And now for something REALLY different… Bar Snacks Blondies*.  I’ve put your favorite bar snacks into a cookie bar!  This rich blondie is packed full of pretzels, salted peanuts, and big chunks of semi-sweet chocolate, which is sure to please anyone that loves that salty/sweet dessert flavor.

This sweet vanilla cookie base is punctuated by big chunks of chocolate that you chop yourself (as large as you want), and salty chunks of pretzels  and peanuts.  What a treat for the football crowd, watching the big game and munching on their favorite snacks all together in one easy cookie bar.  This large 9″ X 13″ pan of blondies will disappear before your eyes.  It is simple to put together, and will surprise and delight everyone that tastes it.  With extra chunks of broken pretzel’s, and salted peanuts on the top, this cookie needs no frosting to make its own bold statement.

*For those of you that are unfamiliar with the term “Blondie”, a blondie is basically a vanilla flavored brownie.  It gets its name from the ‘blonde’ color of the dough as opposed to the darker chocolate color of a brownie.

BAR SNACKS BLONDIES

• 1 Cup Butter (2 Sticks)
• 3/4 Cup White Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Gluten Free Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 Large Eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Almond Meal OR Brown Rice Flour
• 1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour with Xanthan Gum (OR 1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free all purpose flour without Xanthan gum + 1 teaspoon Xanthan gum)
• 8 ounces Good Quality Semi Sweet Chocolate, chopped into good sized chunks, OR 1 3/4 Cups Chocolate Chips or Chunks
• 1/2 Cup Broken Gluten Free Pretzels,  plus extra for sprinkling on top
• 1/2 Cup Roasted Salted Peanuts, plus extra for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9″ X 13″ pan with nonstick spray, and set aside.

Cream the butter with the white and brown sugars until creamy and no lumps remain.  Add the Vanilla extract, salt, and the baking soda, mixing completely.  Stir in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.  Stir in the almond meal or brown rice flour until mixed, then stir in the gluten free all purpose flour and Xanthan gum.  Mix until all of the dough is uniform and thoroughly mixed.  Fold in the chocolate chunks, pretzels, and peanuts.

Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.  After 30 minutes, press the dough into the prepared pan with your fingers or a spoon. Sprinkle additional pretzel chunks and peanuts onto the top of the dough and press lightly to make sure they adhere to the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until edges start to turn golden and cookie bar is set.

Makes: 1 – 9″ X 13″ pan

These blondies give you everything from chocolate to vanilla, pretzels to peanuts, and sweet to salty.  They are soft and chewy but also have the satisfying crunch of the pretzels and peanuts. This combination of opposites will make even the people that prefer salty over sweet, or crunchy over soft, stop and take a bite.

If your “goal” is to “score” big points for providing a versatile cookie/snack/dessert that will please those that can’t decide between wanting something salty or sweet, then this Bar Snack Blondie will be a huge “touchdown”.  Enjoy!

Happy Holidays,

Marcie/Pepperchick