Easy Pecan Bars

The recipe for these Pecan Bars is easier than most. The crust does not need to be rolled out and no candy thermometer is required. Even better, the addition of lemon zest adds a refreshing note to the rich honey and brown sugar sweetened flavor of this holiday favorite.

Making a List….for Christmas Baking

I have always loved holiday baking. As a girl, I spent many December evenings in Aunt Hen’s kitchen. After school I would walk up to her house and dig through her vast collection of cookbooks and holiday publications in search of the best recipes for Christmas cookies and candies.

Meanwhile, Aunt Hen planned out the recipes she wanted to bake for the holidays. Some were old favorites. Others were for something new she discovered during the year. If I found a recipe I was eager to try she added it to her list written on the white tablet she always kept near her chair in the dining table. Once the list was complete and she had collected the ingredients, we devoted our free evenings to baking Christmas cookies.

Aunt Hen favored traditional bar cookie recipes with the flavor of butterscotch chips or candied fruit and coconut. I tended toward recipes for cut out sugar cookies or cookies with chocolate and spices. Together we mixed the ingredients, tended the oven and sometimes added decorations.

As Aunt Hen and I baked, Aunt Bet would often join us for conversation and coffee breaks. She would help us wash the dishes and pack the finished cookies in big Christmas tins. Later we arranged plates of the cookies and candy we made together to give as gifts to family and friends.

A New Recipe for Pecan Bars

I still love to make and bake during the Christmas season. These days I am alone in the kitchen but some of the recipes I use, Peanut Butter Fudge, Chocolate Crinkles and Scandinavian Almond Cookies for example, haven’t changed since those baking marathons with Aunt Hen. Other recipes I’ve discovered or updated over the years. I still enjoy finding new ways to create holiday favorites.

This year I tried a new recipe for a traditional favorite; Pecan Bars. Though I have already posted a recipe for Pecan Pie Bites, one I have enjoyed since I was a teen, this recipe for Pecan Bars grabbed my attention because of its simplicity. Reading through the recipe, I noted that the crust is pressed in the pan, rather than rolled out with a rolling pin. I also found no need to look for my candy thermometer since the simple directions don’t mention using one. And then there was the inspired addition of lemon zest to brighten the rich honey nut filling. That convinced me to include these Pecan Bars on my annual Christmas baking list.

The finished bar cookies did not disappoint. They baked as described, were easy to remove from the pan and cut into pretty pieces. The finished recipe made 54 cookies, enough for a crowd, and, best of all, they taste wonderful!

Easy Pecan Bars

Course: Cookies and CandyCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

54

bars

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

5

minutes

The addition of lemon zest to the crust layer gives these honey and brown sugar sweetened Pecan Bars a refreshing flavor.

Ingredients

• Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• Filling:

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/3 cup honey

• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans

• 1/4 cup whipping cream

Directions

• Directions for Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until smooth. Add 1/2 cup sugar, lemon peel, and vanilla, beating until combined. Beat in as much flour as possible with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
• Press dough into the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
• Directions for Filling:
• Reduce oven temperature to 325F.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/3 cup butter, brown sugar, honey, and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat stirring until the mixture comes to a full boil. Remove pan from heat. Stir in pecans and whipping cream. Immediately pour the pecan mixture over crust, spreading evenly. Bake at 325F for 25 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Cut into narrow bars, 1″ x 2″.

Notes

• Recipe Source: From Better Homes and Gardens “Christmas Cookies” Issue, 1994