Today, I am sharing the recipe for Oh Henry Square from my vintage recipe files. This is a super easy square to make and there is no baking, or baking skills, required. There are many variations in recipes for this retro sweet treat. What follows is mine.
Basically, this version of the Oh Henry Square consists of a graham wafer base topped with a yummy filling of butter, brown sugar, milk, graham wafer crumbs, nuts, coconut, and maraschino cherries, all topped with a rich chocolate icing.
It’s difficult to say exactly how many whole graham wafers will be needed to cover the bottom of a 9”x9” square pan as, over time, with shrinkflation, the size of wafers can change and so can their shape. That is why I have given the weight measurements of the quantity I used (3¼ oz/92 grams) for the square in the photo.
The graham wafer crumbs for the filling need to be very finely ground. They can be bought as crumbs (which is what I use) or, if you wish, you can use a food processor to very finely grind enough whole graham wafers to equal 1¼ cups of fine crumbs.
For the coconut, I recommend using a medium grind unsweetened coconut though sweetened coconut can be used, if desired, as can shredded coconut (either sweetened or unsweetened).
I have given the weight measurement (8 oz/226g) for the amount of icing sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar) for the icing because it is the most accurate measurement of the amount needed. Make sure to sift the icing sugar before weighing it. Even though this type of sugar is soft, there are still little clumps in it that can alter the amount needed to make the icing and can also lead to a lumpy icing.
Because there is no leavening in the icing to be concerned about choosing the right cocoa to match the leavening, any kind of cocoa (e.g., natural unsweetened or Dutch-processed cocoa) may be used in the icing. The icing on the Oh Henry Square in the photos that accompany this post was made with Dutch-processed cocoa.
Regardless the type of cocoa powder used, it, like the icing sugar, needs to be sifted before measuring it out. Not only will the sifting before measuring give a more accurate measurement, it will help to make a perfectly lump-free icing. While I have included a recipe for Chocolate Icing suitable for this square, if you wish, you can certainly use buttercream icing, the recipe for which can be found by clicking here .
Oh Henry Square
Ingredients:
Whole Graham Wafers to fit 9” square pan (apx. 3¼ oz/92grams)
½ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups fine graham wafer crumbs
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup medium grind unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup maraschino cherries, chopped into bite-sized pieces and blotted dry in paper towel
Icing
Ingredients:
¼ cup butter, softened at room temperature
¾ tsp pure vanilla extract
8oz/226g sifted icing sugar (aka confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar)
1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder
3-4 tbsp milk, cream, whipping cream, or water
Method for Square:
Line 9”x9” square pan with parchment paper, leaving about 1” overhang with which to grasp and remove square from pan for easy frosting and cutting. Line pan with whole graham wafers, trimming wafers as necessary to fit pan.
In medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat then blend in brown sugar and milk. Reduce heat slightly and bring mixture just to the boiling point. Reduce heat to low and cook very gently for apx. 2½ -3 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla, graham wafer crumbs, nuts, coconut, and maraschino cherries until well combined. Spread mixture smoothly and evenly over graham wafer base in pan. Cool completely at room temperature then transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 1-2 hours. When chilled, frost with chocolate icing.
Method for Icing:
Sift, or sieve, icing sugar and cocoa separately before weighing the icing sugar and measuring the cocoa then sift the two together to blend.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until completely soft and smooth. Add the vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to lowest setting and gradually blend in the icing sugar and cocoa, adding enough liquid (a tablespoon at a time) to make smooth icing of desired consistency. Stop as necessary to scrape down sides of bowl. After all of the dry ingredients have been added, increase mixer speed to medium and beat about 45 seconds longer. Spread icing evenly over chilled square. Refrigerate for about 40-45 minutes to set and firm up icing then remove square from refrigerator and cut into squares of desired size.
Square is best served at room temperature but stored in refrigerator until near serving time. Square freezes well in an airtight freezer container for longer storage.
Yield: One 9” square
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Oh Henry Square
Ingredients
- Whole Graham Wafers to fit 9” square pan (apx. 3¼ oz/92grams)
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups fine graham wafer crumbs
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup medium grind unsweetened coconut
- 1/3 cup maraschino cherries, chopped into bite-sized pieces and blotted dry in paper towel
Icing:
- ¼ cup butter, softened at room temperature
- ¾ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 8oz/226g sifted icing sugar (aka confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar)
- 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder
- 3-4 tbsp milk, cream, whipping cream, or water
Instructions
Method for Square:
-
Line 9”x9” square pan with parchment paper, leaving about 1” overhang with which to grasp and remove square from pan for easy frosting and cutting. Line pan with whole graham wafers, trimming wafers as necessary to fit pan.
-
In medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat then blend in brown sugar and milk. Reduce heat slightly and bring mixture just to the boiling point. Reduce heat to low and cook very gently for apx. 2½ -3 minutes.
-
Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla, graham wafer crumbs, nuts, coconut, and maraschino cherries until well combined. Spread mixture smoothly and evenly over graham wafer base in pan. Cool completely at room temperature then transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 1-2 hours. When chilled, frost with chocolate icing.
Method for Icing:
-
Sift, or sieve, icing sugar and cocoa separately before weighing the icing sugar and measuring out the cocoa then sift the two together to blend.
-
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until completely soft and smooth. Add the vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to lowest setting and gradually blend in the icing sugar and cocoa, adding enough liquid (a tablespoon at a time) to make smooth icing of desired consistency. Stop as necessary to scrape down sides of bowl. After all of the dry ingredients have been added, increase mixer speed to medium and beat about 45 seconds longer. Spread icing evenly over chilled square. Refrigerate for about 40-45 minutes to set and firm up icing then remove square from refrigerator and cut into squares of desired size.
-
Square is best served at room temperature but stored in refrigerator until near serving time. Square freezes well in an airtight freezer container for longer storage.
Recipe Notes
Yield: One 9” square
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