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Irresistible Butter Brickle Cookies: A Taste of Nebraska’s Sweet Heritage

Embark on a delightful culinary journey with our Butter Brickle Cookies, inspired by Nebraska’s cherished Butter Brickle Ice Cream. These buttery cookies are generously studded with crunchy toffee bits, offering a perfectly chewy interior contrasted with a light, subtly crisp exterior. They are destined to become an instant family favorite and a beloved addition to your baking repertoire!

Have you ever heard of Butter Brickle Cookies? If not, prepare to have your world sweetened. Many might be familiar with the iconic Butter Brickle Ice Cream, a truly exceptional treat. But what if we told you that classic, delightful flavor could be captured in a tender, chewy cookie? That’s precisely what we’ve done here, transforming a beloved Nebraskan dessert into a portable, shareable, and utterly irresistible baked good.

Nebraska’s Sweet Legacy: The Beloved Butter Brickle Ice Cream

Let’s talk about Butter Brickle Ice Cream. Here in Nebraska, it receives a resounding two thumbs up! And it’s not just because of its utterly delicious, creamy texture and delightful toffee crunch. It holds a special place in our hearts because it’s one of the many fantastic food items that originated right here in our home state of Nebraska. Our state boasts a rich culinary heritage, and while we’re proud of many inventions, Butter Brickle Ice Cream undeniably sits at the top of our list for unique, sweet creations.

A Nationwide Celebration: Bob’s Red Mill 50 States of Cookies Campaign

A few years ago, the wonderful team at Bob’s Red Mill Flour extended an invitation that filled me with immense excitement: to participate in their “50 States of Cookies” campaign. This ambitious project brought together 50 bloggers, each representing a different state, with a shared mission to create a unique cookie recipe that captured the essence of their home state. It was a beautiful way to unite our country through the universal language of sweet treats, celebrating the incredible diversity and culinary traditions that make each state special. Being chosen to represent Nebraska was a true honor, allowing me to showcase a local favorite on a national stage. This campaign truly embodies the spirit of discovery and shared joy through baking, highlighting the quality of Bob’s Red Mill flour as the foundation for these diverse creations.

Crafting Nebraska’s Cookie Identity: The Butter Brickle Adaptation

When considering which food item best represents Nebraska in cookie form, my thoughts quickly gravitated towards Butter Brickle. While the original Nebraskan creation is ice cream, the concept of a Butter Brickle cookie is a natural, irresistible evolution. Toffee bits and cookies are a match made in heaven, making this adaptation an absolute no-brainer. Of course, Nebraska is also famous for other culinary delights like Kool-Aid and Runzas, but those savory and sweet staples are stories for another day. For the “50 States of Cookies” campaign, the rich, buttery, toffee-filled goodness of Butter Brickle was the undeniable choice to proudly represent our state’s sweet side.

A Glimpse into the Past: The Rich History of Butter Brickle and the Blackstone Hotel

The history of Butter Brickle Ice Cream is as rich and intriguing as its flavor. It was first developed in the 1920s at the prestigious Blackstone Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska – a true landmark with its own fascinating culinary legacy. Interestingly, the very same hotel is also credited with inventing the famous Reuben sandwich! The original flavoring and the accompanying candy bar for Butter Brickle were produced by Fenn Bros. Ice Cream and Candy Co., a Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based company. This company continued its operations until it was liquidated in the 1970s. Following the liquidation, the trademark and the beloved formula for Butter Brickle were acquired by the makers of the “Heath” bar. Today, a delightful remnant of the original name lives on in “Heath Bits ‘o Brickle Toffee Bits,” a product sold by The Hershey Company, which took over the Heath assets in 1996. This long and winding history only adds to the charm and nostalgia associated with Butter Brickle.

The Blackstone Hotel itself, now known as the Blackstone Center, stands proudly at 302 South 36th Street in Omaha’s Midtown area. Constructed in 1915, this magnificent structure was designated an Omaha Landmark in 1983 and earned a coveted spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It’s truly a place where history and deliciousness converge.

Demystifying Delight: What Makes Butter Brickle So Special?

At its heart, Butter Brickle is essentially a golden-brown toffee, carefully broken into tiny, irregular pieces. These delectable, crunchy bits are the defining characteristic you find embedded in that unforgettable toffee-flavored ice cream, universally known and adored as Butter Brickle Ice Cream. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and buttery with a satisfying crunch that makes it so unique.

When it comes to sourcing those perfect toffee bits for these cookies, Heath offers fantastic options. I specifically use their English Toffee Bits, affectionately known as “Bits ‘o Brickle,” for my Butter Brickle Cookies. These are pure, unadulterated toffee perfection. Heath also makes a Milk Chocolate Variety, where the toffee bits are, you guessed it, coated in smooth milk chocolate. While delicious, the plain “Bits ‘o Brickle” are key to capturing the authentic flavor profile of classic Butter Brickle.

Simple Ingredients, Spectacular Flavor: Your Butter Brickle Cookie Recipe Guide

These buttery, toffee-studded cookies are incredibly straightforward to prepare, making them a fantastic choice for bakers of all skill levels. An added bonus? They freeze exceptionally well! This makes them absolutely perfect for getting a head start on your holiday baking, allowing you to stash away batches in the freezer for whenever a sweet craving (or an impromptu gathering) strikes. With just a few common pantry staples, you’ll be on your way to a tray full of these delightful treats.

