These squares are my husband's favorite. We get some real, pure maple syrup from back home in Ontario, Canada, and they are just to die for. Hope you enjoy as much as we do.
These are absolutely delicious bars! The amount of pecans is perfect, the filling was just slightly gooey, and the shortbread base is so buttery and delicious. The only thing wrong with these is that the maple flavor isn't all that present...you can taste a delightful hint of it in the bars, but they aren't extremely maple-y. I may decide to add some maple flavoring to the next batch I make, because adding more syrup would mess too much with the texture of the filling. I lined my baking pan with Reynold's release foil so that I could just take the whole section of cooled bars right out of the pan for ease of cutting. I did cut them into triangles instead of one inch squares...I thought they looked prettier that way. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe...it's a winner!
Read MoreThe topping softened the shortbread too much and almost felt like it was uncooked. It was good, but I wouldn't use this recipe again. I would probably double the pecan.
Read More These are absolutely delicious bars! The amount of pecans is perfect, the filling was just slightly gooey, and the shortbread base is so buttery and delicious. The only thing wrong with these is that the maple flavor isn't all that present...you can taste a delightful hint of it in the bars, but they aren't extremely maple-y. I may decide to add some maple flavoring to the next batch I make, because adding more syrup would mess too much with the texture of the filling. I lined my baking pan with Reynold's release foil so that I could just take the whole section of cooled bars right out of the pan for ease of cutting. I did cut them into triangles instead of one inch squares...I thought they looked prettier that way. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe...it's a winner!
Excellent! Here are my additions: 1). doubled batch; 2). used 1/3 brown and 1/3 white sugar in the dough; 3). added 1/3 c. shredded coconut and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to the topping; 4). lined the pan with foil and lightly coated with Wilson's Cake Release; 5). Immediately after removing from oven I sprinked lightly and evenly with miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips (don't spread when they melt - just let them 'dot' the cookies with little bursts of chocolate). After cooling almost completely; the bars cut beautifully! For first time shortbread makers - let the butter come to room temperature naturally - don't try to microwave it. Then cut the sticks into little cubes, and sprinkle the cubes into the flour/sugar mixture as you're mixing it. Mix on low to medium speed and don't overmix. Taking this extra care with the butter and using a standing mixer will make a beautiful dough that is evenly incorporated, allowing you to just lift the dough out and press right into the pan.
Made this exactly as written, except for the addition of 1/2 tsp maple extract to give it a more distinctive flavor. My husband loved these. Tastes a lot like pecan pie tarts. Next time I'm planning on substituting some white sugar because it was a little too caramel tasting for my liking. I also lined my pan with foil so i could lift out, to make the cutting into bars easier.
I doubled the recipe and used a 9x13 pan, and substituted an extra tablespoon of maple syrup for 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar. SO GOOD.
AMAZING! I am going to make these again for sure! The only thing i changed was the pan i used. I didnt have an 8x8 so i used my cupcake trays. this recipe makes 12 cupcakes size discs. they were a perfect 2 bites and best of all i used cupcake liners so i had no clean up. unwrap and serve they looked nice and neat. In future i will make 2 trays worth. If i do that i would double the shortbread crust and triple the filling. I found the crust was perfect for 12 cupcake size bites but i could have used a bit more filling. Seriously good. You have to try this easy and addicting treat!
Sooo tasty and seriously so simple it shouldn't be baking legal! I've made this both with pecans and walnuts and its equally as good to us. The only thing I really have to add is that I have started adding just a pinch of salt to the egg mixture and would like to reiterate what the other reviewers have said about the maple syrup...it must be good quality pure syrup or you might as well omit it because you won't prominently taste it. Thanks for this easy delicious recipe!
These are rediculously delicious! Made a double batch and gave half to my coworker for her birthday. Good maple syrup is key to this recipe for a strong maple flavor. Only thing I'd do differently next time is to line the pan with parchment paper. I thought a quick spritz of cooking spray would suffice...I was wrong. However, they still tasted fantastic in pieces!
