White Chocolate M&M's and Peanut Butter Blondies

A few weeks ago I made some more blondies.  It's the same recipe as the one I made the night it sleeted here last February.  It is such a yummy recipe.  But, this time I added peanut butter chips and white chocolate m&m's that were colored orange, yellow, and white like candy corns.  So festive!

These blondies really are a winner.  They are so versatile and are a great dessert to take to a party or just enjoy at home.

Reese's now has a white chocolate peanut butter cup.  They are so good.  So, when I saw I had some peanut butter chips and the white chocolate m&m's, I had to combine them in the blondes.

I also love this cookie tin.  It is spray painted in chalkboard paint, so you can change the message for different occasions.  I think I need to go find all the cookie tins I can and paint them all for my upcoming cookie exchange this Christmas!  Have some sitting around?  Paint them and use them to deliver your baked goods to friends :)

You could totally switch out these fall m&m's for red and green.  They'd be super cute in your new tin.  Just sayin'.

Here's the recipe.  It's adapted from my good friend, Eliza.


Blondies

2/3 cup melted butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup m&m's, plus extra for sprinkling on the top before baking
1 cup peanut butter chips

Blend together the butter and brown sugar.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Then add the dry ingredients, mixing well.  Finally, add in the m&m's and peanut butter chips.  Spread into a 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle on a few extra m&m's.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  The blondies will be gooey in the middle-- bake longer to avoid the need for a spoon.  :)

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

A miracle happened in my oven this evening.  I kid you not. 

So, let me just give you the background: I'm sitting here on the couch watching "Chopped".  My roommate and I enjoy such shows.  While we watch such shows, we also will simultaneously be on Pinterest.  We will frequently re-pin each others pins.  Anyway, I came across this pin from Southern Living for Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies.  I love peanut butter and chocolate.  So, I clicked on it to find out just what is in these cookies and how could they possibly work.

After reading the recipe and reading off the list of ingredients to my roommate, I decide I need to make these cookies.  What did I have to lose anyway?  If they're good, I will eat one tonight and take the rest to work.  If they're bad, I'll never make them again.

Well, I didn't have the creamy peanut butter that the recipe called for.  Nor the semi-sweet chocolate chips.  I had crunchy peanut butter and milk chocolate chips.  But, I still pulled out the Kitchen Aid and went to work.  In less than five minutes, I had some cookie dough that I thought would never bake up.  There was no way possible.  It was crumbly and a very odd texture.  But, I persevered on and scooped them onto my cookie sheet.  And into the oven they went for 12 minutes.

And this is when the miracle happened. 

They puffed up just like the recipe said they would, and they are delicious-- divine, to use my roommate's words.  I don't think I'm being overly dramatic about this either ;)  I'm probably just ignorant of how the food science works.  I should call Alton to ask him.  In the mean time, you should definitely try them!

They'll be going to work tomorrow with me.  And you thought you loved your auditor?? :)

Here's the recipe.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used crunchy, which worked too)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Stir together the first five ingredients until well blended.  Then, stir in the chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoonfuls on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes until the cookies are slightly puffed and golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.  Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 dozen.