For this irresistible cookie recipe, you will need:

Unsalted butter
Brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Salt
Vanilla extract
Eggs
Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached All Purpose White Flour
Baking soda
Heath Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits

Mastering the Bake: Tips for Achieving Perfect Butter Brickle Cookies

The key to these cookies’ incredible texture lies in the baking process. Once your dough is perfectly mixed and the delightful toffee bits are folded in, use a cookie scoop to ensure each cookie is uniformly sized. This not only makes for a more appealing presentation but also ensures even baking. A crucial tip: do not overbake these cookies! For that signature chewiness that we all adore, I recommend pulling them from the oven just as their edges begin to turn a delicate golden brown. They might appear slightly underbaked in the center, but that’s exactly what you want. Allow them to set on the warm cookie sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period allows them to firm up while retaining their wonderfully soft and chewy center.

A National Recognition: Our Butter Brickle Cookies in the “United Sweets of America”

One of the proudest moments for this Butter Brickle Cookie recipe came a couple of years after its initial publication. I was contacted by a representative from the United States government with an incredible request: they wanted to feature this recipe in their annual planner for federal employees! Each year, these planners follow a specific theme, and for 2019, the theme was “United Sweets of America,” celebrating unique desserts from each state. It was an absolute honor to learn that my Butter Brickle Cookie recipe had been chosen to represent the great state of Nebraska. The recipe was prominently featured for the week of July 1st, 2019, allowing countless federal employees across the nation to discover and enjoy a taste of Nebraska’s sweet heritage. This recognition was truly special, solidifying these cookies as a representative treat for our state.

These Butter Brickle Cookies also boast excellent travel capabilities! Packaged in an airtight container, they ship beautifully, making them a thoughtful gift to send across the country, or even to our brave servicemen and women stationed around the globe. I’m incredibly grateful to a friend who shared this fantastic recipe with me many years ago, precisely for this wonderful reason. Their durability and deliciousness make them perfect for sharing far and wide.

Discover More Irresistible Cookie Recipes Here

Beyond Butter Brickle: Discover More Delicious Toffee Recipes

Can’t get enough of that wonderful toffee flavor? Neither can we! If you’re craving more toffee-infused delights after enjoying these Butter Brickle Cookies, explore some of our other fantastic recipes that celebrate this caramel-like crunch:

Coffee Toffee Cheesecake
Giant Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Caramel Toffee & Pecan Fudge
Graham Cracker Toffee (pictured above)
Cinnamon Toffee Monkey Muffins

The Secret Ingredient: Why Bob’s Red Mill Flour Elevates Your Baking

A crucial component in the success of these Butter Brickle Cookies, and indeed many of my favorite recipes, is the quality of the flour. I’ve been a dedicated user of Bob’s Red Mill Flour for years, and once you experience the difference it makes in your baking, you’ll understand why. Their commitment to wholesome, high-quality ingredients is unmatched, consistently delivering superior results.

Their **Organic Unbleached All Purpose White Flour** is a true kitchen workhorse. This high-protein flour is the secret weapon used by professional bakers to achieve lofty, well-textured loaves of bread, yet it’s equally adept at producing light, airy baked goods like these cookies. Its versatility makes it an indispensable staple for virtually all your baking needs, ensuring everything from delicate pastries to robust breads comes out perfectly every time. If you’re looking to bake a classic cookie with excellent structure and tender crumb, this is the flour to reach for.

Bob’s Red Mill also offers an exceptional **Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour**. This meticulously crafted blend combines finely ground brown rice flour, sweet white rice flour, whole grain sorghum flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour, along with just the right touch of xanthan gum. This specific combination is designed to create chewy cookies and wonderfully springy muffins, closely mimicking the texture of traditional wheat-based baked goods. The sorghum flour, in particular, contributes a valuable protein content that helps achieve an almost wheat-like texture and aids in browning, giving you that perfectly golden-brown finish on your chocolate chip cookies, or in this case, your Butter Brickle Cookies. This blend is a fantastic choice for cookies, cakes, and brownies when a gluten-free option is desired, proving that dietary restrictions don’t have to mean compromising on flavor or texture.

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Close up of butter brickle cookies on a napkin

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Print Recipe

Butter Brickle Cookies

Fashioned after that delectable Butter Brickle Ice Cream – BUTTER BRICKLE COOKIES are buttery cookies full of toffee bits, chewy on the inside and light and a little crisp on the outside. They are sure to be an instant family favorite!

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Cuisine: American | Keyword: Butter Brickle Cookies, butter brickle desserts, butter brickle ice cream, butter cookies, Nebraska made, toffee bits, United States of Cookies, United Sweets of America

Servings: 4 dozen | Calories: 58 kcal | Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

Wilton Performance Pans Aluminum Jelly Roll and Cookie Pan, 10.5 x 15.5-Inch
Wilton Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop
KitchenAid Hand Mixer
Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

Ingredients

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached All Purpose White Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 8 ounce package Heath Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream softened butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in both brown and granulated sugars, along with vanilla extract, and mix until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing until just incorporated. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in the Heath Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits.
Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown but the centers are still soft. Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrition

This recipe was originally posted on November 17, 2016. It was updated to improve user experience, enhance clarity, and add further details on November 3, 2020.

We encourage you to explore the United States of Cookies campaign to see the incredible variety of recipes contributed by all 50 bloggers from their respective states. It’s a fantastic showcase of America’s rich and diverse baking traditions.

Happy baking!

A heartfelt thank you to Bob’s Red Mill for generously sponsoring this post and supporting the celebration of American baking! For more information and to view all the unique recipes from the “United States of Cookies,” please visit BobsRedMill.com.

Michaela Kenkel