Chinese Chews
Friends of ours from Texas just moved down the street. I thought it would be fun and a friendly to welcome them with a pie. The pie had different plans. What should have been a straight forward, chocolate pie, ended with a major fail. Twice. I’m not giving up though. Eventually I’ll get it right.
Until then, in order to regain my confidence in the kitchen (and still take something to our new neighbors) I opted to bake something that I knew I couldn’t mess up, something foolproof, but tasty too. So I decided on Chinese Chews. My mom makes these every year during the holidays, but they’re year round goodness if you ask me – like a blondie but with a crunchy shell, and a chewy inside. Not really sure where the name comes from, because, as far as I know, there isn’t anything inherently Chinese about these. If you know otherwise, please fill me in.
My favorite part, the crunchy edge piece.
It doesn’t get more basic than these ingredients, and the process is swift and sure. Perfect for a chocolate pie-challenged fool like me. Mark my words though, the chocolate pie hasn’t seen the last of me. I will master the chocolate pie! The chocolate pie will bend to my pie making prowess…just not this week.
Chinese Chews Recipe
Chinese Chews
Simple dessert bars with a crunchy outside and chewy center. Adapted from Carole Radford's Hearts Go Home for the Holidays.
Ingredients
- 1 pound brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened (salted or unsalted – remember it's foolproof y'all)
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I used pecans.)
- optional: powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add chopped nuts.
- Spread evenly in a 9x13-inch baking pan and bake at 350-degrees F for about 30 minutes, until crust begins to brown.
- Cool slightly, cut and serve.
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
*If you'd rather use self-rising flour, use 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour, and omit the baking powder and salt.
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I could chew myself straight into bliss, good grief! y.u.m.
I think its just called chew bread instead of Chinese chews. I’ve been making this for years and its incredible. My best friend calls it sugar bread lol
Actually this is the very same recipe from my old better homes an garden cook book , which I got when I was 13 yrs old, I’m 53 now lol , any way in my book it’s chewy cake, minus the one option of powder sugar, it’s the ecact recipe.
My mom, God rest her soul, made these back in the 50s and 60s and as kids that would eat anyrhing, including dirt (lol) but we loved then and has always been a favorite memory. However she added dates whick even made them more moist and chewy. Just a suggestion. She also referred to them as Chinese Chews…maybe the name came from one of her old Betty Crocker baking cook books???
Those look and sound amazing Amy. Your talent as a photographer and chef never cease to impress me!!!
These remind me of my college days. A friend’s mom would always bring them up when she came to visit. So yummy!
These look gooood. I think it’s such a funny name, I really do wonder where it came from. Maybe someone just liked the iliteration : )
The school cafeteria made these on hamburger day..they were so good they were called Chinese Chews…l found a receipe called Raisin Chews which made me look up this receipe. The receipes are basically the same except regular sugar and no butter
Amy those look fabulous! every blondie recipe I try fails. I can’t wait to give these a whirl. Thank you for sharing.
These bars look super delicious! 🙂
I was expecting some Chinese 5-spice in the batter! (which may not be such a bad idea, come to think of it 🙂 )
Oh my goodness, this is what’s going down in my house tonight!
I am sold on the crunchy outside that yields to soft. Can I be your neighbor?
I also love the “crunchy edges.” These look amazing! And I agree with Amanda about your photography skills!
Amy – I haven’t had these in years and years! My grandmother used to make them every year at Christmas. I don’t have any idea why they are called “Chinese’ either or why they were reserved just for the holidays. Year round goodness if you ask me!!
I was sucked in by the name, but stayed for the blondiesque goodness! Putting these on my to-do list 🙂
First of all, these look and sound wonderful.
But.
Let’s talk about these friends. They’re friends from Texas and moved down the street from you?? How stinking cool is that?!
So freakin cool!!!
I’ve made treats called ‘Chinese Chews’ for years during the holidays but they are nothing like these! Mine are chow mien noodles mixed with butterscotch chips that are dropped onto wax paper to harden. So this was a surprise but a good one. I think you would have to fight me for that outside chewy edge piece!
So funny Barb! I have the ingredients for those on my counter right now. We call them haystacks, but I don’t care what they’re called cause they’re good!
~ Amy
Love these things. Yours look scrumptious.
Wish I was moving in down the street from you. For many reasons.
Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside?! These are my definition of perfection.
Well that was not what I was expecting!! These look and sound like perfection!
We made them with my great grandmother when I was a kid we did with nuts, coconut, or with both. Made them with my daughters now my ex has the recipe. So grateful for this post.
These look so chewy and yummilicious! Pinning so I can make them!
getting very hungry over here 🙂 wish you could send me a crumb or two
You had me at ‘crunchy shell and chewy inside’ uhm…perfection? 🙂 So easy too and seriously i cant think of many people that wouldnt swoon over these. Cant wait until i give these a go!
OK…so, how have I never heard of these before? I need them, Amy. Need.
Oh this cake with the crust look lovely!
this looks really good! i’ve never had them, but i’d like to try!
The Chinese name was probably some magazine editor’s idea back in the day when your grandma first discovered the recipe. Maybe you should rename them Chewy Bliss?
