Winter is a time for Pecan Pie. Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion during the cold months. My sister in law and I made these last year for a party and they were delicious!

Now generally, I’m not the biggest fan of Pecan Pie. It is generally too rich and gooey for my tastes. So, when a request was made for pecan pie, I did not have anything up my sleeve. So, we did what I always do when in doubt about food, we turned to the Contessa and found these wonderful bars. 

These are basically short little pies on top of a beautiful shortbread crust. The cookie crust is divine. The citrus zest brings a refreshing zing. These make for very decadent bars that are sure to be a pleaser.

Doesn’t that just look yummy?

 I have one very important tip for this recipe. When I followed it as is, it made an insanely large mess in my oven, which the day before the a party is really annoying. That is why I suggest that you line the oven with foil. If you have a very high lipped cookie sheet, that could help as well. The problem is, while it will all fit in the cookie sheet after you pour the topping on, it won’t exactly stay there. As the bars are cooking, the sugary nut concoction will boil and overflow the pan. If you don’t put anything under it, you will have a heck of a mess to clean up. Also, be careful pulling from the oven so that you don’t end up with hot syrup on your wrists. That would be bad.

But, despite all that, these are absolutely worth your while. The recipe makes a ton of these wonderful bars. Enjoy!

Pecan Bars 

Recipe from the Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1 pound unsalted butter
1 cup good honey
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions
Line the bottom of the oven with foil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.