Peanut Butter Blondies
Thick, chewy, and deeply flavored with peanut butter, these blondies come together in one bowl with no mixer required. The emulsified batter and a brief rest in the refrigerator before slicing give you clean edges and a fudgy, satisfying center every time.
Servings: 9 blondies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter well stirred
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup peanut butter chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F convection or 350°F conventional. Spray a 9-inch square pan (for thicker blondies) or a 9x13-inch pan (for thinner blondies) and line with crisscrossed parchment paper, leaving overhanging edges. Clip the overhang down with binder clips to keep it from folding over the batter during baking.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, melted butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until completely uniform and slightly lightened. Whisk thoroughly to fully emulsify the mixture before adding any dry ingredients.
- Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. The batter will be thick. Fold in peanut butter chips if using.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan using an offset spatula.
- Bake until puffed and the edges are lightly browned: 15 to 20 minutes for a 9x13-inch metal pan, 25 minutes for a 9-inch square metal pan. Glass or pyrex pans will need an additional 5 minutes. The center should have a slight give and a skewer should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Cool completely in the pan. Refrigerate before slicing for clean, even cuts.
Notes
Emulsification: Whisk the egg mixture thoroughly until uniform and slightly lightened before adding dry ingredients. This builds the chewy, fudgy center rather than a dense bar.
Doneness cue: Edges should be set and lightly browned; the center will still have a slight give. A skewer inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Peanut butter: Natural peanut butter must be fully stirred before measuring. If your natural peanut butter contains no added salt, increase the total salt to ¾ to 1 teaspoon.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
Doneness cue: Edges should be set and lightly browned; the center will still have a slight give. A skewer inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Peanut butter: Natural peanut butter must be fully stirred before measuring. If your natural peanut butter contains no added salt, increase the total salt to ¾ to 1 teaspoon.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 368IU | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 3mg