Small Batch Peanut Butter Blondies With Chocolate Chips

These small batch peanut butter blondies are thick, chewy bars packed with nutty peanut butter flavor and just enough chocolate chips folded in for pockets of melty sweetness. Baked in a 6-inch pan in under 40 minutes, they deliver crisp edges and a gooey, fudgy center, without a full pan of leftovers or extra fuss.

Why Peanut Butter Works So Well In Blondies

If you’ve read my post for nutty butterscotch blondies, you know I wasn’t always fully on board with blondies. But these converted me.

Peanut butter changes everything. It tones down the sweetness you sometimes get with traditional blondies, while adding richness and a naturally chewy texture that feels closer to cookie dough. In this recipe, you actually taste the peanut butter — it’s not just background flavor.

I fold in dark chocolate chips for contrast. The deep flavor balances the peanut butter, and a larger chip gives you those satisfying bites of chocolate throughout each square.

And because these are small batch, they’re incredibly simple. Basic pantry ingredients, one bowl, and about 40 minutes start to finish. I even tested them with chunky peanut butter — and it works beautifully. If you’re feeling extra, they’re also fantastic topped with a swipe of chocolate peanut butter frosting.

And if I’ve piqued your interest with chewy + peanut butter, you should try my small batch peanut butter cookies next. Yum.

The Blondie Batter Is A Lot Like Cookie Dough

If you’re new to baking blondies, you might be surprised how different the batter looks compared to brownie batter — their chocolatey dessert bar cousin.

Brownie batter is loose, but the batter for these peanut butter blondies is thick, almost like cookie dough. That texture creates their signature chew. No cakey blondies here!

How To Make Peanut Butter Blondies

The blondies start off incredibly easy. First, we melt the butter, so you don’t have to worry about creaming it with the sugar. Second, we use only one bowl — start to finish.

As you mix the wet ingredients, you’ll notice the peanut butter binds with the sugar and egg into a cohesive, slightly sticky batter. I almost always add a small extra splash of vanilla for a little more warmth.

After you add the dry ingredients, this is also where the chocolate chips come into play. You’ll want to switch to a spatula to fold them into the batter. This keeps their shape and lets you see how they are distributed, so you have a chip in every bite.

The blondie batter (or should we call it dough) needs to be pressed into the 6-inch pan. The spatula comes in handy here to make sure every corner of the pan is covered.

Small Batch Blondie Baking Tips

The 6-inch pan is intentional. A larger pan will bake the bars thinner and crispier — not ideal when we’re going for a signature blondie.

I like to start checking the blondies at the minimum bake time. Small batch bars can overbake quickly, and we want to preserve that soft center. Pull them when the edges are golden, and the middle still looks slightly soft.

And if you can resist, let them cool completely before slicing. That’s what gives you clean, tidy squares.

What to Expect from These Peanut Butter Blondies

• Golden, lightly crisp edges.
• Peanut butter forward — like a chewy peanut butter cookie — with pockets of melted chocolate.
• Soft, gooey center that gently firms as it cools.
• A delicate, paper-thin top.
• Chunky chocolate chips “hugged” by the thick batter.

Small Batch Peanut Butter Blondies With Chocolate Chips

Small batch peanut butter blondies baked in a 6-inch pan with crisp edges and a gooey, fudgy center. Made with creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and chocolate chips, the thick blondies are ready in under 40 minutes.

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by Erin Cernich

Yield9 Servings

Prep10 minutes minutes

Cook26 minutes minutes

Total Time36 minutes minutes

Equipment

• ▢
  6-Inch Square Cake Pan (or) 9 x 5-Inch Loaf Pan
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  Fine Mesh Strainer (optional)

Ingredients

• ▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 6 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
• ▢ ¼ cup organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
• ▢ 1 large egg, room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ cup creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy)
• ▢ ¼ cup chocolate chips, any kind (I use large, dark chocolate chips)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

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  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a 6-inch square baking pan with a piece of parchment paper long enough to hang over the sides.
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  In a medium mixing bowl, add the melted butter and both sugars. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until the egg is well incorporated. Then add the peanut butter and whisk until smooth.
  3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark, 1/4 cup organic cane sugar, 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢
  Sift or sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet. Switch to a small spatula to mix until no dry streaks remain. Add the chocolate chips and gently fold them into the dough. Expect a thicker dough, like a cookie dough. Tip – I like to sift my dry ingredients through a fine mesh strainer to remove lumps and for better distribution into the batter.
  3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, any kind, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢
  Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 24 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Do not overbake, or the blondies will not be chewy.
• ▢
  Cool the blondies in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. When ready to serve, lift the blondies out of the pan and cut into desired slices. A 6-inch pan will yield 9 smaller squares.
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  Store the blondies at room temperature in a covered container or zipper bag for up to 5 days

Notes

• Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled and baked in an 8×8-inch pan. Increase the bake time by at least 5 minutes.
• Peanut Butter – Use regular, creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural, organic, or peanut butter that needs to be stirred will likely yield oily blondies.
• Baking Pan – You can also use a 9×5-inch loaf pan. The blondies will be thicker and will need a couple more minutes to bake.
• Don’t Overbake – Or the blondies won’t be chewy!
• Freezing – Place cut blondies in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Nutrition Estimates

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 0.004mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.