Kardea Brown’s Chewies Recipe
You can’t talk about classic Gullah food without mentioning some of the sweet stuff! Chewies, which look like sugar-dusted brownies but taste like rich molasses, are a sweet-lover’s dream. These delicious bars are made with many familiar baking ingredients and get a lovely crunch from the chopped pecans. You can only imagine the amazing aromas that’ll be coming from your kitchen once you get these in the oven!
Chewies Recipe
Makes 16 squares
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons
(1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus additional softened butter for the baking dish
- 1 cup
packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon
almond extract
- 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- 1
large egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup
all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon
baking powder
- 1/4 cup
chopped pecans
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Turn off the heat and let the butter cool slightly, then add the brown sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Stir in the egg.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder, then fold the flour mixture into the brown sugar mixture. Fold in the pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake until set around the edges but still loose in the center, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then sift confectioners’ sugar on top. Cut into 16 squares.
Recipe Notes
Excerpted from THE WAY HOME by Kardea Brown. Copyright 2022. Amistad/HarperCollins