Julie Clark
Updated:
Butterscotch Bars Recipe
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You just need 10 minutes to whip up these easy butterscotch bars loaded with brown sugar and butterscotch chips. Best served with ice cream!
Chewy old fashioned butterscotch bars. Imagine these little butterscotch blondies fresh from the oven with a scoop of ice cream melting on top. Oh, and don’t forget the butterscotch ice cream topping.
In my mind, butterscotch does not get the credit it deserves. But when you’re looking for a easy cookie bars to whip up, this chewy butterscotch bars recipe is the answer. Just 10 minutes. Simple ingredients. No fuss.
About this Butterscotch Bars Recipe:
- Flavor: Brown sugar gives the bars a rich butterscotch flavor, and the butterscotch chips only enhance it. The bars are very sweet, so cut them small. Many confuse caramel and butterscotch. And while they are both sweet, butterscotch has a richer, more buttery flavor than caramel.
- Texture: They’ll be very gooey when they come out of the oven. The warm, gooey bars are excellent served warm with ice cream. But if you want clean cut bars, allow them to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Method: The cookie bars bake in a 9×13″ pan. They are thin, chewy cookie bars packed full of sweet flavor.
Ingredients
This recipe uses pantry staples. Notice that there’s no white sugar. Brown sugar is what makes them chewy!
✨ See the recipe card below for full ingredients and amounts. ✨
How to Make Butterscotch Bars in 4 Steps
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13″ baking pan with cooking spray, then line with a piece of parchment paper (such easy cleanup!). Spray the top of the paper with cooking spray as well.
- Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture. Mix well.
- Add dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Stir in the butterscotch chips.
- Bake. Spread the cookie dough in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bars are set in the middle.
our secret to chewy butterscotch cookie bars
Under bake the butterscotch bars just a little bit. The recipe calls for baking the bars at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes. I tend to bake them for no more than 30 minutes, and remove them while they are still a little underdone inside. If you want them firmer, add that extra 5 minutes to the baking time.
Butterscotch Bars with Ice Cream
Serve the butterscotch cookie bars with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzling of butterscotch sauce. This makes for an amazing treat. See for yourself!
How to Store Butterscotch Bars
Butterscotch bars are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Here are some storage tips to help keep your bars fresh:
- Allow the bars to cool completely. If you package them while they are still warm, they may stick together.
- Use a container that seals tightly. This will help keep out air and moisture. A plastic container with a tight-fitting lid is a great option.
- Store the bars in a single layer, separated by wax paper or parchment paper. This will help prevent the bars from sticking together.
- If you are not going to eat the bars within 5 days, you can freeze them. Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to eat, simply remove the bars from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Love butterscotch recipes?
Try our butterscotch potato chip cookies, butterscotch magic bars, butterscotch coffee cake and butterscotch chocolate chip cookie bars.
You’ll also love our rice krispie treats with marshmallows, peanut butter cookies with oats and sheet pan pumpkin pie.
Old Fashioned Butterscotch Bars
You just need 10 minutes to whip up these easy butterscotch bars loaded with brown sugar and butterscotch chips. Best served with ice cream!
Servings 15 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened, 4 ounces
- 2 cups light brown sugar 400 grams
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 260 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 8 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 grams
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13" baking pan with cooking spray, then line with a piece of parchment paper. Spray the top of the paper with cooking spray as well.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture. Mix well. ½ cup salted butter, 2 cups light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Fold in the butterscotch chips. 1 cup butterscotch chips
- Spread the cookie dough in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bars are set in the middle. Cut the bars with a plastic knife while they are still warm.
Video
Notes
- Optional add-ins: pecans, walnuts or other chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, chocolate chips or even a dash of cinnamon are all great ideas.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Serving: 66g | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
Let me start by saying I hate butterscotch. My family hates butterscotch. My roommate hates butterscotch. Years ago my mom handed over a huge bag of butterscotch chips she bought on sale and couldn’t figure out what to do with (no clue why she bought them in the first place because, again, she can’t stand butterscotch). I figured it would be better to at least try out a recipe than to just throw them away. That’s when I stumbled upon this absolute gem. It had the simplest ingredients and was definitely the quickest to whip up. I’m telling you I… Read more »
What if you double the amount of butterscotch chips?
I made this with my gluten free flour blend. Fabulous!
You can add slightly less than a cup just 3/4 cup or over ish of brown sugar instead of 2. Also roughly how long can keep till can’t eat (molded)?