These salted butterscotch blondies are soft, chewy, and packed with buttery brown sugar and vanilla flavors, plus plenty of sweet butterscotch morsels. You need just 1 bowl and 8 ingredients to get started!
Back by popular demand, and better than ever! I first published these salted butterscotch blondies in 2018, but after hearing from readers that the bars tasted greasy and didn’t always bake up properly, I took the recipe down to work on it. My team and I kept getting requests to bring it back, so we tested several versions until we had blondies we were excited to (re)share. You asked, and they’re back!!
Why You’ll Love These Butterscotch Blondies:
- Soft and chewy: Melted butter, brown sugar, and an extra egg yolk help create a dense, chewy texture. (Think: chewy chocolate chip cookies!)
- Big butterscotch flavor: Butterscotch chips add little pockets of sweetness.
- Sweet and salty: A sprinkle of flaky sea salt balances the sweetness and brings out the buttery butterscotch flavor.
- 8 ingredients, 1 bowl: You don’t need much to make these!
- No mixer required: You can mix the batter by hand with a whisk and spatula.
- Quick & easy: There’s no individual cookie shaping/rolling, either—just press the batter into the pan and bake.
Unlike brownies, which get their signature flavor from chocolate, blondies have a buttery, brown sugar base that tastes almost like caramel. Here, we’re taking that classic flavor a step further with butterscotch chips and flaky sea salt. The combination is sweet, salty, and completely irresistible. (And I love how easy they are!)
8 Simple Ingredients for Butterscotch Blondies
This recipe joins my list of dessert recipes with 8 ingredients or less.
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the structure of these blondies. We added a touch more, to help soak up the wet ingredients.
- Baking Powder: Just a little baking powder gives the blondies some lift without making them overly puffy or cakey.
- Salt: To enhance and balance the flavors.
- Butter: Melted butter gives the blondies their buttery flavor and chewy texture. We slightly reduced the amount from 1 cup (226g) to 14 Tablespoons (196g).
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is essential for that classic blondie flavor and delightfully chewy texture.
- Egg + Egg Yolk: Eggs provide structure, while the additional yolk adds richness and helps keep the centers soft and chewy.
- Vanilla: A generous amount. Think of blondies as the vanilla/brown sugar version of brownies.
- Butterscotch Morsels: Flavor!
And a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top is optional, but highly recommended. That sweet-and-salty combo is what we all love about salted caramel.
Quick & Easy 1-Bowl Prep
The recipe is as simple as it gets: whisk together the wet ingredients, then stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the butterscotch chips. 1 bowl is all it takes to make the batter.
(No mixer needed.)
Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan (such as this Nordic Ware pan or this Wilton pan) with parchment paper so you can easily lift the cooled blondies out and cut into squares.
- Why a metal pan? Metal pans generally conduct heat more efficiently than glass, helping these blondies bake more evenly.
Spread the thick batter into the lined pan, top with sea salt, and these butterscotch blondies are ready for the oven.
The butterscotch blondies only need about 30 minutes in the oven. Look for lightly golden edges and a center that appears set but still soft. Don’t overbake. This is especially important if you love a soft, chewy center. (Same goes with these sugar cookie bars.)
The blondies will continue to set as they cool in the pan, so it’s better to pull them from the oven when the center still looks soft.
While the blondies are still warm, press a few more butterscotch chips into the top, and sprinkle with more flaky sea salt if desired.
Why Add Flaky Sea Salt?
Butterscotch is deliciously sweet and buttery, but that sweetness can be intense on its own. A little flaky sea salt helps balance the flavor.
For the best results, use flaky sea salt rather than coarse or regular table salt. Why? Flaky salt gives you little bursts of saltiness without making the entire surface taste overly salty. If you need a recommendation, I use and love Maldon sea salt flakes.
These salted butterscotch blondies are buttery and chewy, with plenty of butterscotch flavor and just the right touch of salt. And with 8 ingredients, 1 bowl, and no mixer, they’re as easy to make as they are to enjoy. I hope you love this improved version as much as we do!
Salted Butterscotch Blondies Tools
9-inch Square Baking Pan with Lid
1-Bowl Salted Butterscotch Blondies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 blondies
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you love the flavor of butterscotch, these easy 1-bowl blondies are a must-bake!
Ingredients
- 14 Tablespoons (196g) unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour, (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) butterscotch morsels
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir with a silicone spatula until combined and no loose flour pockets remain. Fold in the butterscotch morsels. Work fairly quickly: the batter thickens as the butter cools, making it harder to spread.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 28–31 minutes, until the top and edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking.
- Set the pan on a cooling rack. If desired, lightly press a few more butterscotch morsels into the warm tops and sprinkle with a little more flaky sea salt.
- Cool the blondies in the pan for at least 45 minutes. Lift them out using the parchment overhang. Cut into squares, or let them cool completely first for neater slices.
- Cover and store leftover blondies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Baked blondies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Flaky Sea Salt
- Can I Use Brown Butter? You certainly can, however you’ll need to add 2 Tablespoons of milk or cream to make up for the moisture loss during the browning process. Follow my directions for How to Brown Butter. Be sure to let the brown butter cool slightly before mixing with the brown sugar.
- Updated in 2026: Since first publishing this recipe in 2018, my team and I have made a few tweaks to make these blondies even better. They’re less greasy now, and still have that unbeatable buttery, brown sugared butterscotch flavor. To make the original version, use 2 cups (250g) flour, 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) melted butter, 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) brown sugar, and 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) butterscotch morsels. Prepare the batter as directed and bake for 30–35 minutes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Absolutely amazing!! Sally’s recipes never disappoint and these Blondies are no exception. The sea salt is perfect with the sweetness of the butterscotch.
How much salt should we sprinkle on top I want to make sure I don’t use too much
Hi T, just a very light pinch!
if i use an 8-inch square pan, how long should i bake them
Hi Jean, you could use an 8-inch square pan in a pinch, but the blondies will be thicker and will need longer to bake. I would start checking them around 35 or 40 minutes. Tent the pan if needed with aluminum foil if they are baking unevenly. The edges should look set and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
Hi. What can I use in place of butterscotch morsels as my supermarket here in UK doesn’t have that ? And Amazon too expensive. Fudge pieces ? Thank you. Emma x
Hi Emma, add-ins like chocolate chips or chopped candy bars or fudge pieces would be a great substitute, though the flavor will be a little different. Let us know how they turn out!
Can I double the recipe for a 9×13 inch pan? Thanks.
Kathy
Hi Kathy! A double batch would make a VERY thick batch of blondies in a 9×13 inch pan and they likely would not bake through well. If you need twice the amount, we would recommend making the recipe twice!
What brand of butterscotch morsels do you recommend?
Hi Tamara, we’ll often use Nestle Toll House brand, but you can use whatever is available to you!
Can you make these with gluten free flour?
Hi Amy, we haven’t tested a gluten free version, but let us know if you do!