Butterscotch Bars: Chewy One-Bowl Recipe
By Pauline Ortiz
15 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
16
Servings
Easy
Level
Bake one 8x8-inch pan. Allow to cool. Then divide into 16 pieces after baking. I prefer dark brown sugar for its molasses taste in a butterscotch bar. Melted butter keeps the middle of the cooled butterscotch bar chewy. Cooled bars can be cleanly removed from the pan.
The batter is stirred in a large bowl with a whisk and spatula after the flour is added. I don't use a mixer for this batter, it is not needed. Stir only to blend. Overmixing can result in tough, chewy bars.
Bake the pan for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with crumbs attached. Take the pan out of the oven before it is completely baked in the center. The cake will finish baking while it cools on a wire rack in the hot pan.
Line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving parchment paper overhang on two sides of the pan. This will make it easy to lift the cooled baked product from the pan and give you handles. Scoop flour into a measuring cup and use a knife to level off the flour. You don't want dry bars in butterscotch squares.
What makes this special
- One 8x8 pan yields 16 bars after cooling. The bars are fairly easy to cut from a full pan of bars.
- The bars are made in one bowl. A mixer is not needed.
- Melted butter prevents overmixing while ensuring the bars are dense and chewy in the center.
- The extra parchment allows you to peel and cut up the cooled chocolate bar.
- Dark brown sugar provides molasses flavor to bars and has good storage properties when making multiple bars.
- Optional butterscotch chips add extra pockets of butterscotch through the sliced bars.
Ingredients
- •½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- •1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- •1 large egg
- •1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- •1 cup all-purpose flour
- •½ teaspoon baking soda
- •¼ teaspoon salt
- •1 cup butterscotch chips (optional)
- •cooking spray (optional, for greasing the pan)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
- 2
Whisk the melted butter and dark brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then whisk vigorously until the mixture looks glossy.
- 3
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold with a spatula only until combined and no flour streaks remain.
- 4
Gently fold in the butterscotch chips, if using.
- 5
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- 6
Cool the bars completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift them out with the parchment overhang and cut into squares.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
180
Reviews
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