Brownies, Blondies, and Bars

Brownies, Blondies, and Bars is a cookbook for just that. Fellow baking enthusiasts will be excited to flip through page after page of drool-inducing photographs and recipes that promise to disappear just as quickly as you are able to make them (which is faster than you might expect).

The electric mixer and I are inseparable and brownies are some of my favorite sweet treats, so I really wanted to like this cookbook, but in the end, I had somewhat mixed feelings. Of the three recipes I tried, I was absolutely thrilled with one (Cinnamon Roll Blondies, which was an absolute hit and I have already been asked for the recipe), I struggled with the execution of one (S’mores Brownies), and I did not like another (Eggnog Bars). When I was flipping through the book prior to baking, I loved the three-page layout that features the ingredients, directions, and a beautiful full page picture on three consecutive pages. Unfortunately, when it came time to actually follow the recipes, this led to a lot of flipping back and forth between the ingredients page and the directions. Still, there is an excellent variety of flavors and I have another dozen recipes earmarked. I’m just waiting for the excuse to bake some more!