The Holiday Season is in full swing and this means Christmas baking is happening in kitchens everywhere. This recipe is
{adapted from this recipe which includes step by step photos} . Enjoy!
Chocolate Dipped Caramel Pecan Bars Recipe
Author: Savory Sweet Life / Alice Currah
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- 1½ cups of all-purpose flour
- *Recipe for gluten-free crust below.
- INGREDIENTS FOR GLUTEN-FREE CRUST:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (please check label to make sure it is gluten-free)
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon brown rice flour
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon white rice flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour ¼ cup sweet rice flour a.k.a Mochiko
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- INGREDIENTS CARAMEL PECAN TOPPING:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ 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
Instructions
- 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!!
Hi Tracey,
Sorry this didn’t work. Something definitely isn’t adding up with the description of the syrup you are telling me. When you boil the sugar, syrup, and water, it should be clear. You state yours was amber from the beginning. Can you tell me what type of syrup and sugar you were using? Because basically we are cooking the sugar water down. The longer it cooks, it will start changing by color and texture to the point it will eventually turn into hard candy when left to cool. If you could give me more feedback I could help pinpoint what went wrong.
I had the same experience as Cher- the caramel was very runny. I didn’t even attempt to add the pecans as I could tell the whole thing wouldn’t work.
Perhaps you could add a little more info regarding how long to boil the caramel, or the expected consistency? The tip about the amber colour didn’t help, as the mixture was amber from the beginning.
I love both caramen and chocolate. I have used this recipe and feel very pleased with my result. Hope you can share more useful recipe like this
These look gorgeous!
Omigod! Ask and you shall receive! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
I made these for a baby shower this weekend and they turned out fabulous! I did end up drizzling them with the chocolate instead of dipping them. Thanks for a great recipe! Next time I will be adventurous and add the bacon.
I made these and the caramel did NOT work. No idea what I did wrong. Even after freezing the pan to try to get them to solidify the whole thing was a runny mess.
i just found your site today (I have NO IDEA how I haven’t stumbled on to it sooner) and I love that you have GF instructions.
One word. Yummalicious! Great post, Alice!
These will grace my next Christmas party table!
These look beautiful. Definitely a tasty way to welcome the holidays.
Loved your post–the helpful information and this is killing me before breakfast! 🙂 All so yummy looking… but my vote went to Alicia of the Red Deer and her Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcake… so hungry now!
Regards,
Wondering how well these hold up to shipping? I’m betting my ‘adopted’ Army unit “over there” would LOVE these!
Um, you went and *dipped them in chocolate*?!? You’re not really making this restraint thing very easy, you do realize? 😉
Mouth watering bars And (?!) a gluten free recipe – You’ve outdone yourself my dear!
Lovely contribution, these look amazing!
These look wonderful. They might be my contribution to the cookie exchange! And as supporter of Share Our Strength, I certainly appreciate your contribution.
What a great cause. These are fantastic, perfect Holiday treat.
Wow, these look truly amazing! Yum.
Ooooooh yum…………….
I love the little chocolate dipped corner. I like the sprinkle of salt on the chocolate too….yum!
Yum! Love the chocolate dipped version… These are beautiful! What a great contribution for the 12 Days of Sharing!
Such an elegant presentation for a simple bar cookie! Looks delicious!
OK, I love you. No-one ever, ever, EVER puts an alternate recipe out for GF. Oh wow. I am almost, but not quite, speechless. Thank you.
These are gorgeous. I love any excuse to whip up pecan pie-like things…Yum!