Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
[Vegan]

To Make the Peanut Butter Cups:

1. Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter (soften in microwave if too hard/solid) and powdered sugar and stir to fully combine.
3. Melt the vegan chocolate chips and coconut oil either in the microwave or over a double boiler on the stove (if in microwave, melt in batches to avoid burning).
4. Add about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate to the bottom of each muffin well, making sure that the chocolate spreads to the entire bottom.
5. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of the peanut butter sugar mixture on top of the chocolate.
6. Add another heaping 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter
7. Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator to harden.

To Make the Blondies:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and/or line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
3. For the flax egg, combine ground flax and warm water in a small bowl and stir. Set aside to thicken.
4. In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and stir to combine.
5. In a large bowl, combine the melted vegan butter and brown sugar and stir until incorporated.
6. Add peanut butter to butter and sugar mixture (again, soften your peanut butter in the microwave if it is too hard or solid), stirring to combine.
7. Add in flax egg and stir again.
8. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients slowly, and stir until just combined.
9. Pour blondie batter into your prepared pan.
10. Take 9 peanut butter cups out of the fridge and remove them from their liner.
11. Place the 9 peanut butter cups into the blondie batter in a 3x3 configuration.
12. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes (a toothpick inserted into the blondies should come out almost clean).
13. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 9 squares.