Brown Sugar Squares (Charleston Chewies)

american-southcarolina-charlestonchewies2 A buttery brown sugar center with a slightly crunchy outer layer is what makes these chewy and gooey Charleston Chewies an irresistible dessert bar. Many Lowcountry picnics, potlucks, bake sales, and family gatherings aren't complete without these Gullah-inspired delicacies. Charleston is known for its buttery pecan dessert combinations and these chewies are no different. These bars can best be described as a brown sugar blondie and are similar to Cinnamon Squares, but they're less cakey than a blondie or brownie, they're chewier. If you happen to visit a Charleston pot-luck or picnic you'll likely get to enjoy some of these chewies, also known as pecan chewies. They're extremely easy to make, though there are several variations of this recipe. I prefer to melt the butter and then mix in the brown sugar. I also use only brown sugar, whereas some recipes use a combination of sugars.

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Line a 9x9" baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2" overhang on the sides.

In a medium saucepan or skillet melt the butter over medium heat until completley melted.

Add the brown sugar to the saucepan and stir the mixture into the butter until fully incorporated. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes before whisking in the vanilla and eggs.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and fold them together (you can also fold in additional pecans if you'd like).

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the chopped pecans on top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted into the center and comes out clean.

Let the bars cool completely before dusting the tops with powdered sugar.

Makes 9 squares.

Cook's Notes:

You can use as many or as few chopped pecans as you like. I prefer to sprinkle mine on top, but many recipes suggest mixing them into the batter.
To store Charleston chewies keep them in an air-tight container. They do not need to be refrigerated.
During the cooking process, the bars will fall during the center. These bars aren't going to be perfectly even square like brownies, which is what makes them great because they'll have that dense middle.