Pecan Pie Squares

Crust:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off

1/4 cup corn starch

1/2 cup Confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

Filling

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Generous pinch salt

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

3 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Cover a 9-inch square baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Push foil neatly into corners and up sides of the pan, using two pieces if necessary to ensure it overlaps all edges (the overhang will help removal from pan). Spray foiled pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place the flour, corn starch, confectioners sugar and salt in a bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size clumps of butter within. Also can be made with a pastry cutter or two forks. Dump mixture into prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the bottom. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. While the crust is in the refrigerator, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the crust until crust is set but not browned, about 17 minutes. Set on rack to cool. Leave oven on. In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and boil gently for 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and chopped pecans. Pour pecan mixture over crust (it's fine if crust is still warm). Bake until filling is bubbling and caramel in color, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on rack. To cut, use the foil overhang to lift baked square out of pan and onto cutting board. Loosen the foil from the edges, then cut with a sharp knife into 2-inch squares. Store finished pecan squares in air-tight container and serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Snack Mix

4 cups Rice Chex

4 cups Chocolate Chex

4 cups Honey Nut Chex

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons shortening

In a large bowl, combine cereals and pecans. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes, stirring once. Whisk in baking soda. Pour over cereal mixture; toss to coat. Cook the cereal mixture in batches on high in a microwave-safe bowl for 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread onto lined baking sheets to cool completely. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cereal mixture; refrigerate until set. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Pecan Pie Bark

13 graham crackers

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil with butter and line the baking sheet with graham crackers, breaking them where necessary to make them fit. Combine butter, brown sugar, pecans, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour hot mixture over graham crackers and spread mixture to edges of pan using a spatula. Make sure pecans are evenly distributed and that crackers are covered. Bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely and break into pieces. 

Pecan Pie Cookies

1 cup packed brown sugar 

3/4 cup salted butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Filling

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. For cookies, beat butter and sugar on medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and mix. Reduce speed to low and add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Make an indentation in each cookie with your thumb; rotate thumb to hollow out slightly. Combine all the filling ingredients (pecans through vanilla) in a small bowl. Fill each cookie with 1 rounded teaspoon of filling. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute on baking sheet then remove to cool completely on a wire rack or sheet of aluminum foil.