Did you know that in St. Louis when kids go trick-or-treating, they have to tell a joke? Yep, we work for our candy around here. Even the toddlers have some sort of trick they practice (with prompting from their parents, of course) for weeks leading up to the big day. Growing up, I remember my mother literally holding the bowl of treats back from the neighborhood kids until they each told a joke. Now that Neil and I own our own house, I take pride in holding the bowl back until I hear all the jokes just like my mother. The goofy jokes are similar to ones you’d normally find on Laffy Taffy wrappers. Examples: “Why didn’t the skeleton go to the ball? Because he had no BODY to go with.” or “What kind of pants do ghosts wear? BOO-Jeans.” Har har har.

I thought I’d share a recipe to help use up some of the sweet treasures your little comedians may bring home this Halloween. Blondies are essentially a cross between two of my favorite desserts: brownies and chocolate chip cookies. You can add just about any Halloween candy to the mix of sweets and I’m pretty sure this recipe will still work. We used Reese’s peanut butter cups and Oreos, but if you try other variations please comment and let us know how they turned out. Serve these blondies warm and à la mode. They’re delicious. No joke!

Candy Bar Blondies

Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 40 min.

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups chopped Halloween candy (we used peanut butter cups and Oreos)

The Newlywed Chefs

We’re St. Louis food bloggers who love to cook! Join us on our culinary adventures as we keep a fresh outlook on life, love, and food.