Vintage Recipe: Butterscotch Brownies

I was in the mood to do some baking this week (surprise, surprise).

Cookies were my first option (again, no surprise to those who follow this blog as I’ve shared several in the past).

Then I thought of the time that cookies took – mixing the ingredients, preparing cookie sheets (usually 4), waiting for each one to bake, clean up.

Plus, it is summer. A hot kitchen didn’t appeal.

Then I thought of the ease of a pan of brownies — everyone in my home likes them. They bake fast with rarely any mishaps. My vintage brownie recipes were numerous.

Brownies seemed a much better option.

Usually I’ve resorted to box mixes for brownies due to time constraints. AND the sad fact that the homemade recipes I’ve tried in the past were not as moist or tasty.

So, for that reason, plus my resolve to not use mixes (we’re dealing with health issues), I decided to try this Butterscotch Brownie recipe from 1964.

I found it in the Nashville Seasons Jr. League Cookbook.

Success!

The base mix was sweet and cake-like (I know most people like gooey brownies, but we prefer the thicker kind).

And the icing – normally a step I eliminate due to our family’s preferences not to have something too sweet – added a crispy crunch that was extraordinary!

The fact that this recipe was all mixed in one pan and in and out of the oven in less than 1 hour, meaning no fuss, no waiting around every 10 minutes to take out another cookie sheet, just luscious goodness to indulge in after a day at the pool, hiking, or as a part of a picnic, made it a winner!

Let me add another comment about this cookbook — I have marked DOZENS of recipes from it to try, possibly more than from any of my dozens (hundreds?) of other cookbooks. It is worth looking for if you don’t already own it.

Do you have a favorite homemade brownie recipe or vintage cookbook (pre-1984)?

Let me know in the comments and let me know if you try this recipe. I hope you like it!

Enjoy!

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Butterscotch Brownies

1 c. butter

1 1-pound box light brown sugar (reserve 1 c. for icing)

4 eggs

2 c. flour

½ t. baking powder

1 t. vanilla

2 c. chopped nuts

Icing:

1 c. light brown sugar from reserve

2 t. milk

2 t. butter

1 t. flour

¼ t. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

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Melt butter in large bowl (I used the microwave).

Add sugar and eggs, one at a time.

Mix well.

Add sifted flour to which baking powder has been added.

Add vanilla & nuts.

Pour into well-greased 9×13-inch pan.

Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

While cake is still hot, combine all ingredients required for icing in pan.

Bring to boil in small pan on stove and boil for 1 minute.

Pour icing over brownies.

Cool.

Yield: 24 servings

My Notes:

1. I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour for the two cups of all-purpose.
2. I didn’t use nuts.
3. While I’ve not tried it, I think this gooey icing would be good over ice cream or other baked items.

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Vintage Find of the Week

Some people might think this aged cutting board is not worth much – but when I found this at an online auction — among a bunch of items I would later give away (junk) – I saw it as the perfect prop for my photos.

Possibly only a wanna-be-food-stylist like me would view it as a treasure. I think it worked well with my Butterscotch Brownies after a clean-up.

What do you think of the cutting board? Do you use props for your food photos?

Have a good day!