For weeks, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the official start of fall, since after that point, no one can really argue that it’s too early for pumpkins, doughnuts, scarves, and sweaters. No one, that is, except Mother Nature. The temperatures in Michigan have been hovering around 90 for several days and the only thing even approaching autumnal is my kitchen table, which is covered in decorative gourds and cranberry-colored mums. Meanwhile, in another part of the country, my parents have already had to turn on the heater!
Anyway, now that all of us in the Northern Hemisphere are technically in the season of fall, it’s high time to start (or continue, as the case may be!) enjoying the classic flavors of the months ahead. Butterscotch wasn’t really on my radar until last year, when an unexpected craving hit towards the end of summer, but it quickly earned a place on my list of fall favorites! These peanut butter butterscotch blondies offer a tantalizing combination of sweet and salty, and their dense, slightly chewy texture signifies a marked departure from the lighter, fruity desserts of summer.
With school back in session and the hours of daylight starting to noticeably dwindle, time feels like it’s in especially short supply, but luckily, these peanut butter butterscotch blondies only take about ten minutes of active prep time! I’ve always loved blondies, but it wasn’t until I was making these in a bit of a rush for a recent gathering that I truly appreciated their sheer simplicity—they’re like hefty cookies in bar form, which means that you just spread the dough in a pan and you’re good to go, rather than going through the process of scooping individual balls of dough, rotating the cookie sheets at the halfway mark, waiting for the cookies to cool before putting another round into the oven, etc.
How is your summer-to-fall transition going so far? Have you been able to break out the scarves and sweaters yet, or are you still trying to find ways to beat the heat?
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- 1/2 cup peanut butter candies (+ extra for the top, if desired)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- Place the brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter in the bowl of a mixer and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Stir in the butterscotch chips, peanuts, and peanut butter candies.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Optional: sprinkle a handful of peanut butter candies on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool before cutting. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
These PBB-Blondies look delectable! I have been wanting to take something homemade over to our new neighbors across the street and these beauties may be just the perfect treat. Your scrumptious bars will certainly say, “Welcome to the neighborhood!”
Yes, these would make a great new-neighbor gift! Let me know how it goes if you make these 🙂
These blondies look amazing, Mara! Like seriously something I would stumble across in a book or a magazine! 🙂 And after looking at the ingredients, I can definitely say that these would be delicious, too. Yum! As far as the heat, I hear ya. What the heck, Mother Nature!?! We set record highs here the past 2 days, and I think we’re on track for another one today. But it’s finally supposed to break at the end of the week, and then it’ll finally feel like Fall weather! In the meantime, I’m going to go faceplant myself into a plate of these blondies.
Thanks, David! I’m very much looking forward to cooler weather…it’s no fun having to dress all teacherly and professional in this heat! The AC in my (5th floor) classroom was broken the other day, too. Luckily I made these blondies BEFORE the stifling heat settled in 😉
These look delicious, Mara!
Thanks, Debbie! I hope you get a chance to make them 🙂
I´m the same way, I have been waiting for fall for days! now that it´s here its all about the pumpkins! This is great recipe, filled with tasty and simple ingredients. Really enjoyed reading this post, great stuff 🙂
Thanks, Albert! I’m so glad these bars caught your eye. I hope you’re enjoying fall so far 🙂
THESE ARE A VERY GOOD IDEA. I love blondies even more than brownies (shh) and I love peanut butter just as much!
Ooh, it’s a tough call for me to choose between blondies and brownies…but these blondies can definitely give brownies a good run for their money! I hope you get a chance to try these 🙂
You hit all of my taste buds with these bars Mara. Love peanut butter (made me happy to see creamy peanut butter and then peanut butter candies) and paired with butterscotch – I bet you made some people happy. You are right, cookies are work and making this treat in bar form is perfect. All of us in Michigan are happy with the cooler temps – perfect baking weather 🙂 Thanks for sharing another great recipe with Fiesta Friday.
Indeed, perfect baking weather! Although I think we’re supposed to get a few warmer days again this next week. Thanks for stopping by, and for hosting this week 🙂
These blondies look so happy.😁 I am sure they taste amazing, too. Happy Fiesta Friday!
Thanks! I know *I* was certainly happy after eating them 🙂 I hope you’re having a great weekend!
I am with you, it has been hot here too. I am so ready for cooler temperatures! Your blondies look amazing! I love the mixture of peanut butter, peanuts, and butterscotch. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday! Have a great weekend! 😀
Thanks, Antonia, and thank you for hosting this week! I hope fall weather is headed your way ASAP.
The heat finally left today, thank God! But it’s not scarf weather yet, and I’m so ready to be fashionably fall 😄 Anyway, can I take some of these blondies, please… 😋😋 Oh btw, the cohosts this week are Judi and Antonia @ Zoale.com. Zeba will cohost next week. Sorry for the confusion, it’s all my fault. So if you can edit your post here and mention Antonia, it’d be greatly appreciated 😘
I managed to wear a light scarf yesterday, but only in the morning 😉 And I edited the post to include Antonia – thanks for the update!
These look like an absolute DELIGHT – you had me hooked at “hefty cookies in bar form”. Is there anything better than a really substantial decadent bar?? It’s definitely still not quite feeling like fall just yet here in California, but I’m kind of eager for that perfect *baking weather * to hit us soon. These will be one of the first recipes on my list of must-bakes when that time rolls around.
Yes, “baking weather” is the best! I hope you enjoy these as much as we do 🙂 Thanks, Lauren!