Famous peanut butter chocolate chip blondies get low-sugar makeover

Who doesn’t like chocolate and peanut butter? If you asked the fans of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, their answer would be: “No one.”

Years ago, I found an excellent recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies that, according to then-current beliefs, had too much fat. Back then, mistakenly, sugar was not an issue.

At that time, thanks to Cooking Light magazine, I became nationally known for using drained, unsweetened and unflavored applesauce as a fat substitute.

My blondies version used no added fat (thanks to the applesauce) and I also used mini-morsel chocolate chips. Those smaller chocolate chips made it look like there were more chips when it was really fewer. Using reduced-fat peanut butter helped a little, too.

If I didn’t tell you my blondies were fat-reduced, you’d never know it. They were rich in flavor and nearly melted in your mouth. A true low-fat winner.

Today, we are more focused on a fat’s source, like trans fats (hydrogenated fat). And the fat from eggs is now considered to be nearly a “health food.”

At the end of last year, I discovered an all-natural (according to the label) brown sugar substitute made from erythritol (a low-calorie sugar substitute — less than 2 calories per 2 teaspoons) and stevia, made in Norway: Sukrin Gold.

Positive glowing reviews said it tasted just like brown sugar. Believing it would make a good column, I bought some. It wasn’t cheap; nearly $15 a pound. I used it to make my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies lower in sugar and calories. It worked well and tasted good, with a definite brown sugar note.

When I just checked on where you can purchase some, I found out ... um ... it’s no longer available from any source. Jiminy.

What I did find was Truvia Sweet Complete Brown, Calorie-Free Sweetener with the Stevia Leaf. This seemed to come close to Sukrin Gold and, most importantly, it’s available.

I quickly reformulated my recipe with Truvia’s Sweet Complete Brown Calorie-Free Sweetener with the Stevia Leaf, and when I ran the nutritional numbers found Truvia cut 775 sugar calories and 100 carbohydrate grams. Good deal.

My blondies used real semi-sweet, mini chocolate chips, but to save more calories and trim the sugar I used 365 brand (Whole Foods) Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Baking Chips (an erythritol and stevia blend) trimming another 240 calories.

Since my blondies only used 2 tablespoons of butter, I went with the real thing.

How did they turn out? Sensational!

• Don Mauer welcomes questions, comments and recipe makeover requests. Write to him at 1leanwizard@gmail.com.

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Low-Sugar Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

1 1/3 cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour* (I used Jovial’s Einkorn organic A/P flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup (96 grams) granulated cane sugar*

1 cup (192 grams) brown sugar alternative (Truvia Sweet Complete Brown, Calorie-Free Sweetener with the Stevia Leaf)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted*

2 large eggs*

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup (85 grams) creamy or crunchy peanut butter*

2/3 cup (160 grams) sugar-free dark chocolate baking chips (such as 365 brand)

Add flour, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl. Using a wire whisk, stir together until combined, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Place the oven rack in the middle position and heat oven to 350°F.

Lightly spray the interior bottom and sides of a 7-by-11-by-1 1/2-inch baking pan with avocado or olive oil. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with a flat blade, add sugars, melted butter, eggs and vanilla and mix at medium until combined. About 1 minute. Stop the mixer, add peanut butter, and mix at medium speed until combined. Stop the mixer and add flour mixture; mix at medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.

Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer, add chocolate chips and, using a large rubber spatula, fold the chips into the batter until evenly distributed (this batter is thick, and this will take at least 1 minute).

Transfer blondie batter to the prepared pan, smooth evenly to the pan’s edges and bake for 25 minutes, or until the center springs back when pressed. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 16, 2-by-2-inch servings.

*Note: Organic preferred.

Nutrition values per serving: 147 calories (51% from fat), 8.4 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 20.6 g carbohydrates (18 net carbs), 6.5 g sugars, 2.5 g fiber, 4.1 g protein, 30 mg cholesterol, 134 mg sodium.

— Don Mauer