Maple Bourbon Pecan Bars

This is one of our holiday favorites. Buttery, nutty treats that disappear as quickly as they are served.

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 2/3 cups flour
• ½ tsp. salt

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. good quality bourbon
• 2 ½ cups chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with two pieces of tin foil, overlapping all sides.
2. For crust: beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix until crumbly. Press evenly in the bottom of the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make filling. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, maple syrup and bourbon, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped pecans.
4. Once crust has baked, remove from oven and immediately pour filling over crust. Return to oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
5. Cool completely, lift foil from pan and cut into squares. Makes about 20-24 squares.