This is Not a Brownie

This is not a brownie. Sure it has the makings of a brownie with its creamy, dense center; nuts and chocolate chips, but this is not a brownie. There's no flour, no eggs, no baking soda. Unusual? Maybe. Brownie? Definitely not. Creamy, chewy and slightly sweet, it is the most satisfying little square you will ever lay your hands on. Perhaps this is beginning to sound a lot like a...nope, it's not. This is not a brownie. It's a dirty blondie.

Dirty Blondies

Ingredients

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups of graham cracker crumbs (Honey Maid is best)

6 oz of semisweet chocolate chips

1 tbsp instant coffee granules

1 2/3 cups of pecans, chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk

Method

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. If you do not have a mixer, you can cream it by hand with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon. The batter is very thick, so it's best to mix it by hand. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 11x7 pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the pan to test for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is ready. Do not bake them longer than 22 minutes. They will continue to set up once you take them out of the oven. Let cool for 30 minutes and cut into small squares. Enjoy these little bites warm with a glass of ice-cold milk or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.