Chewy Butterscotch Brownies Recipe

I’m a little obsessed with these butterscotch brownies.

They’re soft, chewy, buttery, and, best of all – sweet and salty.

The brown butter frosting on top is totally optional. But it really sends them over the edge!

The Best Butterscotch Brownies You’ll Ever Try

These butterscotch dessert bars are the bomb! They’re crisp on the outside and perfectly soft, moist, and ooey-gooey in the middle.

With their flawless balance of sweet, buttery, and salty, they’re also insanely addictive.

Seriously, if you’re on a diet, you better skip ahead. There’s no way you’ll be able to resist these bad boys.

As an added bonus, this recipe is a breeze to make. No special ingredients or equipment needed.

Baking takes just 40 minutes, and you don’t even need to wait that long for them to cool.

What Is the Difference Between Blondies and Brownies?

The difference between blondies and brownies lies in the ingredients.

• Brownies typically feature a mix of melted chocolate, butter, white sugar, eggs, and flour.
• In contrast, blondies don’t use chocolate, and sub in brown sugar for white.

Blondies are lighter in texture, and, thanks to the brown sugar, they’re buttery and oh-so-chewy.

Since brownies have chocolate in the mix, they’re much darker. And since they use white sugar, they’re fudgier with a nice, thin crust on the top.

I think blondies are closer to cookies, whereas brownies are closer to cakes in terms of texture. But that’s subjective.

That said, by definition, these butterscotch brownies are technically also blondies. 

And whatever you call them, one thing’s for sure: they’re absolutely to die for.

Ingredients

These butterscotch brownies are easy to make, thanks to the short ingredient list.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Flour. I use all-purpose flour because it’s readily available and cheap. And it works best in this brownie recipe. 

• Baking powder. It’s the leavening agent that makes the batter rise. You don’t need a lot because you want the brownies fudgy.

• Salt. There’s a lot of sweetness in these brownies. Adding salt delivers the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. If using salted butter, skip this ingredient. 

• Butter.  Everything is better with butter! It makes this dessert ridiculously rich and ooey-gooey! Be sure to use good-quality butter, not margarine.

• Brown sugar. Brown sugar is what makes these brownies gooey and buttery. Use light or dark brown sugar, depending on how light or dark you want the color to be.

• Vanilla. It’s a standard flavor enhancer of all baked goods. Be sure to use extract or paste – not essence!

• Eggs. Adding eggs binds all those ingredients together and gives them a slight rise in the oven. 

• Butterscotch chips. Butter and brown sugar already give these bars iconic butterscotch flavor, I like to also add butterscotch chips to kind of seal the deal.

• Chopped nuts. Though they’re optional, they add a nutty, crunchy contrast to the chewy texture. I prefer walnuts, but you do you.

And if you want to add the frosting, head over to this post for Banana Bread Brownies. One batch should be enough!

How to Make Butterscotch Brownies 

You’ll find detailed instructions below, but here are the highlights:

1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Mix the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. You do this to ensure everything is well distributed before making the batter.

3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla together with an electric mixer. Beat until it’s light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs. Pour in eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition. Also, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl, so you don’t miss any lumps.

5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Gradually pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix gently with a spoon or spatula. Don’t overmix! There will still be some streak of flour in the mixture. 

6. Add the mix-ins. Add the butterscotch chips and your choice of nuts. Then, gently stir them into the batter until you no longer see streaks of flour.

7. Bake. Spoon and spread the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle more butterscotch chips on top. Bake until the edges start to pull away from the sides, about 30 to 40 minutes.

8. Cool. Let the butterscotch brownies cool in the pan, slice, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips for the Best Butterscotch Brownies

Want your brownies to come out perfect every time? Check out some of these handy tips and tricks below. You’ll thank me later.

• Use room-temperature ingredients. Allow the eggs and butter to reach room temperature before adding. If you don’t, it will be harder to mix, and your brownies will dry out in the oven.

• Use parchment paper. Lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper makes your life so much easier. It makes for easy cleanup, and the brownies just glide out of the pan.

• Use the right size pan. This recipe calls for a 9×13-inch pan or two 8×8-inch pans. This is so important! If it’s too big (or small) they won’t cook properly in the oven.

• Don’t overbake. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges start to pull away from the sides. The batter will look undone in the middle, but it’ll continue to cook as it cools.

Butterscotch Brownies Variations

Want to jazz up your butterscotch brownies even more? There are lots of ways you can go about it, such as:

• More butterscotch chips. The adage “less is more” doesn’t apply here! You can go crazy with butterscotch chips, there are no rules.

• Make it chocolatey. Still want a kick of chocolate in your brownies? You can use dark, semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate chips alongside butterscotch. You can even try peanut butter chips!

• Get nutty. I love a bit of crunch in my brownies. Add whatever nut strikes your fancy, from walnuts to pecans. 

• Add more flavor. Try adding 1 tablespoon of orange zest for a touch of citrus, or a pinch of cinnamon for warmth. If you’re a fan of mocha, a splash of espresso pairs perfectly with butterscotch!

• Try salted butter. If you’re a sucker for sweets with a bit of saltiness, use salted butter. Just make sure that you omit the extra salt when using salted butter!

• Give them a tropical twist. Shredded coconut not only adds tropical flavor but also adds texture. 

• Garnish with sea salt. Need a double punch of saltiness? sprinkle course sea salt on top to help balance out the sweetness of the bars.

Brown Sugar Is a Must for Butterscotch Brownies

This easy recipe is forgiving. You can swap out certain ingredients and still have the same delectable results. With one exception.

The one thing you definitely shouldn’t replace is brown sugar. It’s the key ingredient that makes these brownies chewy and caramelly.

You can pick between light or dark brown sugar, but again, definitely don’t use any other type of sugar for this recipe.

In case you really can’t get ahold of brown sugar, and you’re dying to try these butterscotch brownies, try these DIY options.

• Light Brown Sugar. Whisk together 1 cup white sugar with 1 teaspoon molasses.

• Dark Brown Sugar. Whisk together 1 cup white sugar with 2 teaspoons molasses.

How to Store Butterscotch Brownies

Butterscotch brownies have a pretty impressive shelf life, so feel free to double the recipe!

Trust me, you’ll want an abundant supply of these goodies for your sweet tooth.

To store. Store cooled butterscotch brownies in an airtight container. They’ll keep well for up to 5 days at room temperature and 7-10 days in the fridge

To freeze. Wrap each square tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months.

To thaw. Take frozen brownies out of the freezer, and let them thaw at room temperature before serving.

More Brownie Recipes You’ll Love

Godiva Chocolate Brownies
Best Ever Chewy Fudge Brownies
Cosmic Brownies
Buckeye Brownies
Slutty Brownies