A column by managing editor Sara Maloney to revisit old recipes from the community’s cookbooks and give her take on them.
These delicious bars were a new spin on one of my personal family favorites.
This recipe, by Maxine Loewenstein, came from the Eudora Parent Teachers Club’s cookbook from 1971.
When I was glancing through the cookbook, I saw this one and loved the title. Upon further review, I realized these are similar to one of my mom’s classic creations. They’re pretty much the same, but she doesn’t use the butterscotch chips.
One thing my mom also noted is that she puts the condensed milk on the bottom over the graham cracker “crust.” I think placing it on top creates an even better texture, and better coverage for all the other toppings.
Mom and I both agreed the Eagle Brand on top of it all is maybe the better way to go – so we even learned something new about one of our own favorite recipes.
These bars turned out so delicious. To be fair, I love butterscotch. So when I saw those listed on the ingredients, I already knew it’d be a hit for me. If you’re not a fan, you can definitely leave those out, though, since that’s how I’ve had them all my life.
Since condensed milk is so sweet, the coconut and walnut offered a really good balance to the bar. The amount of butterscotch and chocolate chips were perfect.
I was suspicious that there was not enough butter to make the graham cracker crumbs into a crust, but it was perfect. It offered a great texture after 30 minutes in the oven, and helped keep the integrity of the somewhat heavy bar. It’s a gooey dessert, so if that’s not your thing, these may not be your jam.
I love a dessert that has a lot going on but isn’t too rich, and this is exactly that. It’s also pretty easy to eat and easy to keep for later. The butterscotch and new order of ingredients may be a permanent fixture in one of the best desserts my mom makes. I learned something new, so it’s a successful recipe in my book!
They did not disappoint and are very simple. I would 100% recommend making them for you and yours! What else is there to say?
Chippy Dippy Squares
1/4 c. shortening, melted
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. coconut, flaked
1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate morsels
1 (6 oz.) pkg. butterscotch morsels
1 c. nutmeats (I used chopped walnuts)
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
Place all ingredients in a large pan (9×13) in order as listed above. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Remove from the pan.
Do you have old or famous family recipes you think we should try? Email them to Sara at [email protected].
To donate to support our community journalism, please go to this link: tinyurl.com/y4u7stx
