Pecan Square Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 18 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 375 degrees.
• 2 to prepare pan: line a 9 by 13 inch pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, leaving overhang so you can pull foil and cookies out after cooling.
• 3 to make the crust: mix the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• 4 add salt, and mix to combine.
• 5 add the flour 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
• 6 continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in even clumps.
• 7 dump the dough clumps into the prepared pan and spread them out evenly.
• 8 press dough into the prepared 9 by 13 baking pan to about 1/4-inch thick.
• 9 prick the pastry with the tines of a fork in 1 inch intervals.
• 10 always prick the crust; it keeps the crust from puffing up and forming air pockets.
• 11 chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
• 12 bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
• 13 transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• 14 reduce oven to 325 degrees f.
• 15 to make the filling: place butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat.
• 16 bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
• 17 remove pan from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
• 18 pour filling onto the cooled crust. spread the pecans around the crust with a fork to make an even layer. add a few more pecans to fill in bald spots if necessary.
• 19 bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 25 minutes.
• 20 transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• 21 when cool lift out cookies and foil in one piece onto a cutting board.
• 22 peel foil off the edges so foil lays flat.
• 23 use a sharp knife to cut into cookies into 4 rectangles.
• 24 then cut each rectangle into 8 cookies for a total of 32 cookies.
• 25 store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.