White Chocolate Peppermint Blondies -- Recipe

At this week's chapter gathering at Deborah and Sarah Raessler's home, they served the most amazing holiday confections! Several sisters asked for the recipe for this one. They graciously agreed to share it with us!

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BLONDIES

Blondies:
1 cup salted butter, softened (plus more for greasing a pan)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candies (divided)

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup salted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. peppermint extract
2-3 Tbsp. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to extend over edges of pan. Grease the paper.

Prepare blondies. Combine butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add flour; beat on low speed just until combined (1-2 minutes). Stir in white chocolate chips and ½ cup of the crushed peppermints, reserving the remaining crushed peppermints.

Spread the batter in a prepared pan; smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in a preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean (20-22 minutes). Cool completely in the pan. Lift blondies from the pan using parchment paper as handles. Remove and discard the paper; trim the browned edges.

Prepare icing. Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract in medium bowl; beat on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the cream. Add up to one additional tablespoon cream, if necessary, until icing reaches a spreadable consistency. Spread the icing over top of the blondies. Sprinkle with reserved crushed peppermints. Cut into 2-inch squares; cut squares into triangles.