Description
Delicious Maple Pecan Cookie Bars offer a perfect balance of rich maple syrup sweetness combined with crunchy pecans and a tender, buttery base. These bars are easy to prepare and bake, making them an ideal treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the correct temperature for baking the bars evenly.
- Prepare Baking Pan: Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent the bars from sticking and to make removal easier.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to combine the leavening and seasoning evenly.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, blend the melted butter and packed brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Then add the maple syrup and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to form the base batter without overmixing.
- Add Pecans: Fold in the chopped pecans evenly throughout the batter, adding texture and nutty flavor to the bars.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let the bars cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into rectangular bars for serving.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the bars tender.
- Chopped pecans can be toasted beforehand for an enhanced nutty flavor.
- Use parchment paper lining for easier removal of bars after baking.
- Storage: Keep bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with coconut oil or a vegan butter alternative.