These are little buttery bites of heaven! I now print off copies of the recipe before taking the bars anywhere to save my 16 year old from having to write the recipe out in multiples. I've made them twice now, the first time I followed the recipe to the T and the second time I added salt to the shortbread...a typical shortbread has salt in it and it did make a difference..but it was great both ways.
I can't even describe how delicious these are – and they're very easy to make too. The only changes I made were to add another 1/2 cup of pecans and about 2 TBSP of extra maple syrup. As other reviewers have noted, NOTHING takes the place of real, pure maple syrup (especially an artificial extract!)... trust me, I'm Canadian. ;-) However, some people may not be aware that there are different grades of maple syrup -- light, medium, and dark. With 'dark' giving a much more intense maple flavour. It can be hard to find, but it's out there. These squares are truly awesome. I can't wait to try them with walnuts or almonds.
@larkspur, for the maple flavor you must use pure syrup, i find that store bought stuff isn't very good. Not sure what you used, but thanks for your compliment:) Glad you enjoyed them
I made these without nuts because of possible allergies. My co-workers loved these. the caramelized brown sugar and maple on top was amazing. And the bars were chewy, buttery, and sweet! I will be making this again!
Very tasty!! I don't have any real maple syrup, but I really wanted to try it, so I substituted the maple syrup for light corn syrup and added 1 teaspoon of maple flavored extract. I also threw in about 1/3 cup extra pecans. It was rich and delicious. I will be making these again soon!
Very good, but my only complaint was that the bottom crust got soggy after 24 hours or less. I did add a bit of maple flavoring per other reviews. These were very good.
Wow these were exceptionally good! Make them, you wont be disappointed! I actually made them twice in one week. Make sure to use PURE maple syrup just like the recipe states...outstanding! (I did add more pecans and also added 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract to the pecan layer...yum!)
Delicious! Following suggestions from other reviewers, I doubled the recipe and added 1 tsp maple flavoring, an extra 1/3 cup of pecans, and a pinch of salt to the egg mixture. Despite adding the maple flavoring, they still didn't taste particularly maple-y, maybe because I used dark brown sugar. Next time I'll use either light brown sugar or white sugar instead.
Followed recipe as writted. Delicious! Very similar to pecan pie bars, but the filling here is a bit thinner spread. Meaning there's less on top of the crust compared to pecan pie bars. Everyone loved them, thanks for sharing!
very good recipe, my kids really appreciated it: and they can eat pecans, which are healthy! I doubled it, because I thought there was no point in baking such a small amount. The quantity is perfect for a 9x13 baking dish really. Definitely a keeper!
These are absolutely spectacular! I didn't imagine just how wonderful these would be! I also added 1/3 of Skor bits (the kind you get in the same place in the grocery store as chocolate chips) to the pecan mixture and they are to DIE for!!!!!
This is a great recipe! Whenever I take some to a potluck, my friends fight over it. I've also tried it with about 1/4 cup of chopped crisp bacon in addition to the pecans. YUM!
Such a great, easy recipe for someone who has never made crust before! I made this recipe using mini cupcake trays. If you are going to try it, I think it is best to spread the crust thinly because they puffed up and left almost no room for the topping. I would also make two batches of the topping because there wasn't enough to put in all 24 of them.
A very tasty cookie, and very easy to make. I lined my pan with parchment paper for easy removal, and took another reviewer's suggestion and added a little maple flavoring. I will definitely add this recipe to my holiday baking.
Great taste. Super simple to make. I added a pinch of salt to the dough and used pecan halves (though chopped pecans might have made it easier to cut). I lined the pan with parchment paper to make them easy to remove.
These were a big hit at work! The recipe turns out perfectly as written.(I did add a pinch of salt though.) They even came out of the glass baking dish quite easily. The 2nd time I made them I added a tablespoon of bourbon to the pecan & maple filling and toasted the pecans as I would with a pecan pie. It adds another depth of flavor that I really like.
The topping softened the shortbread too much and almost felt like it was uncooked. It was good, but I wouldn't use this recipe again. I would probably double the pecan.
