Do you ever eat peanut butter right from the jar? Do you love it? Of course you do. And I think the state of Ohio does too.

If you are ever driving through the geographical center of Ohio, Centerburg, keep your eye out for a tiny drive through off the highway. The Twist n’ Shake will accommodate almost every fried food and ice cream fantasy you can think of.

And being that peanut butter is the unofficial Ohio state flavor, along with chocolate, the Twist n’ Shake offers incredible options when it comes to America’s original nut butter.

Do you want peanut butter ice cream, mixed with Buckeyes (chocolate and peanut butter candies), topped with peanut butter sauce. Oh and you want to add peanut butter whipped cream swirled on top? That’ll be $2.50 for the large.

My favorite right now is more simple, the peanut butter malt, and it comes in a Big Gulp size cup. So you can easily share it with your five closest friends, your mom, your dog and even then you probably won’t finish it.

Then you will all need a huge glass of milk.

That is what these Peanut Butter Blondies replicate. They are peanut butter through and through. Decadent, dense and creamy. With a scoop of vanilla on top, or chocolate if you are really feeling ambitious, these blondies serve as an excellent substitution for a brownie sundae.

You might only be able to have one. They aren’t something that you can munch on through out the day. They require a sort of commitment, a dedication to the flavor. So if you have a peanut butter craving, if you can’t get a 30 oz. size peanut butter milkshake, then these are for you.

Peanut Butter Blondie Sundae

This batter is thick and doesn’t feel or cook like your normal blondie. Trust your instincts and your toothpick to know when they are finished baking. The toothpick should come out clean but it will look greasy. Unlike brownies, these can over-bake slightly and still be delicious.

½ cup salted, roasted peanuts, plus more for serving

½ cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan

1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, with rack in center of oven. Generously butter 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle with flour and tap out excess.
2. Crush or chop peanuts to smaller sizes and set aside.
3. Melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter in a medium sauce pan and cool.
4. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
5. Add eggs, vanilla, 3/4 cup peanut butter and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar to butter. Whisk until combined and smooth.
6. With rubber spatula, stir in dry ingredients to peanut butter mixture until smooth. Add half of the crushed peanuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth out evenly to corners.
7. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth.
8. Poor mixture over on top of batter and sprinkle remaining peanuts over top.
9. Bake for 35-40 min. or until toothpick comes out clean. The batter will turn very golden brown.
10. Remove from oven and let cool enough to slice, top with ice cream and serve.

Adapted from Peanut Butter Blondies- Bon Appetite