Blondies

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Hubby and I decided to send baked goods to our moms on Mother’s Day this year. Of course I was happy to help. I wanted to make something that would travel well and (of course) something I’ve never made. Since we were preparing for our kitchen renovation at the time, I also wanted to use up some of the random half bags of cookie mix ins.

Blondies fit my requirements perfectly. This blondie recipe is pretty well known. I made one batch with just dark chocolate M&Ms and another batch with some white chocolate chips, toffee bits, and chopped walnuts. Both batches turned out great and the one with the white chips turned out better than I expected. That combination of mix-ins tasted like butterscotch.

Blondies – from Blonde Ambition in the Kitchen

6-7 TBS butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional, creates lighter blondie texture)

“Add in” (see below)

Preheat oven to 350.
Line an 8×8 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM.
In a large microwave safe mixing bowl melt the butter. Allow to cool for 5 mintues. Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Add salt, stir in flour and baking powder (if using). Mix in any additions (some ideas below).

Pour into prepared pan and use a greased spatula to evenly spread mixture in pan and level the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle. (I baked for 22 minutes)Cool on rack before cutting.

Add in ideas:
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate or butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds
1/2 cup M&M candies1/2 chopped Reese’s PB cups
1/4 cup toffee pieces
1/2 tsp mint extract in addition to, or in the place of vanilla extract

Bars and Brownies, Dessert

9 comments »

13 Responses to “Best Dang Thing EVER Bars”

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1

HoneyB — September 9, 2009 at 1:00 pm

This is a great post and I love that you and your sister made these together! You know its a favorite when you can make a recipe from memory! Thanks for participating 🙂
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Laura — September 9, 2009 at 1:45 pm

Awesome bars! You and your sister sound like me and my sister, so I loved this post extra for that. Great submission, thanks for participating.
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3

Colleen — September 9, 2009 at 3:57 pm

Yum, these look SO good! And fairly easy – I will be making them soon!
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4

stephchows — September 9, 2009 at 4:16 pm

Love the story that goes with these 🙂 family recipes are the best!
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5

Katie — September 9, 2009 at 4:18 pm

OH YUM!! Those look so freakign gooooood!!
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The American Homemaker — September 9, 2009 at 5:12 pm

Those look great!!!!!!!!!! MMmmmmm
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Ingrid — September 9, 2009 at 8:01 pm

I suppose if you were fond of chocolate they would be the best dang thing. I’d like the blonde version of this instead. 🙂

You almost make me wish I had a sister instead of six brothers, almost. 🙂
~ingrid
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Sara @ Our Best Bites — September 10, 2009 at 3:46 am

oh my neighbor makes these and they are SO good! Mmmm I’m wishing I had one right about now, thanks for sharing the recipe!

(also glad you enjoyed the taquitos!)
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Justin — September 11, 2009 at 12:07 am

whoa, a whole pack of caramels? this sounds amazing
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madebymel — September 11, 2009 at 12:46 am

Oh.my.gosh! I bet these really are the best dang thing ever! I can’t wait to make these to bring to work!
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Karen - Mommy to four sweeties — September 18, 2009 at 7:09 pm

I wonder if these can be made with a plain chocolate cake mix since I don’t have a german chocolate one on hand.
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Jen — September 20, 2009 at 11:55 pm

I would think any chocolate cake mix would work
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fun size wife — February 25, 2015 at 4:06 pm

These are close to the Pioneer Woman’s Knock You Naked Brownies except for the frosting. Thank goodness chocolate and caramel are legal!