Everyone loves Easter. As the unofficial beginning of spring, it brings us loads of pastel-colored M&M’s and an onslaught of bunny-shaped chocolates.
In fact, it’s easy to get too caught up in the craze. If you’re helplessly staring down a cupboard full of candy you bought on 75% off clearance the day after Easter, then look no further than these delectable blondies that will help you use it all up.
Blondies are the buttery, gooey, underrated little sister of brownies. What they lack in actual chocolate, they more than make up for with their laundry list of mix-ins that get melty and delicious in the oven. This idiot-proof recipe could not be easier to throw together—it uses one bowl and comes together in less than an hour.
This recipe doesn’t discriminate so you can use whatever candy you have on hand. Chopped peanut butter cups and chocolate bars are no-brainers, but a few handfuls of cookie crumbles or broken pretzel pieces add great textural variety (trust me).
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: about 12 blondies
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1-1.5 cups leftover candy (I used a combination of Reese’s, chocolate-covered caramels, truffles and some Oreos. Go with whatever you have on hand—that’s the point.)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe container and set it aside to cool. Make sure it’s cool to the touch before you proceed, because hot butter could melt the chocolate and make your blondies messy.
2) Chop up your leftover candy. I tossed in a couple Oreos for added crunch (this recipe is very flexible and forgiving).
Photo by Bani Randhawa
3) Once the butter is cool, add in the brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is thick and smooth and then add in the egg. Mix all of the wet ingredients together, making sure that the egg is well distributed throughout.
Photo by Bani Randhawa
4) Add in the flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix until just combined. It’s important not to overmix your batter after the dry ingredients are added because it could result in tough and unappetizing blondies.
Photo by Bani Randhawa
5) Fold in the chopped candy/cookies/whatever you’re using. It’s important that you don’t break up the candy pieces with vigorous mixing.
6) Line an 8×8 pan with foil and pour the batter in. It’ll be pretty thick, so try your best to smooth it out until it evenly fills the pan. Place it in the oven for around 20-25 minutes.
The blondies should be lightly browned and look set, but a toothpick placed in the middle should have a few crumbs on it when removed.
Note: These blondies need to set before you can eat them, which is why you should fully cool them before cutting (I threw mine in the freezer to speed up this process).
Photo courtesy of thedeliciouslife.com
Pro tip: they are extra-amazing if you throw them in the microwave for 10 seconds before topping with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The chocolate in the candy gets all melty and makes an impromptu fudge sauce for the ice cream.
More fun for your Easter weekend: