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    Home > Recipes > Brownie + Bar Recipes

    Butterscotch Brownies aka Blondies

    Published: Aug 30, 2013 | Updated: Mar 28, 2022

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    These Butterscotch Brownies are soft, chewy and incredibly easy! They only use one bowl to mix! Brown sugar and butter make these delightfully addicting as a snack, dessert or with an afternoon coffee.

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    Butterscotch Brownies

    My middle/high school in St. Louis served lunch "family-style," which basically meant you either ate what they were serving or you ate salad bar. Let me tell you – that salad bar got old fast. Before you start to feel too badly for me, I should tell you that dessert was usually damn good (and my Mom would pack me a healthy bag lunch to eat in my free period, but that’s another story for another time)!

    My all-time favorite dessert that they served, the one dessert that still makes me giddier than chocolate flourless cake, was Butterscotch Brownies.

    You heard me right: more than chocolate. I’ll give you a moment to process that.

    Butterscotch Brownies

    I got so excited about these brownies, and thus endeared myself to the kitchen staff, that they would pack up a plate for me to bring home. No joke. I would stop by the kitchen on the way to swim practice, and they would hand me a foil-wrapped plate.

    Maybe I would share, maybe I wouldn't. I loved those Butterscotch Brownies.

    Butterscotch Brownies

    And then one tragic day my junior year, my school switched cooking companies, and not only was my favorite brownie smuggler gone but so were the butterscotch brownies! Tear.

    Since then, I have searched every cookbook I owned and lots I didn't (shhh, don't tell Barnes & Noble!) for a butterscotch brownie recipe only to come up with nada. Rien. None. Until one day, my wonderful fiancé brought home two 1950's cookbooks that he bought at an estate sale for $1 each. I could barely contain my excitement when I saw that Betty Crocker's Cookbook (1984 Edition) included a recipe for my beloved butterscotch brownies!

    Butterscotch Brownies

    These butterscotch brownies are dangerously delicious. And they are remarkably fast and easy to pull together. One bowl. One pan. One magical dessert. Chewy and sweet. Addicting. They would be an amazing base for some mix-ins, but today, I am a purist.

    Butterscotch Brownies

    I know that everyone else in the Free World calls these Blondies. If I had figured that out 15 years earlier, my search for a recipe would have been a whole lot quicker. But I didn’t, okay? My Butterscotch Brownie clouded brain was a little slow on the uptake.

    Butterscotch Brownies

    Butterscotch Brownies aka Blondies

    Chef Lindsey
    These Butterscotch Brownies are soft, chewy and incredibly easy! They only use one bowl to mix! Brown sugar and butter make these delightfully addicting as a snack, dessert or with an afternoon coffee.
    Prevent screen from sleeping
    PRINT Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 Brownies
    Calories 128 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • ¼ cup unsalted butter
    • 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8x8 baking dish.
    • Melt butter over stovetop or at 50% power in the microwave. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, egg and vanilla; mix until completely incorporated.
    • Stir in remaining ingredients. The mixture will be thick. Spread in greased baking dish. Bake 20-25 minutes in preheated oven. The bake time will depend on the dish you choose!
    • Betty Crocker suggests cutting these while still warm. I think they actually cut cleaner when completely cooled. Not that I waited until they were cooled to eat one. No patience! Makes 16 bars.

    Notes

    Note: The only thing I modified in this recipe was the butter. Betty Crocker calls for shortening, but, in my humble opinion, it’s not butterscotch without butter.
    Adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook 1984 Edition
    Keyword bake sale, blondie recipe, heirloom recipe, heritage recipe, old fashioned dessert recipe
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cheflindseyfarr

     

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    Comments

    1. Donalda Caldwell says

      September 13, 2022 at 1:20 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you! I too looked for a butterscotch brownie recipe. I think this is the one that I lost many years ago.

      Reply
      • Chef Lindsey says

        September 15, 2022 at 1:23 am

        Hi Donalda! So glad you found it here. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Stephen Bullard says

      August 18, 2022 at 7:41 pm

      5 stars
      Love these - a childhood favorite (and it's been awhile - my youngest is 31 😉 Simply perfect recipe - thank you!

