Spring is the time of year when people begin to look forward to the warm, lazy months of summer. It’s also the time when people start to bake more cookies and brownies—thanks to the increase in weddings and school graduations. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that May 9th is celebrated as National Butterscotch Brownie Day.

This is a day on which everyone can enjoy baking these delicious brownies, also known as “blondies,” and sharing them with friends and family. Of course, if you’d rather buy your brownies than bake them, we’re sure there are plenty of bakeries where you can find them.

The History of Butterscotch Brownies

During the 19th century, butterscotch brownies were made with flour, brown sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, and vanilla. Baking powder as an ingredient had just been invented in 1856 by a chemist named Eben Norton Horsford, and not long after, people began to use it to make brownies and brookies (cookie brownies).

Since chocolate was just beginning to be used by the general masses and was still considered to be an ingredient enjoyed by the wealthy, many recipes of the time were based on the “blondie” brownie model.

Fun Facts About Butterscotch

Butterscotch is the main ingredient used to flavor brownies for National Butterscotch Brownie Day, so we thought we’d take the time to investigate it further. When we did, we discovered that butterscotch has a rich, storied history that we feel everyone should know about. Below are the facts we’ve uncovered about it and would like to now share with the world.

• Some culinary historians believe the name “butterscotch” comes from the fact that the confection must be cut into pieces—a process known as scotching.
• Another theory is that the name “butterscotch” comes from its association with Scotland.
• The word “butterscotch” was first used in Doncaster, England.
• Butterscotch rose to popularity in the United States during the 19th century.
• Butterscotch sauce is a popular dessert sauce in the U.S. that’s poured over ice cream.
• Even when butterscotch isn’t actually used, people will refer to the flavor of brown sugar and butter as “butterscotch flavor.”
• The difference between butterscotch and caramel is mainly the sugar. Caramel uses white sugar, while butterscotch uses brown sugar.
• The difference between butterscotch and toffee is mainly how it’s cooked. Butterscotch is boiled to the soft crack stage, while toffee is boiled to the hard crack stage.
• The largest butterscotch candy was made in Trondheim, Norway, and weighed approximately 3,500 pounds. It was made in August of 1997.

Observing National Butterscotch Brownie Day

If you want to enjoy this holiday, and we can’t imagine who wouldn’t, then all you have to do is make or buy some butterscotch brownies. A quick search on the Internet reveals dozens of different recipes for blondies, so you definitely have a lot to choose from when selecting a recipe for these brownies.

While you’re enjoying some butterscotch brownies on this day, don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalButterscotchBrownieDay to spread the word about it on your social media accounts.