Pumpkin Spice Blondies.

I feel compelled to make this disclaimer… if you’re looking for healthy clean eating, this is NOT your recipe. I have to be honest, I don’t eat refined sugars or processed anything but I realize that’s my choice and sometimes an indulgent, fun treat is good when you’re a kid and I have two of them so here it goes!  I spotted these Pumpkin Spice M&M’s yesterday and thought they would be fun in some pumpkin spice blondies.  So I bought a bag and off I went.  It’s a fun treat for the fall season. Again, everything in moderation.

Ingredients:

1 stick of real butter (not margarine or light butter), room temperature
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or paste
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup of heaping pumpkin puree
1/4 cup of Greek yogurt
1 1 /4 cup of All-Purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (If you don’t have this use:  1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 clove, 1/8 nutmeg)
1 regular size bag of the Pumpkin Spice M&M’s
1 bag of dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 pan with baking spray with flour.  Set that aside.  Then into your stand mixer with the paddle attached, cream your butter and sugar together for 2 minutes.  Tehn add your vanilla and eggs.  The mixture will look weird but it’s fine.  Then add the pumpkin and yogurt.  Blend until creamy.  In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt and pumpkin pie spice together.  Then add to the wet mixture.  Blend until just incorporated.  Remove the bowl from the stand mixture and by hand stir in the M&M’s.  Some of the green color bleeds but don’t stress.  Then spoon out into your prepared pan.  Bake for 28-30 minutes until it is totally set up and firm.  Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, you’re good to go.  At this point, pour your bag of chocolate chips over the top of the blondies.  Make sure it’s a fairly even coat.  Then place into the hot oven for 2 minutes.  Remove and then smooth out the melting chocolate to make a nice thin layer over the top.  If the chocolate needs more time, place them back into the oven for another minute or so.  Spread the chocolate so it has an even coating over the entire top.  If you have fall themed sprinkles you can add them or just go straight up with plain chocolate.  Let cool completely then slice.  Yields about 16-18 bars depending on how large you slice them.

 

— Knead to Cook