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Gooey Brown Butter Pecan Pie Bars ultra close-up hero

Gooey Brown Butter Pecan Pie Bars

Gooey brown butter pecan pie bars with a flaky shortbread crust, rich caramelized pecan filling, and a hint of flaky sea salt. The ultimate holiday dessert!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 340
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

Buttery Shortbread Crust
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (or granulated sugar)
  • 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Brown Butter Caramel Pecan Topping
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned until nutty and fragrant
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or pure honey)
  • 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 1/2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt (Maldon) for sprinkling

Method
 

Cooking Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt until a soft dough forms. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.
  3. While the crust bakes, brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat: swirl constantly for 4-5 minutes until the foaming subsides and golden brown specks appear with a nutty aroma.
  4. Whisk dark brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, vanilla, and cinnamon into the warm brown butter. Bring to a gentle boil for 1 minute, then stir in the chopped pecans.
  5. Pour the warm brown butter pecan mixture over the pre-baked shortbread crust, spreading evenly to the corners.
  6. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 22 minutes until the topping is bubbling across the entire surface. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool completely in the pan for at least 2 hours before slicing into 16 neat squares.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 480IUCalcium: 35mgIron: 1.1mg

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