These are so good!! I didn't change the recipe at all and they turned out rich and delicious. Thanks for a new dessert bar recipe.
I have made these many many times and they are great.I followed the recipe to a t. I have made these for my co -workers and everyone loved them i even had to give the recipe to a few people.I do suggest that you use good quality maple syrup when making these it does make a difference.
One of the best desserts I've ever made and it was so easy! Served it warm with a little ice cream and it was fantastic. Awesome recipe, thank you for sharing!
These are just perfect. Easy and quick to make, with delicious, buttery, soft, gooey, brown sugary results. The maple is subtle, and I was worried it would be overpowering. I doubled the recipe and used a 9x13 pan. I might try increasing the filling next time to make the bars more substantial, but they really are dreamy the way they are. Thanks for sharing!
These are vey good; I don't find them to be too sweet at all. I made them yesterday with only one minor change. I added an additional tablespoon of maple syrup. I will probably double the recipe next time, as my husband has already eaten almost the entire pan! :)
Amazing bar! One of the best I have ever had! The pceans I used were very chopped up, but I don't think it made much of a difference. I used pure maple syrup and, due to the fact I didn't have a mixer, mixed the flour/sugar/butter by hand and with help of a wooden spoon. I also followed the advice of some others and added a bit of salt to the mixture. Delicious!!!
Just made this EXACTLY as instructed and OMG it is sooo delicious...the entire dessert is so EASY and YUMMY!!!! I will be making this many times!!! Thanks for sharing :)
Everyone who tried it said it was better than pecan pie! Pure maple syrup is a must. I greased the pan and they came out easily. I also doubled the pecans and it was the perfect amount. You're going to want to double the recipe, it's that good. Thank you for the great recipe!
These are delicious! I made no changes to the recipe and they turned out perfect! Thanks for the recipe, they will be our new favourite treat this Christmas!
Oh my... These are some serious trouble! I made them for the Easter dinner at my boyfriend's parents place tomorrow, and I am seriously tempted to just say that they didn't come out good so I decided not to bring them. Lol. Seriously though, these bars are just pure delight. My only problem is that the crust fell apart in some places. It stuck to the wax paper that I put on the bottom of the baking dish. And I did want to add some salt to the crust, as other reviewers suggested but I completely forgot about it. Oh well. I have a feeling I will be making them again very soon... :)
I made these just as written except I double it and used a 9 x 13 metal pan lined with parchment paper. Baked for 20 minutes as the recipe states. Turned out perfect and delicious. Be sure to spread out the pecans so they evenly cover the shortbread. Cut them in even squares, then cut them in half diagonally for a decadent look.
Super easy to make and FANTASTIC to munch on :D
ok some people loved them-I left them at a party and heard later how delicious they were
easy to make and very tasty. It looks and taste like a store bought pecan bars. I had to increase pecan to almost 50% as it looked better that way when cooled but I followed other's recommendation to add salt. I'll definitely make it again when I crave pecans but not often since it uses quite a bit of butter... -_- With my oven, I baked shortbread section for 15minutes or so. Second baking took approx 12minutes. Overall, great recipe!
My husband loved them, I thought they lacked "taste" - however, they didn't last very long!
very good but I used tinfoil on the bottom which stuck to the shortbreads. Parchment paper next time.
So perfect! I, too, added 1 tsp maple extract even though I did use the real maple syrup. I cut these in triangles.
Easy and excellent. I added a little maple extract 1/2 t to both the shortbread and the topping. I will double it next time!!!
Tasty squares. Added 1/4 cup raisins soaked in hot water for a few minutes. Lined baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal.
