Adventures in Baking: Pecan Pie Squares

I've been doing lots of candy making and baking this week and today I'm doing some more!  Pecan Pie is a typical holiday favorite right?  I think so..at least in the South.  Maybe everywhere.  Anyway, my husband likes Pecan Pie okay...but a few years ago when I found this recipe, he decided it is his favorite Christmas treat.  It's like Pecan Pie, but not as gooey or thick, and not as rich or sweet.

It has a buttery shortbread crust, instead of a typical pie crust.  The filling is very similar, if not exactly, like most Pecan Pie fillings, except this is baked on a jelly roll pan, (10" X 15") - so it's thin and crunchy.

Because chocolate makes everything better, I usually take about half of the squares and dip them halfway into melted semi-sweet chocolate chips!  I didn't do that today because I have so many other recipes on my to-do list  In the interest of giving you the whole picture, I decided to run back into the kitchen, melt just a handful of chocolate chips and dip a couple so I could woof them down to show you what I mean.  Believe me, if you like chocolate and pecan pie...you'll definitely want to do this...

 

I didn't even take the time to clean up the chocolate smears or let the chocolate set for this picture, but you seem what I mean...doesn't that look sooo yummy!?!

So, here's the recipe:

Pecan Pie Squares

Prep: 15 mins.
Bake: 55 mins.
Cool: 1 hour

Crust Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Pecan filling (recipe & ingredients below)

Pecan Filling:

4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
3 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 tsps. vanilla
2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Mix all filling ingredients except pecans in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in pecans
. 
1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease jelly roll pan, 15½ X 10½ X 1 inch. Beat flour, butter, sugar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly (mixture will be dry). Press firmly in pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

2. Make Pecan filling. Pour filling over baked layer; spread evenly. Bake about 25 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For squares, cut into 8 rows by 5 rows. Yield: 40 squares.

*Walnuts can be substituted to make Walnut Pie Squares.
*The squares can be dipped into melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
*Cut into triangles for a slight variation

These are really very yummy and a nice variation from your typical Pecan Pie!

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