By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(329)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is like a toned-down pecan pie in bar form.
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Ingredients
Yield:18 to 20 bars
- 4ounces (1 cup) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 2ounces (½ cup) all-purpose flour
- ¼teaspoon salt
- 2tablespoons sugar
- 3ounces 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3teaspoons ice water
- 2ounces 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- ⅓cup mild honey, like clover
- 4eggs
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- ½cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips
- 8ounces (2 cups) pecan halves
For the Cookie Base
For the Filling
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (19 servings)
199 calories; 14 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 53 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Step
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Butter or oil a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan and line with parchment. Butter the parchment. Sift together the flours and salt. Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and add the sugar. Pulse to blend together. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. With the machine running, add the vanilla extract and ice water and process until the dough comes together on the blades. Stop the machine and, using your hands, press into an even layer in the prepared pan. Pierce with a fork all over and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step
2
Bake the cookie base for 20 minutes, until it is just beginning to color. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before adding the top layer.
Step
3
Cream the butter with the honey, salt and nutmeg in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. The mixture will look broken, which is fine.
Step
4
Distribute the chocolate and then the pecans evenly over the cookie layer. Scrape in the butter and egg mixture and spread in an even layer. Place in the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until set. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before cutting.
Tip
- Advance preparation: This will keep for 3 or 4 days.
Ratings
4
out of 5
329
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Cooking Notes
Martha Rose Shulman
You can use all purpose flour or change the proportions of white and whole wheat to half and half. Whole Wheat pastry flour will be lighter than regular whole wheat flour.
VR
Sorry you had so much trouble, and the NYT is at fault for not putting the parenthesis around the butter measurement, but it would be silly to for any recipe to actually mix weights and measures for any particular ingredient in any recipe. So many people have called for weight measurements to be added. The list here is not particularly difficult. If you understand that a stick of butter is 4 oz., or 1/2 of a cup, then it is fairly clear that the 6 tablespoons here is the equivalent of 3 oz.
Elizabeth
I had to throw mine out before it went in the oven. I prefer not having weights and measures mixed in specifying the ingredients like this. Plus the butter quantity has no parentheses, which made the total amount unclear. I normally don't have trouble with ingredient quantities.
Michael in Madison, Wisconsin
I gave this recipe 4 stars. I was hesitant to give these cookies a try based on earlier feedback, but I gave it a go because I had all the ingredients on hand. And I do love pecan pie!
My result was delicious and matched the description in the introductory comments. This is not a typical bar cookie, but more like a pecan pie baked in bar cookie form. The crust is just mild rich and a nice compliment to the sweet pecan filling. I think the amount of chocolate is fine.
lovetocook
The filling on this recipe seemed to be missing something as it wasn't enough and the whole affair was dry. The recipe didn't call for enough chocolate to taste.
Kht
Turned out awful.... Dry, bland, not at all what I had thought it would be. Followed directions to a t and I am an experienced baker.
really 4 stars??!
I am really very confused by the ratings and reviews of this recipe. The bars are quite honestly yucky! Bland, like eating cardboard.
Stephanie Molen
They are a bit eggy, and not as sweet as I would like. I think Brown sugar instead of regular sugar might be better. Cook the cookie at the bottom for less time, and add more honey and chocolate.
Martha Rose Shulman
Yes, it sets when you bake it. It's a classic method for pecan pie.
Lynn
Definitely does not taste like pecan pie. Flavor is bland so could use more chocolate.
Ethan Johnston
Honestly, I really did not like what this recipe produced. It bears little similarity to traditional pecan pie and I would describe it as an extreme deviation as opposed to toned down version. The honey (no type is mild enough....) is cloying and overpresent, the nutmeg contributes nothing and is not a traditional ingredient, it's dry and lacks adequate filling, and the cookie base should just skip whole wheat based flour in an effort to have a cleaner taste. Maybe use a smaller baking dish?
Gina Betcher
I wonder if molasses syrup in place of honey would put pecan pie bars into our hands through this recipe?
Deb
Disappointing flavor in both the crust and the topping. Crust is thicker than the good stuff on top.
MMR
I was so excited to make this and I actually ended up throwing them out. There’s something very bland about this recipe that just doesn’t take advantage of anything ingredients. Wouldn’t make it again
Mute
OK but weirdly eggy. 4 eggs should have been the tip off. The custard ran under the parchment and formed a gross baked egg border around the edges of the pan. Not sure what I did wrong here. Next time I'll use condensed milk or make straight up pecan pie.
Angie
These are not good. The cookie crust came together easily and was nice and crisp… but then I poured the filling on—there is something off about the ratios there. It was like scrambled egg liquid, and the entire thing didn’t really set; like there was way too little sugar. It just soaked into the crust and created a cold, rubbery, floppy slab. Either the method or ingredients are off. I followed the recipe exactly.
Calisson
It is fine to mix measurements with weights, but consistent use of parentheses would help! For example, “2 ounces (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter” is a lot clearer than “2 ounces 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter.”
Stephanie Molen
They are a bit eggy, and not as sweet as I would like. I think Brown sugar instead of regular sugar might be better. Cook the cookie at the bottom for less time, and add more honey and chocolate.
really 4 stars??!
I am really very confused by the ratings and reviews of this recipe. The bars are quite honestly yucky! Bland, like eating cardboard.
Suzaan
Used almond flour instead of wheat pastry flour, half-molasses and half honey, garam masala instead of nutmeg, and walnut halves instead of pecans. Doubled choc chips. Irresistible -- just must bake the cookie crust long enough to get firm and crisp.
Dru
The bars were excellent and popular. What was the point of the “filling?” It was not a filling, rather a thin layer on top of the chocolate and pecans. My chocolate did not melt and it was good chocolate. I put the chocolate on first and then the pecans, but even where the chocolate was not covered by the nuts, it only got soft but kept its shape. I used Guittard thin round discs. Is there a better chocolate to use?
Jana
This recipe didn’t work for me. I made it because I have a lot of pecans in my refrigerator from last fall and was thinking of “Angel Slices” from The Joy of cooking. But I had my phone in my hand and opened it and this recipe
VaDad
Firmly in the "meh" category. Not enough flavor in either the crust or the filling. No sweet or salt or anything to light up the tastebuds. Easy and nice looking, but all sizzle and no steak.
BW
This came out terribly. Not sweet enough, bland, strange texture. Like if you set out to make a “healthy” pecan bar. If that’s what you’re looking for, this is your recipe!
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