I am not a pecan pie fan but assumed these are similar. I tried making the recipe tonight and gave them 5 stars for the flavor and easy prep but I had some problems. Tracy, I hope your or someone else can help me because the flavor was delicious and I'd like to make them often. I made them exactly according to the recipe except for using a whisk to mix them instead of a mixer. I was unsure if the shortbread should go up the sides of the pan or just cover the bottom as I have never made shortbread before. I baked them 17 minutes and they were done perfectly in the corners but not in the middle. I had no problem getting them out of the pan and I put nothing on or in it. I will try again and will add a touch of salt to the delicious shortbread as others suggested because I also thought it could use a touch. Please help if someone out there can. I did use authentic dark maple syrup because that is all I will buy as it has the best flavor. Thanks, Janis
These were a nice lightly flavored butter cookie. Easy to make and yummy! I baked mine about 20 minutes and would recommend making them small so the middle part bakes all the way. I even left out the pecans because I wanted a simple, easy butter cookie. Thank you for sharing
Very easy recipe. Followed directions exactly with great results. Did line pan with easy release foil, it worked like a charm.
Very easy to make and turned out great. Especially good for those that love pecan pie. The shortbread made a great crust and absorbed the sweetness from the maple/brown sugar/pecan topping. Mmmm
I love these! super simple and yet so delicious! I read the other reviews about it not being maple-y enough. I used just regular old eggo syrup and I thought it was great!
Super super simple to make these literally take no time or effort to make.... Instead of using a blender I just used a bowl and mixed with a fork and they turned out great.... Next time I might try adding more maple syrup in the topping and less brown sugar for a more maple flavor.... They reminded me of seven layer bars without the layers definitely a good base to make if you need something fast
Wow...these are VERY good! The only problem is once I start eating them, I don't want to stop!
These are wonderful! Didn't change a thing and they were perfect. I will make these again and again!
To get a good maple flavour, i used a good maple syrup and substituted some of the brown sugar with maple sugar (can be purchased in some costco stores in Canada.
Easy and delicious. Grade B Vermont maple syrup works well in this recipe. Everyone loved them :)
Very yummy. We add a little extra brown sugar and maple syrup. Gone within the day in our house.
This is my first review and I have tried many fantastic recipes, but this one is definitely worth the time to write a review. I have made this several times and its simply amazing! I follow the recipe exactly but I found the bigger the chunks for the pecans, the better it looks and tastes. Place a giant handful of pecans in a ziplock bag and hit it a couple times with a rolling pin ( double bag because the bag breaks) and its the perfect consistency. AMAZING. This is small batch. Its perfect to make a great desert without having too much of it around.
These were so delicious! A very simple desert and loved the shortbread base! My husband requested these again after we had finished the pan. Thank you for the recipe!
Phenomenal! Made this exactly as written, using real maple syrup. Had to make 2 batches in one week because my husband and I ate the first batch and didn't have any to share for the holidays! I will need to be careful with this recipe because I could make it over and over and over...
I wanted to make these for Thanksgiving instead of pecan pie. Everyone likes pecan pie but finds it so rich that they usually cannot finish a piece and then it goes to waste. I made a trial run and found them to be easy and delicious. For the reviewers that thought there was not enough maple flavor, I think, again that depends on how much you like maple. I do not like a strong maple flavor so these were perfect for my taste.
I doubled the pecans after reading some reviews. It was perfect. These are heavenly! Thanks for sharing.
Excellent recipe. I used the plain low fat maple syrup I had in my fridge and it turned out great. I've made these twice in one week and everyone loves them. Tastes like the best pecan pie you've ever had. Will make these for Thanksgiving dinner instead of the pie!
I also doubled this recipe & just used a 9 x 13 pan to bake it in. I did cheat and used just regular lite butter flavored Aunt Jemima syrup, but it was REALLY good. The added butter flavor with just a hint of maple made it tast sort of like a gooey, chewy, really tasty butter pecan deal. They have been around for 3 days now & have just gotten softer & better tasting with age. Very easy recipe & went over well at the wine tasting I took it to. Thank you for sharing! :)
I'm making these for the second time as the first batch turned out so wonderfully. This time I'm using Splenda brown sugar to cut the calories. Like others, I add 1/2 tsp maple extract for more flavor. This deserves 5 stars!
So good! I was worried that they were going to turn hard but after 3 or 4 days that were still nice and soft.
These were very easy to make and tasty. I took them to a bake sale the day after I baked them - they definitely soften once they are cut and put in a cookie tin (they aren't firm like normal shortbread since they have the nut topping). Keep that in mind - they need to be eaten fairly quickly, but are quite tasty.
