Butterscotch Brownies

Growing up, we must have had butterscotch brownies at every picnic, on every road trip, always housed in the same red tupperware. A few weeks ago I randomly remembered these golden bars. Their distinct flavor practically percolated my taste buds. I thought surely the recipe would be in the Barton Family Cookbook, but no such luck.

Next I googled "butterscotch brownies" and found this recipe posted in several places, the source being the 1975 edition of Joy of Cooking. That certainly matched the era, and the cover looked like something that was on Mom's cookbook shelf.

It struck me last night, in all my cookie making, I don't think I had ever personally made butterscotch brownies before (I guess I was always too busy trying to perfect the chocolate pretzels from the Hershey book). The recipe I found didn't include chocolate chips, but since ours always did, I made sure to add them.


• 1/2 stick unsalted butter

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 finely chopped nuts

Set oven rack to upper middle level. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9- by 9-inch baking pan. Melt together in a small saucepan the butter and brown sugar. Set aside to cool slightly and while it cools, sift together into a separate bowl the flour, baking powder and salt.

Beat egg and vanilla into butter mixture. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake on upper middle rack at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, cut, and serve. Makes 1 dozen bars.