My family also makes Chinese Chews for Christmas with very similar ingredients but a much different result. In our chews, we omit the butter but add chopped dates, and then we spread the batter out in a sheet pan. Then, you have to carefully bake until barely golden brown. The final step is the most important – and PAINFUL – one 🙂 Right after you take the pan out of the oven, we start scooping out pieces with two spoons for each person, and then we roll into little balls, about truffle-sized. I vividly remember helping as a child and the tears streaming down my face when hot dates burned my palms. Thankfully, now that I’m much older, it doesn’t even phase me. 🙂 Lastly, the balls are rolled in confectioner’s sugar. Absolutely delicious, but very sweet. More like candy.
i. cannot. look. . . . ok . . . so i did look . . . and now my mouth is watering . . . i can’t take this anymore . . .
then make the freaking bars smithy!
-Love Pam H.
I want this right now. Badly.
Mamaw Sadie called these Chewies and she called the haystacks Chinese haystacks. Go figure!
I wondered what i was going to make next week for Bible study. Now I know! I hope they look like yours.
Thanks!
PS you’ll be craving chocolate in a few weeks, so you can try the pie adventure again. I may just have to ride my bike over to try it.
These look absolutely delicious, no matter the confusing name. Yum
Try these made with black walnuts or hickory nuts, should you be lucky (or fluch) enough to have some on hand. FABULOUS.
Oops. I meant to say, “flush” (as in rolling in cash – they aren’t giving either of these nuts away anymore, unfortunately!).
Looks good. Looks REAL good. 🙂
These look fantastic and I’m totally with ya on the crunchy ends! I can’t wait to see your chocolate pie!
Oh those pies…so finicky sometimes. I am part of the “omg crunchy to soft yes yes I want it” group. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Miss Amy. I saw this picture, went wow, pecan bars! and had to post. As a 5th generation Texan, pecans are a must when baking, the native kind you go pick up out of the yard. Though our go-to recipe uses Bisquick (from the 1970s booklet), there is a recipe that is over a hundred years old called Grandma’s chew bread. It would be interesting to figure out the “Chinese” name, probably a twist on what someone heard with the recipe being passed around by word of mouth… just like the Chinese chews and haystacks. This is one pan where the crunchier side pieces get eaten first. I actually like them best the next day or so.
How nice of you to be so neighborly! And a wonderful recipe..
Ooohhhh! These remind me of toll house cookies in bar form without the chocolate chips! Yum, I’m going to have to try these!
We always called these “Ben’s Bars” in honor of my Aunt Bennie whom I got the recipe from 🙂
These look like awesome bars and were a perfect gift for your new neighbors. Do you know where the name comes from? Im just being curious.
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These sound and look just what my Mom used to make and called them ‘congo squares’ – will certainly try them and may even see if I can find the old recipe.
Sounds sooooo good. When it comes to comfort food, I am all about chewy, crunchy, sweet and salty. Oh, and warm. This gets my vote!
IT TASTE :):):):):):):):):):):)——————————->-_-
hey hun! I was a little confuzzeled at your comment!
I have made these before with the same ingredients in different amounts and there wonderful…thought I’d try this recipe. DO not cook them 30 minutes , they will be overcooked. Mine came out very dark, probably will have to throw them out, disappointing to say the least.
I just made these and they were AMAZING!!!!! I totally agree the edges are definitely my favorite ;o)
So glad you enjoyed them! My mom made another batch over Thanksgiving and I had to pretend they weren’t there.
Ok so I forgot to rate these…so I had to come back :o)
You had me at cocoanut! Can’t wait to make them.
Hi
Can either dark or light brown sugar be used for these chews?
Yes you can, Betty. Dark brown sugar will have a deeper molasses flavor but either will work.
I have been making my grandmother’s recipe for Chinese Chews for years, so I will share this recipe.
Beat 2 eggs
Add 1 cup white sugar
Add 3 tbsp, melted butter
Add 1 cup chopped dates,3/4 cup slivered almonds, 1/4 cup chopped glazed cherries, 1/4 cup glazed pineapple, 3 to 4 chopped candied ginger
Add 3/4 cup all purpose flour mixed with 1 tsp. Baking powder and 1/2 tsp. Salt
Pour into grease 8 inch pan and bak at 350 for 20 to 25 min. Cool and cut and shape into balls. Roll in sugar. These are so delicious!
Here in southeast Georgia (Savannah area) we have the same thing except we call it Chewy Bread. Crispy, crunchy “shell” and oh so soft & “chewy” (hence the name) on the inside.
I was perusing the Internet to find a recipe to replace the one I misplaced when I came across your picture. The name, Chinese Chews definitely threw me off but I was positive it was what I was looking for. The list of ingredients informed me that I was indeed on the right path! Thanks so much for posting this recipe because apparently Chewy Bread is not very popular. I wound up finding 3 recipes online (I know, the place you expect to be bombarded with hundreds of not thousands of recipes, but only come out with 3!).
Around here, you can find these little wrapped golden jewels in a basket by the register at many BBQ restaurants. We make them through out the year, usually about 3-6 batches at a time being they seem to disappear the moment they come out the oven….🤷🏼♀️.
Thank you again for posting, I’m off to scour my cabinets for the fixings of this rare, crusty southern treat!!
Hello! I can’t wait to try this recipe! I realize it was posted over 7 years ago so you might not even get notifications of posts on this site anymore, but on my hunt to find a recipe for the date bars I grew up on, I happened upon both your page as well as an article from the Chicago Tribune from a reader searching for a recipe for “Chinese Chews”, a product that their mom used to buy at a grocery store in the 70s. You mentioned that you weren’t sure where the name came from, so I thought I’d at least drop the link to that article in hopes of connecting a dot or two for you. https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/recipes/ct-date-bar-cookies-recipe-20150309-column.html
My mum used dates in place of its. My favourite growing up!
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