Pecan Square Cookies
- Ready In:
- 1hr 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Yields:
-
32 cookies
ingredients
-
For the crust
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3⁄4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
-
For the filling
- 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
- 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 6 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
directions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- To prepare pan: line a 9 by 13 inch pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, leaving overhang so you can pull foil and cookies out after cooling.
- To make the crust: mix the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add salt, and mix to combine.
- Add the flour 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
- Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in even clumps.
- Dump the dough clumps into the prepared pan and spread them out evenly.
- Press dough into the prepared 9 by 13 baking pan to about 1/4-inch thick.
- Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork in 1 inch intervals.
- Always prick the crust; it keeps the crust from puffing up and forming air pockets.
- Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
- Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Reduce oven to 325 degrees F.
- To make the filling: Place butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat.
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
- Remove pan from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
- Pour filling onto the cooled crust. Spread the pecans around the crust with a fork to make an even layer. Add a few more pecans to fill in bald spots if necessary.
- Bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- When cool lift out cookies and foil in one piece onto a cutting board.
- Peel foil off the edges so foil lays flat.
- Use a sharp knife to cut into cookies into 4 rectangles.
- Then cut each rectangle into 8 cookies for a total of 32 cookies.
- Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
cookiebaker
United States
I live in Sacramento,CA and have lived here all my life. I've been married to the same guy for 20+ years and I have 4 children, including a set of teenage girl twins. I love cats, cooking and collecting cookbooks. My favorite cookbooks are dessert books (I bet you could tell by my user name). I love books by Maida Heatter. She is the Queen of desserts! I do struggle with my weight because I bake nearly everyday,even during the hot Sacramento summers. Baking relaxes me. My friends and staff think the previous statement is crazy but I'll bet a few of you out there could agree.
My birth father was a pastry chef and although he passed away before I was 2 years old, I believe baking is in the genes. I was very lucky to have a grandmother who always let me tear up her kitchen up experimenting. Even when I was 5 years old! Strong lady!