WHAT’S FOR DESSERT?
Brown Butter Pecan Pie Bars
Array/5
COOK TIME
45min
TOTAL TIME
45 minutes
SERVINGS
Do you guys know about brown butter? It’s basically life changing for all dessert and savory foods alike, and at the very least, will make your house smell amazing. More on brown butter in a second.
First let’s talk about pies. What is your take on pecan pie? I feel like you are either all in or all out with pecan pie. I am in, all in. I love that ooey gooey toffee flavored goo with the crunch of pecans. Yum.
I know I shared my Grandma’s pie crust recipe the other day (which is super easy and delicious), but sometimes you just want an easy (more socially accepted in public) vehicle for the pecan pie filling that isn’t a spoon straight out of the bowl while in my sweatpants, and that means a bar. So when I saw this recipe over on Sally’s Baking Addiction site, I had to try it.
I was not disappointed. Mostly because it involves a brown butter crust. If you don’t know about brown butter, then stop what you are doing right now and grab a sauté pan and a stick of butter. Brown butter has this sweet, nutty flavor that makes so many desserts (and savory foods) taste delicious. It’s a very Fall type flavor and it’s not difficult at all. You just melt butter in a pan until you see a color change and small brown flecks start to appear. Done and done.
This is a great recipe to bring to Thanksgiving if you are looking for something a little different but still the same great Thanksgiving flavors.
What are your favorite Thanksgiving foods? I love mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cheesy potatoes, apple pie and of course, pecan pie. So apparently, I love everything.
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Brown Butter Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Brown Butter Crust Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pecan Pie Filling Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 large eggs, beaten
3 cups coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch pan or line with parchment paper leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out. Set aside.
2. For the crust: Slice the butter up into pieces and place in skillet. Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring occasionally. After 5-8 minutes, the butter will begin browning– you’ll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan and it will have a nutty aroma. Once browned, remove from heat immediately and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, stir the brown butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour until evenly combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. For the topping: Combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine the ingredients and dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 3 minutes. As it is boiling, carefully spoon 1/2 cup of the mixture into a separate bowl. Slowly drizzle and stir hot mixture into the eggs, stirring continuously. Stir frequently to keep it moving so the eggs do not scramble. Once all of the 1/2 cup mixture is added to the beaten eggs, slowly drizzle and whisk this back into the pot. The trick is to always be stirring/whisking to avoid scrambling the eggs. Remove from heat, stir in the pecans, and pour evenly over the crust.
4. Bake for 28-32 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out almost all clean. If the top is getting too brown as it bakes, loosely cover with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven, set on a wire rack, and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares. Cover and store leftover bars at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
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