This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
If you love those Butterscotch Squares from your favorite candy shop…this recipe is for you! It’s a copycat recipe – a soft brown sugar candy covered in chocolate. The perfect candy recipe!
I’ve mentioned before about my See’s Candy addiction. Growing up, a pound lasted less than a day. The chocolate factory is in my hometown, so that whenever I smell the inside of See’s store, I think I’m home.
If I had to pick one kind of See’s Candy to eat for the rest of my life it would be the Butterscotch Square (or the maple truffles). There would be no deliberation, hesitation, or hemming and hawing.Butterscotch Squares: they’re my favorite!
The boxes of See’s we’d get when I was a kid came with one butterscotch square. And it was mine – always. Everyone knew to back away from the square. My mom got the divinity, my dad the bordeaux. Me? I got the butterscotch square.
Of course, in true Dorothy fashion (and since I didn’t know the name for the longest time), called them brown sugar squares. I’d polish it off and then tell everyone I knew how much I hated butterscotch. Yes, I’ve learned the error of my ways. Butterscotch and me, we’re BFFs. And now I’ve made a copy cat of my favorite candy. So you can make it at home.
Ingredients Needed
The base of the recipe is a cooked mixture of unsalted butter, brown sugar and heavy whipping cream. When that trifecta boils together, you get a rich butterscotch candy.
Have you ever heard of penuche? This recipe is very similar to penuche candy/fudge. The difference is the amount of powdered sugar used at the end.
How to make Butterscotch Squares
I did a lot of searching online for a copycat recipe and kept coming up with the same base recipe (some with just a few changes or additions) over and over. I finally traced it back to the oldest one I could find, but I’m not sure where that one came from.
I do recommend using a candy thermometer for this recipe. The recipe I used as a guideline just gave times, and the first time I made this it really did not turn out. The candy has to cook to 236°F for it to set up properly and it’s too hard to gauge that without a thermometer.
Once the candy is cooked you let it set in a 9-inch square pan lined with foil or parchment paper. Once it’s set you cut it into 64 squares and coat them with chocolate.
Line a 9×9” pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Place brown sugar, cream, and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until melted. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low and place a candy thermometer in the pot.
Stir occasionally and simmer until the mixture reaches 236º, about 7-8 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Whisk in powdered sugar. Pour into prepared pan and allow to set at room temperature (a few hours, but this can be done the day ahead).
When ready to cut, remove from pan. Use a large kitchen knife and cut the square into quarters. From here, use small cuts to cut them into small squares (about 16 squares per quarter).
Melt chocolate according to package directions and dip each square, tapping off excess. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and chill to set.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Be sure to use small but swift cuts. The candy can be fragile and is prone to flaking and breaking, so a quick cut will make the candy stay together.
Read my post about dipping chocolate easily for tips.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
You can freeze the candy, but know the chocolate might dull when defrosted.
One misnomer is certain, however: that butterscotch contains any trace amounts of scotch or alcohol. Nearly all past and current recipes do not contain any Scotch whisky (unless the recipe is enhanced by adventurous cooks for their personal preference!).
The term "butterscotch" is thought to originate from the confection's primary ingredients – butter and the process of "scotching," which in this context means to cut or score. The "butter" part of the name straightforwardly refers to one of the key components of the sweet.
Even though no alcohol is present, it tends to have a sort of liquor flavor that is probably due to the heated sugar. Its history originates in England and the “scotch” part of the name may be derived from the word “scorch,” since the sugar is heated to a fairly high temperature.
Butterscotch and caramel are both cooked sugar. But the main difference between the two is the sugar used to make them. Caramel is often made with regular white granulated sugar, while butterscotch is made with brown sugar. Caramel sauce doesn't always have butter, while butterscotch always calls for butter.
See's uses the finest roasted California almonds, drenching them in our signature milk chocolate. It may sound simple, but when you start with the finest fresh ingredients, something deliciously special will follow.
Similar to caramel, butterscotch is made by heating sugar. The main difference between the two is that butterscotch uses brown sugar instead of white. The ingredients are also combined in a slightly different order for butterscotch: your start out by melting butter with brown sugar.
The flavor of butterscotch is characterized by a mixture of browned butter, caramelized sugar + molasses (or dark brown sugar in modern versions) and salt.
Butterscotch schnapps can be swigged solo, poured over a little ice or even diluted in cold seltzer. It's also a dreamy co*cktail ingredient that adds butterscotch flavor to traditional drinks and new classics alike.
Whether you make a classic butterscotch pudding, whip up a butterscotch syrup to drizzle over vanilla ice cream, or use butterscotch chips to flavor a favorite cookie, these treats will be sure to win you over to Team Butterscotch. They're as tasty as they are pretty.
While butterscotch is cooked to a soft-crack stage, toffee is produced by allowing that same butter and brown sugar mixture to reach the hard-crack stage. Butterscotch tends to be chewy and pliable; toffee is brittle and more breakable.
Is it caramel-coated cashew/almonds or is it something else? It is not any coated dry fruit but it is hardened sugar,corn syrup along with few other ingredients then dropped with teaspoon to made chocolate chips like candies. These candies are also available in market like chocolate chips.
Butterscotch is made from cooking down brown sugar with butter, and its flavor is sweeter and softer than that of caramel.Dulce de leche is made from slowly cooking cow milk and sugar together. Dulce de leche made with goat milk is known as cajeta.
People love butterscotch cakes for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, butterscotch lends a unique flavour profile that strikes a perfect balance between sweetness and a hint of buttery richness. Its smooth and creamy texture complements the cake's moist crumb, creating a delightful contrast.
Butterscotch is butter and brown sugar that has been slowly heated together to create a soft-crack candy. Just like caramel, the brown sugar molecules break down and, thanks to the addition of molasses in the sugar, caramelize into a richer, deeper flavor than classic caramel.
Spiking the mixture with a little bourbon or Scotch isn't strictly traditional, but it does add a pop of flavor. Choose bourbon to underscore the caramelized notes of the brown sugar, or Scotch for a savory smokiness and a nod to the name.
While there is some contention about the origins (per Britannica), it's typically thought that an English confectioner named Samuel Parkinson created the first butterscotch candies, which were produced in 1817 in the town of Doncaster in Northern England, recalls Spoon University.
Similar to caramel, butterscotch is made by heating sugar. The main difference between the two is that butterscotch uses brown sugar instead of white. The ingredients are also combined in a slightly different order for butterscotch: your start out by melting butter with brown sugar.
Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.