These are amazing. I used real maple syrup and the maple flavor is perfect. I didn't wait for butter to soften completely. I chopped up mixed with pastry cutter. Pressed in pan and it was fine.
SO GOOD! These were okay when pulled out of oven, but they were AWESOME the next day. The BEST! Flaky shortbread, crunchy pecan pie like topping. Did I mention SO GOOD? They didn't have a chance at my house. I will double next time!
These are Fantastic!! I had some extra pecans i wanted to use up and my Husband needed a snack for his lunch so I thought id give these a shot! very very good I did add a little vanilla extract to the shortbread and added a little cinamon in with the pecan mixture and i added almost a cup of pecans! this was so simple to throw together! I hope he enjoys them as much as I do!!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
It took me 3 tries to get this right. I was baking the shortbread in the wrong sized tin. Make sure to use an 8 inch square tin. Another easy recipe (when done right) although my trial runs did not go uneaten either!
Very good, and mistake-proof! I messed up the crust (melted the butter a bit too much!) and then baked it too long and it was still awesome. I did use my cheap maple syrup that I had on hand, so you really couldn't taste it, but that was OK. This is still delicious!
These were easy to make and really delicious. My suggestion is to double the recipe.
These are delicious. Very simple. I think they are better the longer you let them set up. The only thing I changed is using Aunt Jemima. Love pure syrup and I am sure the purity would be excellent flavor but all I have right now is Aunt Jemima. Ugh but don't want to waste it so I am using it. I did not add the maple extract maybe the fake syrup already has the additive? Making another 2 batches today!
Great recipe! I did follow it to a T and it makes a great square, but what I prefer even more is adding maple extract, cinnamon and coconut to the topping, and using half white sugar /half brown in the shortbread. Everyone loves these! I gifted them to many people along with some other cookies.
Wonderful recipe. Everyone loved it. Best cookie I've made in ages. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Oh my goodness! These are SO GOOD! I followed the recipe closely (did not have real maple syrup; substituted with Log Cabin). Did everything else exactly. So EASY to make. Everyone in my family will get some of thèse in their "Christmas Cookie Box" this year. I will be proud to serve thèse at my Christmas Party this year. I did not line my baking dish with parchment or anything. I used a metal baking pan that had a very smooth, almost shiny finish. Got them out of the pan easily. So easy and so delicious!
Didn't have pecans so I used walnuts almonds and cashews and it turned out great! Will make again for sure :)
Amazing, and so easy! I used a butter maple pancake syrup and walnuts as that's what I had on hand, and added a pinch of kosher salt to the topping. I found I liked them much better once they had cooled, these are so good!
These are good and easy to make. I used real maple syrup and did taste the maple. I prefer a little more pecan topping over the shortbread, so next time I'll try to increase the syrup topping.
These are great! I made them exactly to the recipe using real organic maple syrup and light brown sugar. They were very tasty with a wonderful maple flavor. Wouldn't change a thing! Thank you :)
I made a double batch of these cookies and put it in a 9 x 13" pan. I cut 60 cookies out of this. The topping didn't go all the way to the edge so the side pieces were larger. The crust cooked 15 minutes to a golden color & the filling also cooked 15 minutes to firm up. These little gems were delish tasting like bites of pecan pie. I will be making these again.
I made this exactly as written and it was amazing! I was looking for an easier alternative to a pecan pie for Thanksgiving dessert and this was perfect.
Epic disappointment. For so many raving reviews, I was optimistic. The crust process went well. After 20 mins, I added the pecan topping and baked for 13 mins (recipe says 12-15). The result looked NOTHING like @larkspur's picture shown for this recipe. When I scrolled through other bakers' photos, I saw similarities to my own results. I did not serve these. There is only so much value for a recipe's taste; for me, success also means a good presentation.
i actually made this into a cookie. everyone loved them! great as a Christmas treat. i used the same recipe just used a cookie cutter and baked them. then i just used one tablespoon of the topping for each cookie. they came out great! soft and chewy! =^_^=
