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.

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.

Poisoned-Pecan-Squares
…just kidding, my little pretty!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 3 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Preparation

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

Makes about 28 squares.