Butterscotch Brownies

My friend just asked me if I ever make the same recipe twice or if I’m always trying something new (since there are a million recipes out there). I said that when I find a result that I can’t possibly picture being any better, I stop looking. These are my brownies. I’m done, the search is over. Now I know they sell boxes of pretty tasty brownie mix, but if you’re down for like, three more steps than box brownies, I can assure you its well worth the effort.

There are a few ladies in my life who like me to have my butterscotch sauce on hand when they come over (see link to recipe in ingredient list below). They like me, they really do, but they like me more when I have this in my fridge. I find that through the summer and fall months the possibilities for use are endless, and it doesn’t take much work. It lasts for weeks so when it was time to make my neighbor Alyssa some birthday brownies, I was thrilled to remember I had a jar already of butterscotch already made. You can use store bought butterscotch here, no worries, but as my cousin Katie recently discovered, caramel is not so hard to make (and makes you feel super proud of yourself). Cut these small as they’re rich, and freeze any leftovers (I can vouch for their thaw-ability)(I can also vouch for eating them while still frozen – delicious).

Butterscotch Brownies

Makes at least 24 small brownies

1 3/4 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. light brown sugar

5 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. butterscotch sauce (store bought or follow this recipe)

For Topping: heaping 1/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt or sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

3. Place butter and chocolate chips in a glass bowl. Microwave for 3, 30 second intervals, stirring between each time, until smooth.

4. While butter/chocolate is microwaving, combine sugars. As soon as chocolate is finished, add sugars (or add chocolate to sugars, whichever is easier) and stir until smooth. Let cool several minutes if needed, so that mixture is room temperature.

5. Whisk flour, salt and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

6. Add three eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add remaining 2 eggs and whisk again, till just combined.

7. Add vanilla and stir in.

8. Sprinkle flour mixture onto chocolate mixture and fold in gently until just combined.

9. Spread half your chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and smooth into edges.

10. Pour butterscotch in a zigzag pattern over the batter, being careful to avoid edges (caramel will burn when it bakes).

11. Using a ladle, drop the rest of the batter as evenly over the caramel as possible. Smooth until flat and even with a spatula. Top with salt.

12. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating pan about halfway through baking time.

13. Let cool completely, in fridge if necessary. Lift from pan using parchment paper and cut into small squares.

Will keep at room temp., tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days. To freeze, place cut brownies on a sheet pan and place in freezer, uncovered. After several hours, remove from sheet and toss in one large bag or individual baggies.