Pecan Squares

Submitted by CookinDiva

"If you love Pecan Pie but hesitate to indulge in a full slice, you will love these bite-size pecan squares. UPDATED 12/12/07 to provide more specific baking times for 9x13 pans and 10x15 pans. Now you can be sure your filling will set properly!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 70 squares
• Serves: 35

ingredients

• CRUST

• 12 tablespoons butter, room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1⁄2 cup white sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

• FILLING

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1⁄2 cups white sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 1⁄2 cups pecans, chopped (about 12 ounces)

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
2. Prepare pan (9x13 or 10x15) by lining it with parchment paper (or grease pan heavily because the filling gets quite sticky after baking).
3. Crust: Place all crust ingredients in a mixer. Mix until it looks like coarse grain, then pour this crumbly mixture into prepared pan. Use floured fingers to pat dough firmly into place. Bake crust at 350°F until light golden brown, 22-24 minutes (9x13) or 20-22 minutes (10x15).
4. Filling: While crust is baking, place pecans in food processor and pulse to chop coarsely; set pecans aside.
5. In a saucepan, melt butter; then add white sugar and stir until dissolved. REMOVE FROM HEAT NOW and add corn syrup, vanilla and eggs. Add pecans. (It's important that this mixture is warm, but not HOT which would cook the eggs).
6. Remove crust from oven; pour warm pecan mixture over hot crust and return to oven. Bake at 350°F for 32-34 minutes (9x13) or 25-27 minutes (10x15 jellyroll). When it is done, only the very center will appear wobbly and most of the filling will have puffed up slightly to indicate that the eggs are cooking and setting up.
7. **Tip for cutting: freeze pecan squares a couple hours, then use a serrated knife which will score through the pecans for perfect small squares.
8. Chocolate Pecan Squares: Add 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the filling before baking.

Reviews

[Eldeevee]

You did not disappoint with this recipe, it tastes better than pecan pie because of the shortbread crust. However the filling did not set for me. I did make it in a 9x13 pan and left if in the oven for an additional 5 minutes, too. I added this recipe to my Christmas baking this year and it is tucked nicely in the freezer right now to enjoy in a couple weeks. Thanks again Cooking Diva.

 

[JamesandMegan]

So delicious, but I can't get the filling to solidify. I can't figure out what I did wrong, but if the dish is not refrigerated constantly, it turns into pecan soup! Still very worth the time and effort.

 

[kdp4640]

These were great! I made them to take to a teacher appreciation luncheon and they were gone in no time! PAC Spring '07

 

[Juenessa]

I made the full pan and these are delicious! Because of the shortbread crust, I think these taste soooo much better than pecan pie. I made these for my dad and husband for lunch tomorrow and am going to have some very happy men when they taste these wonderful, little treats. I don't think they will last very long at our house! Thanks so much, Cookin' Diva!