Reeses, Peanut Butter Cup, Oreo Blondies

There are a couple of types of people when it comes to desserts: the die-hard enthusiast, the ones who can take it or leave it and then those people who don’t eat sweets at all.  I know, I’m in shock too that everyone isn’t as big of a die-hard, sweet eating, sugar freak as I am.  Believe it or not, I’m married to one of those people that doesn’t believe the sweeter the better! 

I love, love, love my sweets.  Did I mention, I love my sweets?  Cause I do!  Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, caramel or whatever…I love it all.  Cakes, cookies, pies, cheesecakes, cheesecake cakes, brownies, bars; there’s not a sweet I don’t like.  If I have to choose between a cupcake with a dollop of frosting or one mounded high with frosting, I’m going for the one with mounds of the sweet stuff.  Spencer, on the other hand, wants the cake with just a tad of frosting.  He will literally scrape two-thirds of the frosting off and just throw it away.  So when it comes to sweets we’re kind of opposites; I believe the sweeter the better and he wants the sweetness but just not over-the-top sweetness.

Lately I’ve been making quite a few sweets.  I’ve been a baking machine, to say the least.  I will admit, I’ve made some treats that have been overly sweet in Spencer’s terms.  Not that he hasn’t enjoyed them, just the same.  So, to make something more to his taste I decided to make some bars that were packed full of some of his most favorite flavors. 

These bars have it all.  Sweet. Salty. Crunchy. Chewy. Oreos. Reeses Pieces. Peanut butter cups.  Yes, a little bit of everything packed into each bite.  To say these bars are good would be an understatement.  They are little squares of goodness that take you to an out-of-this-world place for just a moment.  You’ve got a soft, chewy bar full of peanut butter flavor that is studded with mini Reeses Pieces candies.  But that’s not all.  Sandwiched between two layers of these delicious bars are Oreos.  But not just any Oreos, or the plain ol’ single stuf.  We’re talking Double Stuf.  Oh yeah!  Go big or go home, right?

These bars are amazing.  Simple to make but so big on flavor.  Each bite is packed with a little bit of everything, resulting in an over-the-top, delicious (yet flavor balanced) sweet treat! 

Reeses, Peanut Butter Cup, Oreo Blondies

Ingredients:

1 Stick butter
1 Cup brown sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Cup flour
1 Cup chopped Reeses peanut butter cups
1/2 Cup mini Reeses pieces
9 Double Stuf Oreos

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add egg and mix to combine.  Add vanilla and mix.  Add the salt and flour and mix on low until incorporated.  Add the Reese peanut butter cups and pieces and stir to combine. 

Place half the batter in the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Place the Oreos on top of the batter, then spoon the remaining batter over the Oreos and spread to cover. 

Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  Cut and serve.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original