Peanut Butter-Peanut Butter Blondies

There is only one thing better than peanut butter blondies, and that is peanut butter blondies stuffed with peanut butter cups.

(Do I love stuffing peanut butter cups in baked goods, or what?)

I wanted to share this quick and easy blondie recipe in case you are looking for something scrumptious to make for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day.  It’s basically just a Valentinesified (word? no?) version of these peanut butter M&M blondies, amped up a bit with the addition of mini mini Reese’s peanut butter cups.  The blondies are sliiiightly underbaked to provide maximum peanut butter gooeyness.

Seriously, who could resist?

Peanut Butter-Peanut Butter 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
• 3/4 cup M&Ms (or chocolate chips)
• 3/4 cup mini mini peanut butter cups (or regular PB cups, roughly chopped)

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 1/2 cup M&Ms and 1/2 cup peanut butter cups.
6. Spread batter into prepared pan; smooth it out with a spatula (or your hands) until evenly distributed.  Top with remaining M&Ms and peanut butter cups and lightly press them into the batter.  Bake for 22 minutes or until edges are just barely golden brown.  The center will be slightly gooey but should set as it cools.
7. Allow blondies to cool completely, then cut and serve.