Chocolate Rice Crispy Topped Peanut Butter Blondie Bars

Since I like to play around with things and try out new variations on a theme, I decided to change up my blondie bars which are basically, chocolate chip cookie dough in bars that I’ve made a million times if I’ve made them once, to make them yummier. So I added a chocolate rice crispy type topping and some peanut butter among other things and taste tested this on a bunch of grandchildren and not only did they love it but their parents did as well! It’s a chocolate peanutty crunchy blast of flavor that you will crave.

A note, don’t make the topping until the bars are mostly cooled since they will set up too much and get too hard to spread. So start by making the blondies, gather your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350 F/180 C.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch rectangular pan and set aside, ready for action. K. I actually use 2 different peanut butters for this. Smooth for the cookie dough and crunchy for the topping to add some contrast but go with whatever you have on hand or prefer. Take your marg and melt it in the microwave (or on the stovetop if you don’t have a micro)

and immediately add the peanut butter for the cookie dough to the very warm marg to have it melt into it and stir well.

Good. Now take your dry ingredients and mix together well.

Now pour the melted marg/pb mixture into the dry and add the eggs and combine till mixed through.

Then add the chocolate chips.

Now take the prepared pan and firmly press the dough into the pan evenly making sure to spread into the corners.

It’s a very thick dough, that’s how it should be. Bake for 25-30 minutes or till browned, and a toothpick comes out clean from center.

Now let cool on wire rack and then prepare topping. Melt the chocolate chips with the oil and peanut butter in the microwave (or in a double boiler on the stovetop) and stir till smooth. Add the crispy rice cereal and mix well.

Spread the topping evenly on top of the cooled cake and let set. Cut into squares to serve.

Chocolate Rice Crispy Topped Peanut Butter Blondie Bars

3/4 cup (200 grams) margarine
2 rounded tablespoons peanut butter
2 1/2 cups (250 grams) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Topping:

1 cup (175 grams) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
2 teaspoons oil
2 rounded tablespoons peanut butter
2 cups (50 grams, approximately) crispy rice cereal

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C.

In a microwave (or if you haven’t one, on the stovetop) melt the margarine and immediately put the peanut butter in the very warm mixture and stir till combined. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, brown sugar and salt. Add the margarine/peanut butter mixture and the eggs and stir till a thick dough forms. Take a 9 x 13 inch rectangular pan and grease well and spread dough in evenly making sure to spread into corners. Place in oven and bake 25-30 minutes or till wooden toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack.

Melt the chocolate chips, oil and peanut butter together (in microwave or in a double boiler) and stir till smooth and add crispy rice cereal and stir. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled cake and let set up, about 1/2 an hour. Cut into squares to serve.