      Reply
      • Chef Lindsey says

        August 18, 2022 at 9:06 pm

        Awww! So glad you could get a chance to make them! 🧡

        Reply
    3. carol says

      August 12, 2022 at 9:12 pm

      5 stars
      i am so relieved to find this recipe which is the recipe for my Aunt Eadie's Brown Sugar Squares. She died in 2005 and I just recently lost her recipe, my all time go to recipe,

      Thank goodness. Thank goodness. All is not lost.

      Reply
      • Chef Lindsey says

        August 13, 2022 at 4:43 pm

        For sure all is not lost! So happy that this recipe could help. I'm so sorry for your loss, and Happy Baking! 🧡

        Reply
    4. Rebecca Clark says

      August 03, 2021 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      This is the recipe I made growing up! So simple and so delish! This is a classic for a reason!

      Reply
      • Lindsey Farr says

        August 03, 2021 at 9:07 pm

        Awww! That's so sweet. Agreed, so classic! ????

        Reply
    5. Phyllis says

      May 09, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      5 stars
      The only difference in the Joy of Cooking is that their recipe uses just 1/2 cup of flour, making the brownies thinner and even gooier. I think next time I make them I'll split the difference and use 5/8 cup of flour.

      Reply
    6. Phyllis says

      May 04, 2021 at 4:57 pm

      These are almost the same recipe as my Joy of Cooking which I bought in 1967. Love them! I made them along with other bars for a get-together over the weekend, and the men really went for the butterscotch.

      Reply
    7. Emily says

      December 13, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      Oh I’ve been searching for these for years! I always thought they were called Butterscotch Brownies. So gooey and delicious! I used to make them all the time as a little girl from my moms Betty Crocker cookbook. We lost mom earlier this year, and I never found her cookbook. Thank you for sharing this beloved recipe. I can’t wait to make them for my family.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 15, 2020 at 9:40 am

        Hi Emily! I'm sorry to hear about your loss, but I am happy you found this recipe! They are super easy to pull together and, to me, they taste like childhood 🙂

        Reply
    8. Barbara says

      September 06, 2020 at 5:31 pm

      I used to make these all the time. The recipe was in my first cookbook, 1978 Betty Crocker, kind of a spiral hardcover book. I still have that book, although it is much the worse for wear. These brownies were always wildly popular when I served them to friends, although I usually just made them for myself when I needed a treat. Back in the day, I used margarine and they usually were a little thicker. Now with butter they turn out really thin. Maybe I could swap in one tablespoon of shortening for butter, but thin or not they are always tasty.

      Reply
    9. Jackie says

      August 27, 2020 at 10:54 am

      Wow, I had no idea that butterscotch brownies and blondies were the same thing! We always called them butterscotch brownies when I was a kid and that is what I still call them. LOL, I had heard of blondies but didn't know what they were. However, I can't fathom making them without nuts. To me, they're just not butterscotch brownies without the walnuts (or pecans, hazelnuts, etc.). I've got to say though, when you said your husband brought home a "vintage" cookbook from 1984 it was a little depressing to read - I use a recipe from my 1974 edition of Joy of Cooking.

      Reply
    10. Glen says

      April 16, 2020 at 8:48 pm

      Hi! I love your story. You’re a very good storyteller. The details make your mission to find the long lost butterscotch brownies so interesting. Well, I just wanted you to know that there are people like myself who actually prefer blondies or butterscotch brownies over chocolate brownies. I am one of those people who is a big fan of blondies. The combination of brown sugar and butter with vanilla extract is delicious. I totally get your fascination with blondies. As a cookie dough fiend, I do prefer to make my blondies without any baking soda or baking powder. After they have cooled but are still slightly warm, I like to place them in air tight container, and save them for the next day. For some reason they are so much better the following day. The flavors get bolder overnight or something happens. I’ve tried them with ground walnuts, mini m&ms, and Hershey sea salted caramel morsels. I will definitely try your recipe soon. It’s interesting because some recipes don’t even call for brown sugar. To me, the chocolate replacement is the brown sugar, which is the recipe’s bold superstar ingredient.
      Well, thank you for sharing your recipe for “butterscotch brownies.”

