IDEA ALLEY: Strawberry bread and Hello Dollys

Strawberry Bread
Photo by Kelly Brant
Strawberry Bread Photo by Kelly Brant

Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Back in March Pat Hines requested a recipe for Hello Dolly Cupcakes. I still haven't received a response, nor have I been successful by looking through my cookbooks and reliable online sources.

But it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to make up a version using a yellow cake base and a frosting filled with the bar ingredients. I'll see what I can come up with in the test kitchen. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, here's a recipe for the classic bars.

Hello Dolly Bars

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 tablespoon brown sugar

10 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Mix well. Press mixture evenly and firmly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips evenly over the graham cracker crust, followed by the nuts and then the coconut. Drizzle the condensed milk over all. Do not stir.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges are golden. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Another request still awaiting response is strawberry bread like that served at Red Apple Inn on Eden Isle for Jean May. I have not had the strawberry bread at Red Apple Inn, so I can't say if this one from Southern Living is like theirs, but it is good.

Strawberry Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

1 (16-ounce) package frozen, sweetened, sliced strawberries, thawed, OR 1 quart fresh strawberries, stemmed, sliced and sweetened to taste

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar, mixing well.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, oil and strawberries. Add to dry ingredients, mixing well.

Divide mixture between 2 greased and floured 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203; email:

[email protected]

Please include a daytime phone number.

Food on 06/12/2019

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