Name: Butterscotch Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 cup butterscotch chips; 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

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It’s true, blondes have more fun! These butterscotch brownies with chocolate chips are a family favourite for a reason. They’re an easy blondie recipe with butterscotch flavor baked right in!

Pleae note this post was originally published in 2019. The text has since been updated but the recipe remains the same.

Butterscotch brownies! I feel a sense of victory in posting this recipe, because it’s one that’s been on my mind since starting the blog! This recipe is actually an old family recipe. My Mom used to make these all of the time when we grew up, and I just haven’t gotten around to sharing them with you all! These blondies also make me think of my friend Stacy (hi Stacy)! She kind of grew up with these too, since I grew up with her and she became well acquainted with these bars. I think they’re still one of her favourites!

So, why am I not calling these blondies?

I’m not entirely sure. I mean, technically they ARE a blondie, since they’re a brownie that isn’t brown…but we always called these butterscotch brownies and I don’t dare change the name now!

What Is the Difference Between a Brownie and a Blondie?

These two delicious bars are basically the same, except that a blondie doesn’t contain that deep, dark cocoa powder that makes a BROWNie. Plus, a blondie typically contains brown sugar to give it a caramel-like flavor, which a traditional brownie is dark and usually made with white sugar.

So, blondie recipes often have pieces of butterscotch chips, but what makes this recipe unique is that the butterscotch chips are melted right INTO the bar! It adds so much butterscotch flavor, plus the melted chocolate gives these bars a ridiculously delicious, chewy texture. All the heart eyes!

You’ll have to try them yourself to determine if you’re team brownie or team blondie!

What Are Butterscotch Chips Made Of?

Strictly speaking of the store-bought ones (you can totally make your own), butterscotch chocolate chips are mostly a mix of butter, brown sugar and vanilla. The flavour of butterscotch is different than the flavour of caramel, due to the brown sugar in butterscotch, versus the white sugar used in caramel. I have always loved butterscotch! It is still my favourite sundae flavour!

The butterscotch chips give these bars their delightfully chewy texture and rich taste. No substitutes here! I use Hershey’s brand but you can use whichever butterscotch morsels you have on hand.

Ingredients for Butterscotch Brownies

The butterscotch chips might require a special trip to the grocery store, but all of the other ingredients required for these brownies are probably already in your house!

You’ll need:

all-purpose flour
baking powder
salt
unsalted butter, room temperature
brown sugar
large eggs
pure vanilla extract
butterscotch chips
semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

How Do You Make Butterscotch Brownies?

The other great thing about these bars? The little to no effort and time they take! Along with these instructions, there’s a video at the top of this post to show you just how easy to make they really are.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to easily lift the bars out of the dish.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric handheld mixer, mix together the butter and brown sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds in between. Add the vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add in the dry ingredients and slowly mix until just combined.

3. Next, in a small heat-proof bowl, melt the butterscotch chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Once they’re melted, add the melted chips to the other ingredients, mixing until smooth. With a large wooden spoon, stir in half of the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Empty the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing evenly. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake the bars for 22-25 minutes or until slightly browned on the outside. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan and cutting into 16 bars.

Other Brownies and Bars on the Blog

I’ve got a ton of other bars and brownies on the site. Take a peek!