Blondies

I teach students who dislike chocolate.

I know what you're thinking. Really? They exist?

It's hard to believe, but they do.

They're the ones who turn down chocolate cupcakes during their classmates' birthdays and frown when I pull out brownies for a special treat.

So, I went to blondies for my last "bake for my students" project. I wanted a treat everyone would enjoy, and I also wanted to try something different.

I was also out of chocolate.

Deb calls these brownies infinitely adaptable, and I imagine that they are. I threw in M&Ms (I figured the few pieces of chocolate wouldn't distract the chocolate haters too much), but I would have happily included coconut, pecans and chocolate.

Easy. Easy. Easy.

Blondies
recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

This recipe doubles very easily. I doubled it and baked it in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. I went for M&Ms  as my mix in, but Deb recommends countless others.

Ingredients
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup M&Ms (colored for your favorite holiday?)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together melted butter and brown sugar. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the egg and then the vanilla, beating well after each addition.

Stir in the salt and flour. Mix in M&Ms.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the blondies for 18 to 25 minutes, until the blondies are set in the middle. Deb recommended erring on the side of underbaking, which I did, and I found the middle pieces so delightful. Cool the brownies on the rack completely before slicing.