Caramel Pecan Bars

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Caramel Pecan Bars Recipe

These rich bars really capture the flavor of pecan pie.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, cubed
  • 2-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 cups chopped pecans
  • Confectioners’ sugar, optional

Preparation

  1. In a large saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
  2. In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla. Gradually add hot sugar mixture, stirring constantly.
  3. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans.
  4. Spread into a greased 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs and edges are crisp.
  5. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired. Cut into bars.

Yield: 4 dozen.

 

 

Pecan Squares

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Pecan-Squares
If you like the taste of pecan pie, you’ll love this easy alternative. Serve the squares with vanilla ice cream for an over-the-top dessert.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 3 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preparation

  1. Sift together 2 cups flour and 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Cut in 3/4 cup softened butter using a pastry blender or fork just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a lightly greased 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish.
  2. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool.
  3. Bring brown sugar, honey, 2/3 cup butter, and whipping cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in pecans, and pour hot filling into prepared crust.
  4. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cool completely before cutting into 2-inch squares.

Thumbprint Cookies

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Thumbprint-Cookies
These cookies have a bit of crunch from the finely chopped pecans, sweetness from the almond extract, and richness from the butter. Strawberry and peach jams make beautiful jewel-colored fillings, but you can use other Southern favorite jams, such as blackberry, muscadine, or apple. They’re the perfect cookies to make with the kids―let them make the thumbprints and choose the filling.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup strawberry jam
  • 1/4 cup peach jam
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation

  1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks and almond extract, beating until blended.
  2. Combine flour and salt; add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Cover and chill dough 1 hour.
  3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Lightly beat egg whites. Dip each dough ball in egg white; roll in pecans. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press thumb in each dough ball to make an indentation.
  4. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets, and remove to wire racks to cool completely. Press centers again with thumb while cookies are still warm; fill center of each cookie with jam.

Pecan-Cheese Crisps

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Pecan-Cheese-Crisps

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
  • Parchment paper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Stir together Parmesan cheese and pecans in a small bowl.
  3. Spoon cheese mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, forming mounds.
  4. Flatten each into a 2-inch round, creating an even thickness.
  5. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool 15 minutes or until crisp. Store between layers of wax paper in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Chocolate Baklava

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Chocolate Baklava
This is a simply amazing recipe—layers of crisp phyllo interspersed with mixed nuts and hazelnut-chocolate spread, with just enough butter to enhance the flavor yet keep the sat fat low. Baklava is a classic Mediterranean dessert that traditionally features layered phyllo dough, nuts, and syrup or honey. In this version, creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread adds rich, decadent flavor to this nutty, crowd-pleasing pastry. Because phyllo sheets are thin and delicate, handle with care so you won’t tear the sheets. Keep the sheets you are not working with covered so it won’t dry out.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 1 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
  • 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup blanched toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Cooking spray
  • 24 (14 x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

PREPARATION

  1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat; stir until honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 230° (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; keep warm. Discard cinnamon stick.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°.
  3. Place hazelnut-chocolate spread in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted.
  4. Combine hazelnuts and next 5 ingredients (through salt).
  5. Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
  6. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), place 1 phyllo sheet lengthwise in bottom of prepared pan, allowing ends of sheet to extend over edges of dish; lightly brush with butter. Repeat procedure with 5 phyllo sheets and butter.
  7. Drizzle about 1/3 cup melted hazelnut -chocolate spread over phyllo. Sprinkle evenly with one-third of nut mixture (about 1/2 cup).
  8. Repeat procedure twice with phyllo, butter, hazelnut-chocolate spread, and nut mixture.
  9. Top last layer of nut mixture with remaining 6 sheets phyllo, each lightly brushed with butter. Press gently into pan.
  10. Make 3 lengthwise cuts and 5 crosswise cuts to form 24 portions using a sharp knife.
  11. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until phyllo is golden.
  12. Remove from oven. Drizzle honey mixture over baklava.
  13. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; store at room temperature.

NOTE

Because phyllo sheets are thin and delicate, handle with care so you won’t tear the sheets. Keep the sheets you are not working with covered so it won’t dry out.

Pecan Squares

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Peanut-Butter-Toffee-Turtle-Cookies
These turtle cookies have every indulgent flavor we could pack in a recipe: chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and toffee. You’re already baking a batch, aren’t you?

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
  • 2/3 cup almond toffee bits
  • 2/3 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
  • 2/3 cup milk chocolate morsels
  • 10 ounce vanilla caramels
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup milk chocolate morsels, melted

Preparation

TIP: The chocolate drizzle on the cookies will harden as it cools.

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg, beating until blended. Add baking mix, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in toffee bits, chopped peanuts, and 2/3 cup chocolate morsels.
  2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets; flatten dough with hand.
  3. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool cookies on baking sheets 1 minute; remove cookies to wire racks.
  4. Microwave caramels and 2 tablespoons cream in a glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute; stir. Continue to microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring until caramels melt and mixture is smooth; add remaining cream, if necessary. Stir in vanilla. Spoon caramel mixture evenly onto tops of cookies; drizzle evenly with melted chocolate.