Bourbon Butterscotch Blondies

Dare I say it? I can live without chocolate. Now, I am not saying that I don’t enjoy a Godiva truffle or a fudgy brownie from time to time, but I do not crave the sweetened product made from the seed of the tropical Theobroma Cacao tree the way some people do. Yet, like the other members of our family, I do have an insatiable sweet tooth. Enter the interminably adaptable blondie.

Of course, this recipe is nothing new. This easy, one-mixing-bowl recipe was one of the first I attempted as a teenager. Denser than chocolate chip cookies and more complex than brownies, these caramel-flavored bars can be customized to suit any taste. Like Congo bars (which typically contain coconut), blondies can be made with a variety of fillings like nuts, dried fruit, toffee, or any other chunky candy for added texture. Seasonal combinations could include cranberry- almond, mint-chocolate chip or cinnamon-raisin. While blondies aren't usually frosted since the brown sugar flavor tends to be sweet enough, we will let your sweet tooth decide if should add a layer of chocolate ganache or buttercream icing.

• 1 stick margarine, melted
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon bourbon 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 7" x 11" baking dish. Mix the melted margarine with brown sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then bourbon. Add in the dry ingredients; baking powder, salt and flour. Once the batter is well combined, stir in nuts and butterscotch chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set in the middle. A toothpick It is better to err on the side of caution with the baking time. In my experience, folks rarely complain about a gooey cookie.

Allow the pan to cool on a rack before cutting them. I cut them into 2" bars so it seems that there are more of the scrumptious little treats.