Easy Oatmeal Raisin Butterscotch Bars
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These soft and chewy oatmeal raisin bars with butterscotch chips are perfect for busy bakers! If you love the classic flavors of oatmeal raisin cookies but want something quicker and more portable, these bars deliver all the same delicious taste with half the work.
Why You’ll Love These Butterscotch Oatmeal Bars
Bar cookies are my secret weapon for stress-free baking. Instead of dropping individual cookies, you simply spread the dough in one pan and slice when cool. They’re perfect for care packages, travel treats, or when you need dessert fast. Plus, they stay incredibly moist and tender if they last long enough to test that theory!
Baking Mix Notes: I’m using House-Autry Buttermilk Biscuit Baking Mix for these bars. While you can use any baking mix you have on hand, I find this one creates an especially rich, tender cookie. The buttermilk adds a subtle tang that pairs beautifully with the sweet butterscotch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Raisins Use plump, fresh raisins for the best texture
- Baking Mix Any brand works, though buttermilk biscuit mix adds extra richness
- Dark Brown Sugar The molasses creates that deep, caramel-like flavor
- Oats Old-fashioned oats give the best texture
- Cinnamon Just a pinch for warmth
- Egg Helps bind everything together
- Butter Use real butter for the best flavor
- Vanilla Pure vanilla extract is worth it here
- Butterscotch Chips The star ingredient that makes these extra special
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep Your Pan Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan and preheat your oven to 350°F. Trust me, greasing the pan well will save you heartache later when it’s time to remove these beauties.
Step 2: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients Melt your butter in the microwave and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Add the baking mix, brown sugar, egg, and oats. Stir everything together until well combined. The mixture should look cohesive but not overmixed.
Step 3: Add All the Delicious Mix-Ins Now comes the fun part! Fold in your butterscotch chips and raisins, then add the cinnamon and vanilla. Give everything one final good stir to distribute all the goodies evenly throughout the dough.
Mixing tip: Don’t overmix once you add the butterscotch chips and raisins. You want them evenly distributed without breaking them up.
Step 4: Bake to Perfection Spread the mixture evenly in your prepared 8×8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away slightly from the pan and the center feels set but still soft.
Doneness test: The bars are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake, or they’ll lose that wonderful chewy texture.
Serving and Storage Tips
These bars are delicious warm from the oven, but they’re even better after they’ve had time to set. Let them cool completely before cutting for the cleanest slices. They’re perfect as an after-school snack with a glass of milk or alongside your morning coffee.
Storage: Keep these bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They actually get more flavorful after a day or two as all the ingredients meld together.
Travel tip: These bars are incredibly sturdy, making them ideal for packing in lunch boxes or taking on road trips. They won’t crumble like traditional cookies, and they stay moist even after a few days.
These oatmeal raisin butterscotch bars combine all the comforting flavors you love in a format that’s both practical and delicious. Give them a try and watch them disappear from your kitchen!Pro tip:** These bars are fantastic for getting kids involved in the kitchen. The simple mixing method means little hands can help with almost every step.
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Rolled oats
- 1 Cups Brown sugar packed (I use light or dark, whatever I have on hand)
- 2 Cups Baking Mix I’m using House-Autry Buttermilk Biscuit and Baking Mix
- 1 Egg
- 1 Stick butter melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 raisins
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Combine first five ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pat into greased 8×8 pan and bake at 350 for twenty five to thirty minutes. Allow to cool and cut into bars.
Would you have a good baking mix recipe that you make up? I never know what to choose on the store shelves and I bet I live a minimum of 15 hours away from the South (I’m in Nebraska).
I’d love to try these – minus all the additives in store bought baking mix. (Ignore the fact that I’m adding butterscotch or peanut butter chips to these – LOL
Tina
I don’t know what baking mix is. I’m in my 60’s and I never heard of baking mix! But if I figure that out, I will definitely be using dried cranberries instead of raisins — it IS Thanksgiving/Christmas season! And nuts, too, to make it giftable. Winnie and I are on the same track. 🙂
Bisquick is baking mix. You may be more familiar with that dried cranberries would be sublime!
I noticed a mistake in the printable recipe. It just says 1/2 raisins. Now it probably means 1/2 CUP of raisins, but just thought I’d let you know.
Not a big fan of raisins but I have craisins in the pantry. Can’t have a cookie without nuts so that will be added too. Love the idea of using a baking mix. Can’t wait to try these soon. Thanks for all the great recipes using products we currently have on hand most of the time.
Great ideas Winnie!! And that is one of the great things about this recipe, very versatile.
Girl I want to put this recipe on our website (House-Autry). It’s easy, tastes good and uses my favorite House-Autry product!
These sound really good. Not a big fan of raisins. Might be just as good without.. my grandchildren are home for the holidays. Will be putting this on things to make list.
dh is not a fan of butterscotch – wonder if putting dates in place of butterscotch
would work?
Or chocolate chips, whatever you like! This is easily adaptable so just make the whole thing to suit you!:)