The Famous Summer Camp Chewy Butterscotch Brownies Recipe

This amazing and simple one bowl butterscotch brownie recipe is not only a favorite of my family’s, but it was a favorite of hundreds of campers at the Woodsman Summer Camp where I cooked. Made with simple ingredients, this soft and chewy blondie butterscotch brownie recipe is studded with chocolate chips, making it a crowd pleaser that makes everyone want to get in line and sneak “just one more”!

Why you’ll love chewy butterscotch brownies

If you’re a fan of the traditional texture of soft and chewy chocolate brownies, I’m confident you’ll enjoy these butterscotch brownies made with light brown sugar and chocolate chips. With simple pantry ingredients, they can be mixed up in just one bowl and be ready for the oven in minutes.

Butterscotch brownies are also referred to as “blondies”, and are a wonderful recipe for school lunches, desserts, potlucks and parties. They freeze beautifully so you can bake them ahead and have them on hand when you need them.

Ingredients you’ll need for soft & chewy butterscotch brownies

Gather the ingredients you’ll need for butterscotch brownies:

• 3/4 cups butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups packed and leveled light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, room temperature is best
• 2 1/4 cups white all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips – use your favorite kind!

How to Make Butterscotch Brownies

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the softened butter and brown sugar until well combined. Although this could definitely be made in an electric mixer, these butterscotch brownies mix up easily with a large wooden spoon in a large mixing bowl if you prefer.

Softened butter makes this process much easier. If you don’t have any handy that has been softened at room temperature, you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. 25 seconds in my microwave was perfect for this measurement of 3/4 cup. You’ll want it soft but not melted.

Step 2:Add the eggs and vanilla to the butterscotch and butter mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.

Step 3: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the batter. Using a fork, gently stir to combine the dry ingredients before stirring them into the batter completely. Once the batter is mixed together well, stir in the chocolate chips. You can use any type of chocolate chips. This time I used milk chococlate chips, but semi-sweet or dark chocolate taste just as yummy, too.

Step 4: Transfer batter into a greased or parchment lined 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Use a knife to smooth the batter level and bake at a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Recipe Tips for the Best Butterscotch Brownies

• The secret for chewy brownies is to not overbake them. These butterscotch brownies should be lightly golden brown around the edges and the middle shouldn’t jiggle when you lightly shake the pan.
• Let the brownies cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before lifting the sling of parchment paper up to remove them from the pan. Let them cool completely before slicing them with a sharp knife.

Cut the brownies with a large sharp knife, serve, and enjoy!

How to store butterscotch brownies

You can store these brownies on a countertop in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you need them to last longer than that, I recommend you pop them into an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them. They’ll last for up to 3 months in the freezer. (But, leaving them uneaten that long seems like a shame!;))

The origin of this spectacular butterscotch brownie recipe

This particular butterscotch brownie recipe was found in a humble plastic recipe box at a Summer Camp that I worked at for many years. It was a traditional dessert recipe that was made for hungry campers each summer for many years at a beautiful Woodsman Camp in the woods.

Since my own kids loved these soft and chewy brownies so much, I quickly jotted down the recipe on a sheet of paper one day and brought it home. Sadly, I don’t know who originally put that recipe in the famous Woodsman Camp recipe box.

It didn’t have any instructions to go along with the ingredients, but it never seemed to matter. Once it was all mixed together in a bowl, poured into the pan and baked, it always came out amazing and was gobbled up in minutes by hungry campers!

I told the story of some more memories of that camp out in the woods on the podcast episode called Fireside Songs and Butterscotch Brownies. I described the cook tent out in the woods in great detail in that podcast. Here are some pictures of it.

Other Yummy Brownie Recipes

• I love these texas brownies because you can frost them immediately after removing them from the oven!
• This black bean brownies recipe is a super yummy dessert if you’re looking for a gluten free option.
• Peanut Butter Fudge Bars (They’re sort of like brownies – and another favorite the crowds go wild for!)