Today’s recipe is a blast from the past. It’s for Praline Bars, which are basically blondies but maybe a little chewier and sweeter. They’re far from being cakey and they actually look a bit like praline candy before being baked.
The recipe is originally from Betty Crocker’s Dinner for Two, one of the few cookbooks we owned when I was a small child. I used to look at the photos, and when I learned to read this was the first recipe I made.
As a kid I used vegetable oil and had good results, so I made a batch this week with vegetable oil for old times sake. The nice thing about the oil version is the bars are extremely chewy. They taste good with the vegetable oil, but I knew they’d taste better with butter so I made a second batch with melted Plugra, a European style butter. The butter version was even better and I especially liked these topped with a little flaky sea salt.
Betty Crocker Praline Bars
- Butter for greasing pan
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably Plugra (or 1/4 cup vegetable oil)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200 grams)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup flour (97 grams)
- 2/3 cup coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub an 8 inch glass baking pan (or metal) with butter.
- Melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of brown sugar until well blended. Sugar should be shiny from the heat of the butter. If you are using vegetable oil, gently warm the oil and then add the sugar.
- Stir in the room temperature egg and vanilla, then stir in the baking powder and the salt. Add the flour and stir until blended, then stir in the nuts.
- Scrape into pan. If desired, sprinkle sea salt flakes over the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until bars appear set.
- Let cool completely and cut into squares or if you prefer, cut while warm.
Sue says
October 30, 2018 at 7:30 pmThese look and sound so good! I know I would love them!
Sonya says
October 29, 2018 at 10:29 amMmmmmm! The sea salt sounds delicious too!
Anna says
October 4, 2010 at 12:30 pmMary and Pat,
That is a completely different recipe. Here is the link. I will also email it to both of you.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/praline-crumb-caramel-cheesecake-bars/d8032a80-a569-423c-b196-b10505b6d63e
Looks like a good one!
Pat wallace says
October 4, 2010 at 12:05 pmI also was trying to find the recipe for Praline Crumb Carmel Cheesecake Bars made with a pouch of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix and could not find it on this site. Please sent it to my email address.
Mary Ritchey says
October 3, 2010 at 11:26 amI was trying to get the recipe for Praline Crum Carmel Cheesecake Bars made with a pouch of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix and was unable to get it at this site on my computer. Please send it to the above e-mail address. I have not had this problem getting recipes before.
Anna says
January 24, 2006 at 1:58 pmGo for it, Lisa!I’ll do anything for attention. Ha ha.I always want to say I love your site and will add a link on my page this afternoon after I take my kid to the park. I am starting to like nuts more and more and can’t wait to sit down and spend some time on your nutty blog.
Alicat says
January 23, 2006 at 10:39 amfuzz is so cute. lol.
Culinarily Obsessed says
January 22, 2006 at 1:21 amyummy they sound delish!! And such a cute story about your little one =)Hey, Ali said for the next goodthings you’re planning to write about Valentine’s Day. I was too, so what were you planning to write about?? I would have emailed you but Ali hasn’t given me your email yet & I didn’t see it on your page..sorry for leaving such a long comment. u can email me at [email protected] or just comment on my blog. Thank u Anna =)Jaay