Butterfinger Blondies

You would think that with all the post that I have on baked goods that I have been baking for years. The truth is that I just got into baking. Since my multiple failed attempts at making cream puffs in the 8th grade (damn French pastries), I swore off all baking. I thought I was just no good at it. Being a cook is much different then being a baker. Baking is science, a very exact art where instructions and techniques must be followed. You can't just add a splash of this and a dash of that like I do when I cook and you must have patients; something at times I lack. Since Pinterest (follow me here!) has entered our lives, for better or fatter and broke, lol, I have gotten into baking. There are so many amazing pictures of cupcakes, cookies, bars, breads, cakes, brownies, and the list goes on, that I couldn't help myself. My skills in the kitchen have certainly increased since 8th grade, so I figured it was time to try baking again.

This recipe was actually the second baking recipe that I attempted; both came out great I might add. Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes was the first one. The boyfriend is a huge fan of Butterfingers and I love all desserts that comes in bar form, so I knew I had to try these. The original recipe called for a homemade frosting, but I didn't have Crisco and didn't feel like buying it, so I went with a canned frosting. Yeah, yeah, shame on me, but it's awesome and fast. The frosting from the Oatmeal Cream Pies would be amazing on these, so might have to try that out next time. Sorry for the crappy picture, I forgot to take one until they were already wrapped up to deliver. Just another excuse to make these again.

Adapted from Six Sisters Stuff

Butterfinger Blondies

• 1 cup salted butter, room temp.
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 20 “Fun Size” bars) 
• 1 can vanilla frosting

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. 
2. Grease a 9x13 baking dish or pan.
3. Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl with a mixer.
4. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.
5. On low add your dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) until just combined.
6. Stir in cup 2 cups chopped Butterfinger.
7. Pour mixture into the baking dish, distributing evenly, and bake for 25 minutes until center is JUST set. Do not over cook or you will lose the chewy center.
8. Remove from oven and cool completely. 
9. In a bowl, mix frosting on high speed for 3 minutes until frosting is fluffy. (You can skip this step, but I find this will give you "more" frosting and makes it light and fluffy.
10. Ice bars evenly and top with remaining 1/2 cup of Butterfingers.
11. Cut into 1-inch bars and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• A food processor or Slap Chop will chop up the Butterfingers nicely. Only pulse the processor a couple times, you still want some chucks, not powder.
• If you use unsalted butter, add one tsp of salt when you add the eggs and vanilla.
• Line the baking pan with foil with a four to five inch over hand on the shorter sides to easily remove the bars in one solid sheet, then ice and cut.