Chocolate Dipped Caramel Pecan Bars Recipe

[donotprint]The Holiday Season is in full swing and this means Christmas baking is happening in kitchens everywhere.  My good friend Jennifer Perillo of “In Jennie’s Kitchen” is hosting “12 Days of Sharing” benefiting Share Our Strength – an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America.   Several Bloggers (including myself) are sharing our favorite recipes for this great cause.  I decided to made chocolate dipped pecan bars (adapted from this older post) for my contribution to “12 Days of Sharing”. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

*If you would like to donate to Share Our Strength, just click on the badge below.  By donating you will be entered in a giveaway of to win some sweet prizes including a new Cuisinart Mixer!

[/donotprint]

Chocolate Dipped Caramel Pecan Bars Recipe

{adapted from this recipe which includes step by step photos}

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
*Recipe for gluten-free crust below.

INGREDIENTS FOR GLUTEN-FREE CRUST:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (please check label to make sure it is gluten-free)
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon brown rice flour
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon white rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour 1/4 cup sweet rice flour a.k.a Mochiko
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

INGREDIENTS CARAMEL PECAN TOPPING:

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract *please check label for gluten-free if needed
1 cup heavy cream
3.5 cups toasted pecans *recipe here.
coarse sea salt
1 cup melted chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl or Kitchenaid, cream butter and sugar until light.  Add egg and vanilla and beat for one minute.  Add baking powder and flour(s) (and xanthan gum if preparing gluten-free) until everything is well mixed and has formed a cookie dough. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray.  Press cookie dough mixture evenly throughout the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown (see picture below).  Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine water, sugar, and corn syrup in a large sauce pan or pot.  Cook over medium-high heat stirring it occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved.  When the sugar/water/corn syrup mixture begins to change to an amber like color (like a dark honey) immediately turn off heat.  Carefully add vanilla and heavy cream stirring until smooth and looks like caramel sauce.  Add toasted pecans  stirring and coating everything.  Spread caramel pecan mixture over the cookie crust evenly.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until cold.  Cut bars into small triangles and dip each one in melted chocolate.  Allow to completely cool.  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt sparingly.  Enjoy!!

Tagged as: caramel, Chocolate, Cookies, Gluten-Free, Holidays, pecans