Butterscotch Chews

Butterscotch Chews

The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 64 servings
Yield: 64 candies

Butterscotch chews are made with brown sugar and butter to produce a rich, chewy candy that has the classic taste of butterscotch with a firm caramel texture. This recipe will cover these with a coating of dark chocolate, but you can omit this step if you desire. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vinegar

  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 pound chocolate, or chocolate chips, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Butterscotch Chews ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. Prepare an 8 x 8-inch pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

    aluminum foil lined baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. Combine the sugars, vinegar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir while the sugars dissolve.

    Combine the sugars, vinegar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Then insert a candy thermometer. Cook the candy without stirring until it reaches 245 F on the thermometer.

    candy cooking in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Once the candy reaches 245 F, add the butter and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until it reaches 255 F.

    butter added to the candy mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  6. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and add the vanilla extract, stirring until it is well-incorporated.

    candy mixture in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  7. Pour the candy into the prepared pan and allow it to set, preferably overnight at room temperature. If you need to speed up the process, the candy can be refrigerated until it is set, about 4 hours.

    candy mixture in a prepared pan

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  8. Once the candy is set, pull it out of the pan using the foil as handles, and place it face-down on a cutting board. Peel the foil off the back of the candy block, and use a large sharp knife to cut the candy into small 1-inch squares. At this point, you can choose to dip your chews in chocolate or leave them plain. If you don’t dip them, we recommend wrapping each piece in cellophane or waxed paper so that they don’t become sticky.

    caramel chews pieces on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  9. To dip them in chocolate, place the chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 1-minute intervals until melted, stirring after each minute to prevent overheating.

    melted chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  10. Cover a baking sheet or large plate with aluminum foil and set aside.

    aluminum foil lined baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  11. Using dipping tools or 2 forks, dip a square into the chocolate until it is fully immersed. Bring it up out of the chocolate and drag the bottom against the lip of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place the dipped candy on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining butterscotch chews and chocolate.

    caramel chews dipped into chocolate, on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  12. Refrigerate the chews to set the chocolate for 20 minutes. They will be very hard out of the refrigerator, so let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Store plain wrapped chews in an airtight container at room temperature, and store chocolate-dipped chews in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    Butterscotch Chews

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
38 Calories
1g Fat
7g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 64
Amount per serving
Calories 38
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 22mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 2mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)