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Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars are wonderfully sweet, gooey, chewy, and messy. So flavorful!

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars on a small white tray

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

Butterscotch is one of my favorite things. It took me a while to embrace it, as I’d only known it in its more unflattering presentation. Something with “butterscotch flavor” is not the same as butterscotch. Not even close.

My go-to butterscotch sauce is a combination of brown sugar, butter, and cream. How can you go wrong with that? It takes less than 10 minutes to make, and it has so many uses. (Hello there, delicious cake and amazing frosting!) And now it takes a starring turn in these Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars!

If you love sweet, gooey, chewy, messy desserts, then you’ll find these Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars irresistible! - Bake or Break

These bars are replete with brown sugar love. Besides all the brown sugar in the butterscotch, the crust and topping are packed with plenty of the stuff, along with oats and butter. For a little crunch, I added some pecans to the topping. In between all of that is a layer of rich, gooey butterscotch.

This is not a dainty dessert. In fact, you’re likely to make a bit of a delicious mess while eating them. And that is just fine. Sometimes you just need a bit of a messy, indulgent treat to satisfy your sweet craving.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

Yield 24 2-inch bars
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 42 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes

If you love sweet, gooey, chewy, messy desserts, then you’ll find these bars irresistible!

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars on a small white tray

Ingredients

For the crust and topping:

  • 2 cups (198g) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 & 1/4 cups (250g) firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup (40g) chopped toasted pecans

For the butterscotch:

  • 1 cup (200g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup (59ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the crust and topping:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9”x 13”x 2” baking pan, or line with parchment paper and grease the paper and any exposed inside part of the pan.
  2. Stir together the oats, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
  4. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the oat mixture, mixing just until combined.
  5. Set aside about 1 cup of the crust mixture to reserve for the topping.
  6. Transfer the remaining mixture to the prepared pan. Spread evenly in the bottom of the pan and about 1/4 inch up the sides.
  7. Bake for 12 minutes. Set aside.

To make the butterscotch:

  1. Place the brown sugar and butter in a medium heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture is combined. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally, and cook until thickened (about 3-4 minutes).
  2. Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully add the cream (mixture will bubble) and stir to combine. Stir in the vanilla.
  3. Spread the butterscotch evenly on top of the partially baked crust. 
  4. Drop the remaining crust mixture in small portions on top of the butterscotch. Sprinkle with the pecans.
  5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.

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More Butterscotch Desserts

This recipe was developed for Go Bold with Butter, where I am a paid contributor.

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    7 Comments on “Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars”

  1. it must be said that butterscotch morsels taste nothing like true butterscotch (but i like them anyway). these sound delicious!

  2. This sounds like absolute heaven… I LOVE brown sugar anything, and I LOVE oatmeal, so this has my name all over it!

  3. I love butterscotch too, and I love this combination of butterscotch, oats and pecans — lovely! 🙂

  4. Delicious and so easy to make.  Loved the Carmel 

  5. Do I use light brown sugar for the crust?

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