Recipe Background
Rich pecan squares with caramel-honey filling and shortbread base.
These pecan squares bring a warm, nutty richness that feels like an instant hug. Caramel and honey meld with the crunch of pecans, creating a gloriously gooey filling that nestles into a buttery shortbread base. As they bake, your kitchen fills with a sweet, nutty aroma that's nothing short of inviting.
Working with a cold, butter-infused base ensures the crust stays tender—pulsing until pea-sized clumps form gives it that perfect texture. This foundation crisps up just enough to hold the pecans and their glossy coating, while remaining delicate enough to bite through easily. Every square promises a harmonious balance of textures, from the crisp crust to the chewy, caramelized topping.
Share these colorful beauties at gatherings or keep them on hand for a personal treat. Their appeal spans generations, offering a taste that combines nostalgia with indulgence. You might find these have a habit of disappearing quickly, the layers of sweetness and warmth irresistible to anyone within reach.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter cold and cut into 1-inch pieces
For the filling:
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups pecans coarsely chopped
Directions
- Cover a 9-inch square baking pan with heavy duty foil, pushing the foil neatly into the corners and up the sides of the pan, using two pieces if necessary to overlap the edges and have some overhang.
- Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the flour, the cornstarch, the confectioners' sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt into a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.
- Pulse the mixture into the food processor together, pulsing only a few times.
- Add 1 stick of the cold, unsalted butter to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-size clumps.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan, pressing it firmly into an even layer on the bottom with your fingers.
- Refrigerate the baking pan for 15 minutes.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the crust until set but not browned, about 17 minutes.
- Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack to cool, leaving the oven on.
- In a heavy, medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the remaining butter, the brown sugar, the honey, the vanilla, and the remaining salt, stirring and heating until the sugar dissolves.
- Increase the heat to medium-high.
- Boil the mixture gently for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and the chopped pecans.
- Pour the pecan mixture over the crust (it is okay if the crust is still warm).
- Bake until the filling is bubbling and caramel in color, about 20 minutes.
- Let the pecan squares cool completely on a wire rack.
- Use the foil overhang to lift the squares out of the pan and onto a cutting board.
- Slice and serve.
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