Grandma’s Pecan Rum Bars

Name: Grandma's Pecan Rum Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 2 dozen.
Ingredients: 4 cups chopped pecans, divided; 1 cup butter, softened; 2-1/4 cups packed brown sugar; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 2 tablespoons vanilla extract; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2-1/4 cups red candied cherries; 1-1/2 cups chopped candied pineapple; 1/2 cup chopped candied citron; 1/3 cup rum

My grandmother handed down the recipe for these gooey bars, which we all love. The candied cherries are a must. —Deborah Pennington, Decatur, Alabama

Ingredients

4 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 cup butter, softened
2-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups red candied cherries
1-1/2 cups chopped candied pineapple
1/2 cup chopped candied citron
1/3 cup rum

Directions

Sprinkle 3 cups pecans over a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan.
Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour to creamed mixture, beating well.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Combine candied fruit and remaining pecans. Spread fruit and pecans evenly over creamed mixture; press gently to help mixtures adhere. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Sprinkle rum over the top; cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Test Kitchen tips

This holiday treat tastes like a cross between rum cake, fruitcake and pecan pie.

For a decadent twist, serve these bars over a swirl of creme anglaise or vanilla sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 bar: 401 calories, 22g fat (6g saturated fat), 51mg cholesterol, 123mg sodium, 49g carbohydrate (40g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.

Originally published as Rum bars in Taste of Home December 2017

Reviews

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Kim

Dec 9, 2018

These are good altho not very "rummy." I used dried fruit instead of candied except for the citron and soaked it in a little rum/cachasa since i had very little rum after I measured out the rum for the recipe, and cachasa is a sugar cane spirit so figured it didn't make much difference. I should have been more liberal and longer with the soaking for more flavor. Poking the "cake" before putting the rum on the cake and using more, maybe 1/2 c would have given more rum flavor. It might be fun to try a rum glaze. This is a keeper tho and I'll make it again; and lots of room for experimentation!