Maple Shortbread Bars

Recipe from Phyllis Méras and Linda Glick Conway

Adapted by Regina Schrambling

Updated December 13, 2015

  • Peter DaSilva for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
55 minutes
Rating
4(784)
Comments
Read comments

Shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Regina Schrambling wrote of the healing power of cooking. “The food is not really the thing,” she said. “It's the making of it that gets you through a bad time.” This recipe, adapted from "The New Carryout Cuisine" by Phyllis Méras with Linda Glick Conway, was one she turned to in the trying days that followed. A mere two steps, and ready in less than an hour, it’s comfort in a pan, just as good for when the darkness creeps up as it is for those days when you just need a bit more. And to those who might scoff at the two sticks of butter? Consider taking Schrambling’s words to heart: “Abstemiousness,” she wrote, “is not an option when you're feeling low.” —Regina Schrambling

Featured in: When the Path to Serenity Wends Past the Stove

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:39 bars

FOR THE CRUST

  • 2 cups flour

  • ½ cup sugar

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled

FOR THE FILLING

  • 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

  • ⅔ cup real maple syrup

  • 2 eggs

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 teaspoon maple extract

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

20 grams carbs; 24 milligrams cholesterol; 173 calories; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 10 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 67 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 14 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. For crust, combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into slices, and cut in with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumbly. Press into bottom and half an inch up the sides of a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool on rack.

  2. Step 2

    For filling, combine all ingredients except pecans, and mix until smooth. Pour into cooled crust. Distribute nuts evenly over top. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool on a rack before cutting.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
784 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Linda

I've made this three times - the most critical step, in my opinion, is cooking the crust long enough and then letting it cool. The BEST results I had were when I baked the crust but didn't get back to the filling and final bake until the next day.

Didn't use any extract other than the vanilla - but for my next batch some bourbon is sounding enticing!

Linda

OH! I cubed my butter and froze for a couple hours - then pulsed in the food processor with the flour, sugar, and salt mixture - about 20 times. PERFECT!

Sam

Would not recommend using maple extract with maple syrup. Just stick to the real maple syrup.

Peety

24 mini tarts = 1/2 recipe of crust Used mini-Cuisinart to blend cold cubed butter plus dry ingredients. Sub powdered sugar for granulated; mostly all-purpose flour + some cake and brown rice flours to = 1 cup Line pan with 6 KAF parchment squares (quartered to make 24) pressed firmly in place into wetted pan openings, ~2.25 tsp crust per tart, press crust down (and twist) using a small round item. Baked [crust only] at 350 degrees for 25 Will add hickory nut filling tomorrow evening & re-bake.

Alex

This is my go-to recipe for holiday parties. Everyone loves them and if I don’t bring them, people are disappointed. I follow the recipe exactly but as others have mentioned, I usually cook the crust longer than it says

Emma

Didn’t care for these. I followed the comments suggesting longer bake times, which worked well, but the final bars were FAR too sweet despite my cutting down the sugar. Wouldn’t bother making again.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from ''The New Carryout Cuisine'' by Phyllis Méras with Linda Glick Conway (Houghton Mifflin, 1986)

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.