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I, of course, admire ALL food bloggers, cooks and chefs, but I especially admire food bloggers like Ashley from Baker by Nature, Sally from Sally’s Baking Addiction and Stephanie from Girl Versus Dough among many other master bakers for their unwavering passion and creativity for baked goods and sweets – something I severely lack. While I do occasionally enjoy candy and desserts, I gravitate more towards the savory side of food – in my cravings and in my recipe developing. I’m not saying I hate to bake, because I don’t at all, I just find more solace in chopping onions and cranking out slow-cooked Italian sauces than finding the perfect balance between buttermilk and baking soda. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I just don’t have the patience to smile through four failed cake attempts or if I’m just too lazy to actually measure every single ingredient…
BUT every once in a while I get the bug. The dessert/baked/candy bug – and it comes on strong. I’ll go weeks without even thinking about dessert, and then all of sudden it’s like I have to have that brownie, and that cookie, and oooo, is that bread pudding???
Much like some of the collegiate fans in Kansas City, I guess you could describe me as a fair-weathered baker – sometimes I love it, and will gladly spend the time to let a yeast dough rise for soft-pillowy rolls or figure out the perfect balance between dry to wet ingredients in a three-tier cake.
After I had a month long hiatas from heavy duty baking, my friend Karen from The Food Charlatan posted these Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Blondies, and I was back on the bandwagon again. I mean, if you haven’t clicked on that link yet, DO IT; those are some of the most insanely delicious looking blondies I’ve ever seen in my life.
Needless to say, I was totally inspired to get back in the kitchen and back to baking. Thanks Karen!
Of course, as an ode to Karen, I wanted to go with a blondie, and I have no idea why, but those cookies and cream candy bars popped into my head – are they even around anymore?? They were the one candy bar I went completely gaga over as a kid, so I thought I’d take on the challenge and try to make a blondie taste just like it.
The candy “bar” if you will is a white chocolate blondie base slightly adapted from this recipe – upping the salt content, and skipping the double boiler to melt the butter and the chocolate were the only significant changes I made. The batter is simple; butter, white chocolate, eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour and a little bit of salt; it’s poured into a square baking sheet and dotted with double stuffed oreos, baked and drizzled with white chocolate once it’s cooled.
The texture in this is a little more cake-like than I’m used, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest, they were so good, and totally achieved my goal – to make them taste just like the candy bars I used to love so much.
Now, the only question is, what should I bake next????
- 12 ounces white chocolate, divided
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 double stuffed oreos
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil or canola oil
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add butter and 8 ounces white chocolate. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each, until completely melted. Set aside.
- Add eggs to the bottom of a stand mixer. Beat on high until frothy, about two minutes. Add in sugar and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Turn the mixer on a medium speed and drizzle in melted butter and white chocolate. Mix until combined.
- Turn mixer on low and slowly add in flour. Add in salt halfway through adding flour. Mix just until combined.
- Pour into dish. Place cookies four across, four down on bather. Push cookies into batter. Smooth bather over cookies.
- Bake 20 minutes. Cool for five minutes before cutting.
- While blondies are cooking, combine remaining white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 15 seconds intervals, stirring in between each until completely melted.
- Cute blondies into squares, remove from pan. Drizzle with white chocolate.
*Blondie base adapted from All Recipes
whatjessicabakednext says
These blondies look divine! I love the oreo’s in the centre! I bet they were very moorish, especially with that white chocolate drizzle!
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
They look gorgeous! Love everything about these.
Have a beautiful weekend!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
Nicole! I’m so totally flattered! We should probably just get married. I could make all the nutella stuffed ridiculousness and you could make all the grilled artichokes and smoked salmon latkes. Although now that you’ve gone and created ^THIS freakish amazingness you will probably leave me because who needs nutella blondies when you can have cookies and cream white chocolate ones!!!!! I was totally obsessed with those cookies and cream bars as a kid, they are amazing. I can’t believe you blondie-ified them. You are a rock star. PS thank you for using double stuff, you’re a gentleman and a scholar. Or something like that. Thanks for the shout out Nicole!!
Alaina {Fabtastic Eats} says
I wish I was your neighbor. We could have lots of dinner parties and cocktails. With dessert. These are perfection..I love white chocolate..like, it’s in my blood love it. I love savory food too, but sometimes there is nothing better than a little sugar!
Christine @ Cooking with Cakes says
girrrl if this is what your baking looks like, you need to be doing it more often! haha I totally feel ya on the savory stuff, I like being methodical with the slicing and dicing and sauteeing too. Butttt… every now and then a chick just needs to get elbow deep in eggs and flour, and these right here are major!
Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg says
Wow, these look scrumptious.
Nicole says
Thanks Norma!!
cheri says
These blondes look amazing! Beautiful pics!
Nicole says
Thank you so much Cheri!!
Ashley says
I go through phases with baking too …. for a few weeks I’ll be reallly into it and then I don’t want to bake anything for another few. But the bug does always come back : ) These blondies look outrageously good – I mean how could I say no to cookies and cream anything??
Nicole says
What is it with that?? Right now I can’t stop thinking of things I want to bake, but last month I wanted nothing to do with it!
And you totally can’t EVER say no to cookies and cream anything…never ever ever ever.
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
Totally my favorite baking blogs too! You bake amazing things Nicole! Especially these bars – how creative! I love cookies and cream anything! Pinned 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
Nicole says
Thanks Chelsea!! Hope you had a lovely weekend! A little late to respond to comments!
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
Well, for someone who claims not to bake much, it looks like you nailed it with these blondies! What next… I vote strawberries for spring and another pan of these bars!
Nicole says
Thanks Erin!! Every once in a while I surprise myself. 🙂 I like your style — strawberries just might have to be a part of my next baking endeavor.