I've been drowning my evenings in excess sugar. These peanut butter chocolate chip blondies are a product of this.

What we have here is a chocolate chip cookie in bar form that is packed with flavor. These are not lacking in the sugar department, but their sweetness is balanced with an incredible top layer of peanut butter that adds the perfect amount of saltiness to these rich bars. The peanut butter is swirled throughout the bars, so its delicious flavor is infused into each bite. This recipe comes from Averie Sunshine's new cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort. She intentionally removed the leavening agents used in typical baked goods to make these bars thick and fudge-like. See above photo for proof. 

The treats are extremely easy to put together. You can make them in one bowl in less than thirty minutes. If you are a peanut butter lover, then you will love these. Think of them as squares of peanut butter bliss.


Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Chip Blondies

1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup of brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray
In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter and sugar together until combined
Add the egg and vanilla and stir together
Add the flour and mix until just combined
Gently fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips
Pour cookie dough into prepared pan in one even layer
Melt peanut butter in microwave for 45 seconds then mix with spoon until smooth
Drizzle melted peanut butter over dough in back and forth fashion
Take a knife and swirl the peanut butter through the batter
Bake for 25-28 minutes until edges pull away from the pan (peanut butter layer will firm up as blondies cool)
Let blondies cool in pan completely before cutting into bars
Store in airtight container for up to one week


Source: Peanut Butter Comfort
Linked at: Tuesday Talent Show