Peanut Butter M&M Blondies

In the past week I’ve attempted to make french macarons six times.  SIX. TIMES.

Do you know how many eggs that is?  Eighteen.

What the heck?? I’ve made macarons before and they came out just fine.  But for some reason this week it’s just not happening for me.  I’ve tried three different recipes, old egg whites…new egg whites, gel food coloring…regular food coloring, flavoring…no flavoring, whipping for 4 minutes…whipping for 10 minutes, silicon baking mat…parchment paper, using a food scale…not using a food scale, praying…not praying…

You get it.

So when my sixth batch of macarons came out of the oven and promptly deflated onto their sad little feet I said…

NO SIR,

NO WAY.

I’M NOT GONNA LET THAT RUIN MY DAY.

And then I pulled out a jar of peanut butter and fifteen handfuls of Christmas M&Ms.  Comfort.

Listen up.  Even if you’ve made macarons six times and failed six times, or your dishwasher broke, or you tripped and fell, or someone at work laughed at you, or you went to the {very, very, quiet} library and farted out loud…peanut butter M&M blondies will fix it.

And that’s a promise.

Peanut Butter M&M Blondies (adapted from Handle the Heat)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup M&Ms (or chocolate chips)
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil; coat lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a medium pot, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. After the peanut butter mixture has cooled slightly (it should still be warm but not hot – you don’t want it to cook the eggs!) add the vanilla; stir until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until fully incorporated.
5. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir until ingredients are fully incorporated; fold in one cup of M&Ms.
6. Spread batter into prepared pan; smooth it out with a spatula (or your hands) until evenly distributed.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup of M&Ms and lightly press them into the batter.  Bake for 25 minutes or until edges are just golden brown.
7. Allow blondies to cool for at least 45 minutes.  Melt semisweet chocolate chips and shortening in a small bowl in the microwave.  Stir until completely smooth.  Drizzle over cooled blondies.

Pssstt…hey you!  If you’re reading this, leave me a comment!  I’d love to hear from you 🙂