For the Best Hello Dolly Bars, Use a Boxed Brownie Mix

When I was in college, there was a tiny grocery store where students could use points from their meal plans to stock up on essentials. For me, that meant ingredients for Sunday baking projects. My baking repertoire was not very sophisticated back then—I’d either make a box of brownies with extra chocolate chips or a batch of Hello Dolly bars.

To me, the distinct butterscotch flavor of Hello Dolly bars is incredibly nostalgic. True to the name of their alias, they are simply magic. Buttery graham crust, mounds of chocolate and butterscotch chips, fluffy sweetened coconut, a few crunchy pecans, and a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk result in caramel-y perfection.

Flash forward from college (a number of years we don’t need to discuss) and I found myself pregnant with my third baby. Being pregnant as a recipe developer is interesting. I always find it to be my most creative time when dreaming up new flavors. Over the course of my three pregnancies, I developed some of my very favorite recipes to date.

Cravings are strong, aversions are stronger, and I always knew exactly what I wanted to taste. While these Hello Dolly brownies may not be earth-shattering, they were the result of a very intense pregnancy craving. I needed a magic cookie bar, but I also needed a brownie. What’s a girl to do? Make both!

Combining Brownies and Hello Dolly Bars

I’d like to say my first go at this was an instant success, however it didn’t quite work out. I envisioned brownies bursting with the flavors of a magic cookie bar, so I folded the mix-ins into the batter before baking and hoped for the best. The resulting brownies were a mess of muddied flavors and textures, nothing like the classic treat of my childhood.

Piling the toppings on the raw batter results in a too-chewy mess. Finally, I found success when I parbaked the brownies and added the toppings when there was about 20 minutes of baking time left. Eureka!

Choosing a Brownie Mix

Any brownie mix will do, but I prefer the Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix as I find the bittersweet chocolate pairs best with all the other toppings. If you use a different brand of brownie mix, just be sure to follow the preparation instructions on the back of the box; you may need to omit or adjust the water, eggs, and oil called for in the recipe below.

These brownies are shockingly decadent. I cut them into very thin slivers since just a taste will satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth!

How To Make My Hello Dolly Brownies

For about 24 servings, you’ll need:

• 1 (20-ounce/567g) box brownie mix

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 cup (93g) sweetened shredded coconut

• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pecans

• 1/2 cup (85g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup (85g) butterscotch chips

• 1/2 cup (156g) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, and water until well combined. I’ve listed the amounts used in a Ghiradelli boxed mix; if you use a different brownie mix, follow the instructions. Add the brownie mix and mix with a wooden spoon until thick and no streaks of mix remain.

Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is solid to the touch but the middle is still wiggly. Remove the pan from the oven but keep the oven on.

Sprinkle the top of the brownies with the coconut, then pecans, then both kinds of chips. Drizzle the whole thing with sweetened condensed milk. Return the brownies to the oven and continue baking until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs and the coconut is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Let the brownies cool for at least one hour, then slice into 24 rectangular pieces. Store any leftover brownies tightly sealed in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 4 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge.

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