Butter Pecan Cookie Bars with Penuche Drizzle

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 25 min. + cooling

Makes

2 dozen

Updated: Jul. 25, 2023
I have made these bars for many, many years. They are rich, chewy, nutty and buttery—all the good stuff. I like to use dark brown sugar for the extra flavor. A sprinkle of some pecans on the top makes for a nice nutty, toasted flavor. They freeze well, that is, if they last long enough! A little drizzle of old-fashioned penuche icing takes them over the top. You could eat these without the penuche, but why would you want to? —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California
Butter Pecan Cookie Bars with Penuche Drizzle Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, divided
  • ICING:
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon 2% milk
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter until blended. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in 3/4 cup pecans. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.
  2. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
  3. For icing, in a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in brown sugar; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add milk; cook and stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat; whisk in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Immediately drizzle over bars; let stand until set. Cut into bars.

Nutrition Facts

1 bar: 212 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 30mg cholesterol, 103mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.