I intended to make this week's TWD selection, Peanuttiest Blondies, to serve for dessert after Halloween (pre-trick or treating) dinner. It may seem insane to serve dessert before heading off to collect candy, but it always seemed to me that enjoying a quality dessert after dinner may actually reduce the impulse to pour grape-flavored Nerds into one's mouth before bed. In the end it didn't matter, as I woke up sick as a dog on Halloween, and was not able to walk to the kitchen for a glass of water, much less bake blondies (or make my kids Halloween pancakes using my new Halloween pancake molds, which I'm still pretty bummed about. I plan to make them for breakfast tomorrow (11/2) but they're no fools - they know that eating a bat shaped pancake in November is not the same). Anyway, as soon as I was certain that the plague had indeed left me, I went ahead and made these blondies. And what a great way to reenter the world of eating food!
The one ingredient I wasn't sure of here was the cinnamon. I'm funny about cinnamon - I love it, but I generally don't like to be surprised by it. If it's in something I'd expect it to be in (pumpkin-spiced things, oatmeal raisin cookies, apple pie), I'm fully on board with it. But when it shows up in something unexpected (like chocolate), I find myself wishing it wasn't there. I almost skipped the cinnamon here because I didn't see why it needed to be here, but OH MY, am I glad I listened to Dorie. The cinnamon MAKES these blondies. It's subtle, but it's there, and it just works.
Dorie calls hers the peanuttiest blondies, but I believe mine are even peanuttier, as I added peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips so that my husband would eat them. Every ounce of my being wanted to add chocolate chips, but the peanut butter chips really worked well as a distant second choice. My dream peanuttiest blondie would probably skip the peanuts and add both chocolate and peanut butter chips - oh yeah.
I will make these again and again - no doubt about it. We all loved these, and I'll take one over a fun-size Milk Dud any day of the week. Nicole of Bakeologie chose these blondies. You can find the recipe here. Thanks for the great pick, Nicole!
18 comments:
I almost used peanut butter chips, but chickened out. I will use them next time. Glad you're feeling better.
PB chips are a great idea, and you win the peanuttiest crown! I was really nervous about the cinnamon in this recipe, too. I'm glad you're feeling better!
Well then I guess I made your dream version! No nuts, choc & PB chips. And they are quite good indeed. =) I'm with you about being unsure about the cinnamon; I actually left it out, since I did include chocolate. I think I'd keep it for your version sans chocolate.
It is a bummer to be sick on a holiday! Glad your feeling better. I'm still on the fence about the cinnamon. I better try one more blondie!
Cathy sorry you were sick! I was yesterday. We'll have to compare notes! Your brownies look good. I bet those were really peannutty!!
These definitely ARE a keeper! I'm so glad that you enjoyed these!! They look fantastic!!
And now, I must run off to buy those pancake molds. On sale ya know ;)
aww hope you are feeling better! halloween pancake molds are still good for November - it's still Fall after all, :)
Great call on the PB chips! They look great and Im glad you all liked them.
I hope your back to feeling good again. NOt fun to be sick especially on a Holiday when the kids are pumped and ready to parTy!!
I also used PB chips.
I think it really made it.
Peanut butter chips sound good! I'm sorry to say that we disagree on the cinnamon. I would leave it out next time. Glad to hear that you were feeling well enough to make these and enjoy them!
Sorry to hear you were sick Cathy. I've been fighting a cold for over a week now so I feel your pain.
Your blondies look terrific, and I'm glad you loved them so much. I skipped the peanuts and chocolate chips subbing mini pb cups. I had high hopes, but wasn't a huge fan. Shane loved them though so they didn't go to waste.
I bought the Star Wars cookie cutters from WS on sale last week and thought of you and the adorable cookies you made for the birthday party :) Now I just need to work up the courage to use them.
I think I'd take your version of these blondies over any Halloween candy except Reese's Fast Break, i.e., the perfection of all peanut butter + chocolate sweets. They would even beat out banana Laffy Taffy. Next time I bake these it will be with both chocolate and peanut butter chips.
Bummer that you were sick for Halloween. Hate it when that happens.
I used pb chips for some of the peanuts and liked that. One cup of peanuts would have been too crunchy.
You had me at pouring a box of grape nerds into my mouth...but then the peanut butter chips idea in lieu of the chocolate chips sounds even better...okay, maybe not better than nerds, but close. Those pancake molds are very cute...I'll probably need some of those for grandkids, right? Who am I kidding...Matt would love those even now. My year of not buying anything is almost over. I have to say, it was pretty easy...until I saw the pancake molds that is. Maybe there are Christmas ones...going to check that now.
I would never be sad to get bat pancakes no matter the month! Those moulds are cute!
Thanks for baking along with me ;)
I'm sorry you were sick on Halloween, and I'm glad you're feeling better. I really like the picture of your blondies, too.
I'm with ya.... sick THIS week! But nothing that a blondie can't cure. Funny, people spotted the cinnamon right away - not sure whether that was good or bad. Speaking of halloween "gadgets"... those pumpkin cake mini-molds and BIG pumpkin cake mold didn't get used this year (again). They've never been used.... :) happy belated halloween!
I did make this for Halloween dessert! Yes to the blondies and no the grape nerds. Frankly, I am sure my kids had both but I find it in my best interest to avert my eyes from their behavior on Halloween.
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