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        April 17, 2020 at 9:02 am

        I couldn't agree more on two points: They aren't blondies with out brown sugar and they are much better the second day! I hope you do try this recipe!

        Reply
    11. Vicky says

      April 15, 2020 at 6:36 pm

      I make these all the time now and they are very good and easy to make!

      Reply
    12. MemoriVitae says

      March 25, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      I, too, have long searched for my beloved BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES - read NOT BLONDIES! - from my childhood. I can't wait to make these and melt in their gooey, delicious glory! You. Are. A hero.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        March 27, 2020 at 5:09 pm

        LOL. Me? A hero? {she blushes}
        Enjoy! Happy baking

        Reply
    13. Kerrie says

      March 16, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      You must have gone to Burroughs! I did too and 25+ years later these are still one of my all time favorite desserts!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        March 25, 2020 at 9:37 am

        Haha! I did go to Burroughs, Kerrie! When did you graduate? Had to have been before 2009 because my brother graduated then and he never got to experience them 🙁

        Reply
        • Kerrie says

          March 25, 2020 at 10:12 am

          93, I’m so old!

          Reply
          • Lindsey says

            March 27, 2020 at 5:09 pm

            Haha! Not that old! I only graduated 10 years after you 🙂

            Reply
    14. Debbie says

      February 06, 2020 at 8:05 pm

      These are the same as from the 1996 edition. "Betty Crocker's New Cookbook." I looked up the recipe because I was too lazy to pull out my book, and then had to check my book after reading the comments! These are the best - chewy and gooey and oh so easy to throw together. I've mostly made them with butter, or non-dairy margarine nowadays (and egg substitutions and whole wheat flour), but I've been making them for decades now. The sugar content is !!! but when the craving hits, there's nothing else. And I didn't know blondies were the same thing - I picture a blondie as like a vanilla bar cookie rather than butterscotch, but I'm clueless apparently!

      Reply
    15. karen says

      November 30, 2019 at 4:56 pm

      When I saw the pictures of your butterscotch brownies I had to check your recipe. I make this frequently and am getting ready to make them for a potluck tomorrow. Yes, butter only and no nuts. Yes, they cut better cold and Yes, I could eat a whole pan myself, which is why I make them when I am going some place to share.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        February 10, 2020 at 5:51 pm

        Haha! They are addicting!

        Reply
    16. Tamy says

      August 09, 2019 at 2:05 pm

      My mom made the butterscotch brownies from a Betty Crocker cookbook all the time. It was a much earlker edition, but same basic recipe. Her's had choices though, butter, shortning or oil. I totally agree with you though, butter all the way! Anyway, I related to your love of these so much! I loooove chocolate, but I would go right past it for these EVERY time. ☺ Such a strong childhood connection to them! But more than that... They are completely amazing. Thanks for sharing. I know what I'm doing this adternoon! Lol!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        September 02, 2019 at 9:40 am

        I hope you made them, Tamy! I can't believe her cookbook had three choices - I can't imagine a cookbook today having that!

        Reply
    17. Patricia Hellman says

      May 05, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      My husband is dieting so I'm counting calories. How many are in one of these?

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        June 14, 2019 at 12:37 pm

        I find it best in my profession not to look at those things lol! There are plenty of websites where you can plug in the ingredients and find out!

        Reply
    18. Diane Godfroy says

      February 16, 2019 at 9:30 pm

      I thought you forgot to include Butterscotch Morsels until I did more research. Crazy how they taste of Butterscotch but with no morsels. Awesome, thank you!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        March 30, 2019 at 10:13 am

        You can put butterscotch morsels in the batter too if you want! I don't like butterscotch morsels so I didn't include them!

        Reply
    19. Monica F says

      November 09, 2018 at 12:23 pm

      Followed recipe exactly but in my 8x8 glass dish the edges were too dry and the middle was still mushy. Is there a different oven temp for glass?

      Reply
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