CK's KITCHEN: Candy bar blondies give a fun sweet variety

In a last-minute scramble to find a dessert that would pair perfectly with my apple cider mimosas and bring a festive flair to a Halloween bash, I found myself scrolling through Sally's Baking Addiction's roundup of Easy Halloween Dessert Recipes. That's when I spotted the candy bar blondies — a chewy, decadent treat packed with fun-size candy bars. Not only did they feel like the something special I was hoping for, but they also offered a deliciously sweet way to repurpose the overflowing jack-o'-lantern bucket of leftover Halloween candy. I couldn't have been more delighted to get baking! No mixers It's a rare and satisfying moment when I have every single ingredient on hand for a new recipe — and this was one of those times. Within 10 minutes of discovering it, I was already in the kitchen making it. Instant win. The best part? Choosing the candy bars. I went with a mix of Snickers, Twix, Reese's peanut butter cups, Reese's Pieces and 100 Grand bars. According to Sally, the batter is super flexible and works with almost any chocolate-based candy. You can even toss in extras like M&Ms, chocolate chips, pretzel pieces or nuts. Chopping everything up adds a fun variety of textures and flavors to every bite. Winner, winner Mixing everything together was a breeze — just two bowls: one for the dry ingredients, and another for the melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. I love using melted butter for that rich, chewy texture and extra flavor. No mixer needed, just a whisk and a little elbow grease. About 10 minutes into baking, I remembered to sprinkle on some flaky sea salt — an optional step, but one that adds the perfect finishing touch. The verdict? Absolutely irresistible. These bars turned out dangerously good — chewy, rich and packed with candy in every bite. They were so addictive that my daughter gave me a very serious warning: "Never make these again." Not because they weren't delicious, but because they were too delicious to have around. Safe to say, they're a hit — and definitely worth making (just maybe not too often!). Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. Candy bar blondies 2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned & leveled) 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 14 tablespoons (196g) unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) packed light or dark brown sugar 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1½ cups (about 225g) chopped chocolate candy bars Optional: flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. The batter should be thick. Using a spatula, fold in the chopped candy bars. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt, if using. Bake until golden brown, about 30–34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with only a few moist crumbs. Avoid over-baking. Cool completely in the pan set on a cooling rack, about 1 hour. Once cool, lift the blondies out of the pan using the parchment overhang on the sides, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into squares. Cover and store leftover bars at room temperature for up to 1 week. Source: Sally's Baking Addiction