Maple Pecan Bar Cookies
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These easy Maple Pecan Bar Cookies are chewy and dense bar cookies rich with autumnal maple pecan flavoring. Easy to make cookie bars that are perfect for the season – the perfect sweet snack with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.
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You are going to love these Maple Pecan Bar Cookies. They’re the taste of fall, simply put. This is the story of how I created them:
It began with Dunkin’ Donuts and their belief that maple could possibly replace pumpkin spice. And so they added menu items to entice people like you and me.
Then, Starbucks began promoting its new Maple Pecan Latte. Everywhere.
Every time I went to the market, I saw that delicious-looking latte calling my name. It was impossible to resist.
For me, fall is all about maple-y flavors. Along with pumpkin spice, for sure. In fact, the Chicago Tribune says this year Starbucks, “Maple is ‘sharing the spotlight’ with pumpkin.”
A delightful and delicious combination. It’s not mutually exclusive. It’s not either… or. It’s both.
And so I began thinking about such things as maple bars and wanted to make an easy but delicious bar cookie to share with family and friends this season.
This is that cookie. And it does make me think about maple bar donuts.
When I first began developing and testing the recipe, I tried to make them without the maple extract. While good, the maple flavor wasn’t pungent enough for me. The addition of the maple extract added that little something extra, reminiscent of maple-y deliciousness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stored at room temperature in an air-tight container they should be at their best for up to 3 days.
Yes! You can just leave it out and rely on the maple syrup for a more subtle maple flavor. However, McCormick make it so most large grocery stores should carry it, and you can always try your hand at making your own!
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Vermont Maple Pecan Bar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line with parchment paper a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add brown sugar and still until completely dissolved. Stir in the maple syrup. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature (I use refrigerated maple syrup, which cools it immediately). Once cool, add the egg, vanilla, and maple extracts, combine thoroughly.
- To the saucepan, stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 chopped pecans over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and set. Loosen edges with a knife and cool on a metal rack. Cut into bars or squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.