Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars
from the Ellen's kitchen, thanks to America's Test Kitchen

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

• Ingredients:
• Bars:
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 16 tbs unsalted butter, softened, each stick cut into 8 pieces
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• Glaze:
• 2 tbs dark brown sugar
• 1 tbs water
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
• Adjust:
• oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 13 x 9 " pan with aluminum foil, leaving overhang on all sides.
• Mix:
• flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl until combined.  Heat butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until nutty brown in color, about 12 minutes.  Pour hot butter over butterscotch chips in large bowl and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in brown sugar until dissolved, then whisk in vanilla and egg until combined.  Stir in flour mixture in two additions until combined.
• Spread:
• mixture into prepared pan and bake until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 17-19 minutes.  Transfer pan to wire rack.
• Glaze:
• bring brown sugar, water, and salt to simmer in small saucepan.  Pour hot sugar mixture over butterscotch chips in small bowl, whisking until smooth.  If too thick, add tsp of water at time until able to drizzle glaze over warm bars and cool on rack until warm to touch, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Using foil overhang:
• lift bars from pan and cool completely on rack, about 30 minutes.  Cut into bars and serve.