The Old-School Southern Dessert That Spread Through The Carolinas

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There is an abundance of old-school Southern desserts that need to make a comeback, like a baked good called transparent pie (mysterious!), and then there are retro favorites like chew bread, which hasn't gone out of style for those living in the Carolinas these days. You may have had chew bread in this part of the United States, where its origins lie, but we think it's worth a try, no matter where you reside.

Chew bread is less like bread and more like a blondie, but it's far denser. A bite offers bits of brown sugar, crushed pecans, and hints of butter, but expect it to be chewier than a traditional blondie. Depending on who bakes it (and where), this Southern treat might also be called cornbread cookies or pecan chewies.

In North and South Carolina, chew bread has been popular in Black households for generations. Of course, there's no exact answer as to who created the dessert, but it has been attributed to sharecroppers in the Carolinas. It is believed that the dessert was a product derived from ingredients that were passed on from white families, and eventually resulted in a classic sweet baked and served in Southern homes, churches, and businesses.

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There are plenty of recipes online if you want to try your hand at baking chew bread. At the core of the dessert are brown sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and a touch of salt in the batter. What sets chew bread apart is the crushed pecans, which provide a nutty flavor and crunch to counterbalance the dense texture of the bars. Some recipes also call for baking powder as a leavening agent. Modern versions may add chocolate chips for a bit more sweetness. We think tossing in festive-colored candies, sprinkles, or swapping pecans for another type of nut are easy ways to customize the dessert for a special occasion.

Perhaps the best part about chew bread, other than how delicious it is, is that it only takes a few minutes to pull the batter together. Some recipes only require about 15 minutes in the oven, so it's an easy dessert to whip up for a last-minute dinner party or get-together. Chew bread isn't the only regional specialty the Carolinas have to offer. Southern spoon cake is a versatile baked good with roots in the Indigenous communities of South Carolina's Lowcountry.