Toffee-Topped Bars

This Toffee-Topped Bars recipe is preserved from a printed cookbook page filed under Cookies in My Mom’s Recipe Box. Its original ingredients, optional coconut, numbered directions, timing, yield, and baking tip are retained as printed.

Original Recipe Card

Ingredients

• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the brown sugar and flour.
3. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of mixture and set aside.
4. To mixture in large bowl, add baking powder and salt. Using a fork, lightly beat in vanilla, milk and egg.
5. Continue beating until a smooth batter forms. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
6. In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips and walnuts. Fold in the coconut.
7. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top of batter in pan. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and walnuts.
8. Using a long flat spatula, spread topping evenly over the top of the batter in pan.
9. Bake bars for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
10. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Cool bars in pan completely before slicing.
11. Using a serrated knife, cut into 24 bars. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.

Yield

Makes 24 brownies

Preservation Notes

This recipe appears on a printed Great American Home Baking page. The original scan preserves the finished-dish photograph, punched holes, fold line, page heading, source credit, and printed layout.

Notes From the Original

The page lists “15 minutes preparation, 35 minutes baking” and includes this Baking Tips text: “Measuring ingredients accurately is one of the essential elements for successful baking. When measuring brown sugar, spoon the sugar into a measuring cup, then press down firmly with the back of the spoon to expel all air pockets. Level off the top with the flat edge of a spatula or knife.”

About My Mom’s Recipe Box

This recipe is part of My Mom’s Recipe Box, an ongoing preservation project dedicated to my late mother’s original recipe collection. Every effort is made to preserve the original wording, organization, handwritten notes, typewritten cards, magazine clippings, corrections, and other details exactly as they appeared in her recipe box. When clarification is helpful, it is provided separately so the original recipe remains preserved.