Chunky, Chewy, Candy Blondies

Is anything better than a massive load of leftover Halloween candy?

Blondies made with leftover Halloween candy!

It may seem counter-intuitive to "get rid" of Halloween candy by simply transforming it into a more decadent treat, but I get sick of candy VERY quickly and there was no way I was going to let Matthew eat as much candy as he wants.  After a couple sugar-highs that were quickly followed by a disasterous, cranky, emotionally scarring sugar crash, I decided it was time for the Halloween candy to go.  Paul and I sorted through it and he plucked out a couple pieces that he wanted and I pulled out all the chocolate.  All the non-chocolate candies (your typical Smarties, Twizzlers, and Jolly Ranchers) were sent to work with Paul in a big bowl to be set out and devoured by his starving office cronies.

After eating an Almond Joy or five, I chopped up the remaining fun-size candy bars and made these blondies.  I picked a recipe that made a sturdier blondie and simply tossed in the candy in place of any other fill-ins, such as chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit.  I was not sure how these were going to taste, considering what a mish-mash of candy went into the batter.  I tossed in Whoppers, Reese's Cups, Hershey Bars, Almond Joys, Twix Bars, Crunch Bars, Snickers, Mounds, and Musketeer Bars.  There was no discrimination when it came to what chocolate bar made it into these babies.  The blondies baked up beautifully and smelled divine, but the real test came when Paul and I sampled them...

They were good!  And not just good, but pretty darn awesome.  The best part about having such a wide variety of candy incorporated into the batter, is that each and every bite was completely different.  It kept your taste buds happy and excited.  Which can be dangerous because it meant you wanted to keep taking bites in order to experience how each piece of candy contributed to the overall flavor of the blondies.  Paul loved them especially and was a little crushed when I instructed him to share them with his co-workers.  He can get a little selfish about these things sometimes.  I sent him to work with them in a big Tupperware container and I'll bet you $200.00 that he has carefully hidden them in one of his office drawers to greedily eat all by himself.

I'll just make him run 5 miles with me this weekend.

*Bonus: Can you find the kitty lurking in the background as I was trying to take this photo? It may be detrimental to his health, but this cat loves baked goods and his chops were watering as he watched me plate these up!

Chunky, Chewy, Candy Blondies
adapted heavily from The Boston Globe

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups assorted, coarsely chopped, fun-size candy bars

Set the oven at 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt to blend them.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat, stir in the oil, and scrape the mixture into a large bowl.

Stir the brown and granulated sugar into the butter mixture. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture. With a spatula, fold in the chopped candy bars.

Transfer the batter to the baking pan, spreading it evenly.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is browned and set.  Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into neat little squares.  The blondies will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days, but can be frozen for even longer!