These are the most perfect desert-snack of all time.
I learned about them from my mother-in-law who is an expert baker. My husband actually told me about them when were first dating a million years ago but I wasn’t that into nutty treats so when I was at his house for some holiday I didn’t even try them. Which is probably good because I was pretty concerned about my figure back then and had about zero dieting skills besides eat-it-all or don’t-eat-any. Plus I’m sure she made them to share and I would have eaten them all. For sure.
It’s actually kind of hard to describe how perfect these are. They are perfect for a potluck (I just took them to one and everyone wanted the recipe, that’s why I’m making this blog post – you’re welcome) they are perfect for holiday parties, they are perfect for birthday parties, the are perfect for any time that there could possibly be cookies or brownies. But those are way over done and someone else is probably bringing them and if you want to stand out as having the awesomest finger-food desert snack than you should bring these.
Side benefit: Everyone will love you.
Or they hate you because they will probably eat way too many and that was not part of their diet and now they have to run two extra miles tomorrow. But that’s ok, running is good for you anyway and really you were doing them a favor because: endorphins.
These things are super yummy.
Plus they look kind of healthy right? I mean, look at all those nuts! And that tiny layer of frosting? They can’t be that unhealthy, right? (Wrong)
Crust
1/2 cup room temp. butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 t salt
Pre heat oven to 350 F
Cream butter and sugar
Mix together flour and salt
Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 1/4 cup increments blending between each addition.
Press into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan
It will be very thin, try to get it as even as possible
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes
While the crust is baking make the chewy butterscotchy nutty deliciousness layer
(See how there is a red X over the butter, that’s because there is no butter in this layer. I totally thought there was so I put it in the picture but I was wrong. No butter)
Nuts and Yum Layer
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon backing powder
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut, lightly packed
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Chop your nuts and beat your eggs
Mix your eggs and brown sugar together
(action shot!)
Add your dry ingredients
(another action shot!)
Add your vanilla and coconut (so gewy)
Mix in your chopped pecans
(I was really feeling the action shots)
Wow. Look at the super sticky nutty goodness? Yumtastic.
Spread over your crust (which can still be hot)
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes
When it’s done it should look like this: brown edges, lightly browned top. And your house will smell like heaven.
Cover in about 1 cup of icing, or just enough so that you can just see through the icing to the nutty yumness.
I already had some icing on hand from making too much for a previous desert so I don’t have pictures of this process but it’s super easy.
Almond Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon almond extract (super important)
mix together adding more water to get a texture about like elmer’s glue (sorry, gross analogy but still totally true)
This is what it should look like when you have iced it and it’s still hot, see how you can see bits of the nut layer below the icing? That’s good. Too much icing makes it overwhelmingly sweet and it’s already a very sweet bar.
Wait for it to cool completely before cutting into rectangles about 1 inch by 1.5 inches. The flavors are better when it is cold. You can eat them warm and they are good, but they are the best after they’ve cooled. This takes a few hours so plan accordingly!
Check it out:
Oh yeah.
So good. Much nutty.
Layers of gewy perfection.
Scrumptious
Let me know what you think and what your friends reactions were and how much you love me for telling you about these in the comments below!
Friday: Pie Day 