Equipment Needed
- 8×8 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil (for easy removal)
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I preheat my oven and prepare my pan. I line my 8×8 pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. This is my best kitchen hack for perfectly clean bar removal. I learned the hard way that greasing the pan isn’t enough; these sticky bars need a sling. I set the pan aside and get to the easy part: the batter. In my mixing bowl, I combine the melted butter and packed brown sugar. I whisk them together for a good minute. It won’t get fluffy like creamed butter and sugar, but it will become smooth, glossy, and smell absolutely divine.
Next, I whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth and emulsified. There should be no streaks of egg. In a separate small bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. I add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Here, I switch from a whisk to a spatula. I fold gently, mixing just until the flour disappears and a thick, glossy batter forms. It’s crucial not to overmix here to keep the texture tender.
Now, for the star of the show: the butterscotch chips. I fold in the entire cup with my spatula, distributing them evenly throughout the thick batter. The batter will be very stiff, almost like a very soft cookie dough. I scrape the batter into my prepared pan. Using my spatula or lightly greased fingers, I press it into an even layer, making sure to get into all the corners. The top will be uneven, and that’s perfectly fine—it will settle as it bakes.(See the next page below to continue…)