Butterscotch Brickle Bars

Happy Day #3 of the year 2011! Along with today’s Morton Salt Giveaway, I have a cookie. It doesn’t actually go with the giveaway, but I couldn’t resist not posting this recipe today because it’s just so good.

This bar cookie is from one of my new “old” cookbooks, Superlatives, by the Oklahoma City Junior League. You make a simple shortbread-like crust, bake it, then pour on a melted butterscotch chip mixture which transforms from sticky goo to a caramel-like matrix holding together nuts. For this batch I used toasted walnuts. They tasted great, but I should have chopped them smaller. Next time I have butterscotch chips on hand I’m going to make these with cashews or pecans.

Here’s a recipe for the full batch. I made a half batch and added a few notes about that at the bottom.

Butterscotch Brickle Bars

1 1/2 c. sifted flour – or use 1 1/3 cup unsifted (6 oz)
3/4 c. light brown sugar
4 oz (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt (divided use)
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
2 cups chopped nuts, toasted (I used coarsely chopped walnuts)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Mix the flour, brown sugar, softened butter and 1/4 tsp. salt and blend until crumbly. Press into the prepared pan and bake on middle rack for 10 minutes.

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the remaining salt, butterscotch chips , corn syrup and water to the hot butter and stir well. Microwave at 50% powder for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat if necessary until chips are melted. Note: You may also do that step in a double boiler. The microwave worked perfectly, just don’t use a high setting. Stir in the nuts (batter will be kind of thick and goopy) and spoon over baked layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 8 minutes longer. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then remove from pan and score while still warm.

Makes 24

Notes: I made a half batch and used an 8 inch square metal pan. The base was done in about 9 minutes. For the topping, I used the microwave steps as written above, but the old fashioned method was done in a double-boiler. A low heat is key for melting the butterscotch chips.

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