I did it.
I baked with my beloved bacon for the first time.
How many of you are cringing right now?
Because I plan to keep going.
In theory, bacon in baked goods sounds amazing.
Until now I couldn’t bring myself to try it. I was afraid it would taste awful and ruin everything I imagined.
What if it was like mixing two things that are fine separately but disastrous together?
If bacon and baked goods failed, I didn’t know if I could cope.
Luckily, within minutes of tasting the batter I knew I had made the right decision.
I couldn’t stop at sweet, chewy blondies studded with bacon.
I topped them with an inch of fluffy peanut butter frosting and sprinkled on more crispy bacon.
I honestly thought I might die and go to heaven.
This is heaven.
Given my recent obsession with sweet-and-salty combinations, these were perfect.
They made Mr. How Sweet want to gag; he finds the idea of bacon in cookies or cake revolting.
That meant a whole 9 x 13 pan for me alone. Normally, when I bake for two I halve or quarter recipes so we don’t end up with mountains of treats, but this time I inexplicably doubled the recipe.
I couldn’t help myself — I wanted thick, indulgent blondies.
Peanut Butter Bacon Blondies
blondies adapted from Simply Recipes
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then fold them into the batter. Gently fold in the crumbled bacon.
Spread the batter evenly in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Peanut Butter Frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2–3 cups powdered sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2–3 tablespoons milk, as needed
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Cream the softened butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then stir in vanilla.
Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency — thinner for spreading or thicker for piping.
Frost the cooled blondies and sprinkle the remaining crumbled bacon on top.
I have a feeling this is a turning point. I’ve broken the seal and opened the floodgates.
There is no turning back.
Bacon for everyone!