Monday Munchies: Oatmeal Scotchie Blondies

So it’s Monday, and you’re planning on unwinding after work. You might just need something sweet and sassy to get you through the evening, and do I have the treat for you. 

Easier than a cookie, less rich (slightly) than a traditional brownie, and just enough retro to be quaint, Oatmeal Scotchie Blondies are the go-to snack when you want something comforting, satisfying, and not quite as bad for you as a traditional goodie. The oatmeal makes them filling, the butterscotch chips make it smell like a GenX, working-mom, childhood holiday.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ C. all purpose whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 ½ C. rolled oats
• 1 C. tightly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 2 Tbs. peanut butter
• 10 Tbs. butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 12 oz. butterscotch baking chips
• Handful each of white baking chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus optional toasted coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9×11 inch pan with foil and a sheet of parchment paper for easy brownie removal later.
2. Mix flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl, set aside.
3. Cream butter, brown sugar, peanut butter, eggs, honey and vanilla until well mixed. Slowly fold in dry ingredients, stirring gently until dry ingredients are just moistened. Fold in bag of butterscotch chips. Spread evenly in baking pan, using a spatula sprayed with cooking spray to smooth the top.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Sprinkle white baking chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips on top, and loosely cover the pan with foil.

*Hint: You’ll be better off if you take the time to melt the chips in a zipper-top bag with the corner nipped off, then pipe the melted chips on top. I tried to be lazy and the melting was inconsistent. The blondies are still really delicious, I just lost some valuable chocolate flavor.

Here’s a picture of the finished product, before I ate a really big slice.