Maple Shortbread Bars

Name: Maple Shortbread Bars
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 39 bars
Ingredients: 2 cups flour; 1/2 cup sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled; 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar; 2/3 cup real maple syrup; 2 eggs; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 teaspoon maple extract; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Recipe from Phyllis Méras and Linda Glick Conway

Adapted by Regina Schrambling

Maple Shortbread Bars — Peter DaSilva for The New York Times

Total Time: 55 minutes
Rating: 4(741)
Comments: Read comments

Shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Regina Schrambling wrote of the healing power of cooking. “The food is not really the thing,” she said. “It's the making of it that gets you through a bad time.” This recipe, adapted from "The New Carryout Cuisine" by Phyllis Méras with Linda Glick Conway, was one she turned to in the trying days that followed. A mere two steps, and ready in less than an hour, it’s comfort in a pan, just as good for when the darkness creeps up as it is for those days when you just need a bit more. And to those who might scoff at the two sticks of butter? Consider taking Schrambling’s words to heart: “Abstemiousness,” she wrote, “is not an option when you're feeling low.” —Regina Schrambling

Featured in: When the Path to Serenity Wends Past the Stove

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Ingredients

Yield:39 bars

For the Crust

2cups flour
½cup sugar
½teaspoon salt
2sticks unsalted butter, chilled

For the Filling

1½cups packed brown sugar
⅔cup real maple syrup
2eggs
4tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1teaspoon vanilla
1teaspoon maple extract
½teaspoon salt
2cups coarsely chopped pecans

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. For crust, combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into slices, and cut in with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumbly. Press into bottom and half an inch up the sides of a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool on rack.
Step 2
For filling, combine all ingredients except pecans, and mix until smooth. Pour into cooled crust. Distribute nuts evenly over top. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool on a rack before cutting.

Ratings

4 out of 5

741 user ratings

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Comments

Linda7 years ago

I've made this three times - the most critical step, in my opinion, is cooking the crust long enough and then letting it cool. The BEST results I had were when I baked the crust but didn't get back to the filling and final bake until the next day.

Didn't use any extract other than the vanilla - but for my next batch some bourbon is sounding enticing!

Linda7 years ago

OH! I cubed my butter and froze for a couple hours - then pulsed in the food processor with the flour, sugar, and salt mixture - about 20 times. PERFECT!

Anne7 years ago

Delicious! Almost like a pecan pie cookie. I cooked a little over the 30 minutes suggested, but only 5-7 extra. Basically until I could shake the pan and the middle didn't wobble much. Perfect!

Tauna2 months ago

So good! First time I made it exactly as written..delicious. Next time, meant to stick with the recipe, but I was low on pecans and maple syrup. I was undaunted, however! My variation: 2 parts chopped pecans, 1 part chopped almonds. Used 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup maple syrup and 1/3 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup--a mellow kind of sweet. Both batches got raves from family! Thanks for this keeper.

Anna4 months ago

Made this in a half sheet and did the filling x1.5. Did not use maple extract, but did replace with an equivalent amount of bourbon. Came out excellently!

Larissa5 months ago

Made these for Christmas and they were a hit! I halved the recipe and used an 8-inch square baking pan. They kept well in the fridge for about 5 days.

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