Best 2 Maple Walnut Shortbread Bars Recipes

Indulge in a delightful culinary journey with our delectable Maple Walnut Shortbread Bars, an exquisite treat that harmonizes the rich, buttery flavors of shortbread with the sweet, nutty essence of maple and walnuts. These irresistible bars, presented in two delightful variations, promise a symphony of textures and flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Embark on a baking adventure as we unveil the secrets behind these culinary gems, ensuring you recreate these delectable treats in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Let's cook with our recipes!

MAPLE WALNUT SHORTBREAD BARS

Maple Walnut Shortbread Bars image

Maple and walnut are a winning combination in these buttery bars that are a refreshing alternative to a chocolate dessert.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories dessert

Time 11h35m

Yield sixteen 4 by 1-inch bars

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, optional
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for working with dough
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cut a piece of foil 8 by 16-inches. Butter the corners and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the foil, leaving an overhang on two sides.
Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the egg yolk, syrup, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds if using. Reduce the speed to low, add the flours and salt, all at once, and beat until just combined. Add the walnuts and continue to mix until fully combined.
Using your hands, drop the dough in pieces evenly into the prepared pan. Flour your hands lightly and press the dough together and into the corners of the pan. Put a piece of waxed paper on top of the dough and use something square and heavy-another pan, a pound of cold butter-to press the dough into the pan and make a smooth, even top. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
When it is firm, use a fork to score the dough all over. Bake until deep golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 2 hours, then wrap with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature overnight.
Place a lightweight cutting board or a baking rack over the top of the pan. Flip and set on the counter. Gently pull the pan from the foil and the foil from the pan to lift off the pan. Gently peel the foil off the bar. Place another lightweight cutting board on top, and flip the bar right-side-up.
Using a sharp, serrated knife, slice the square in half. Then slice each half into 8 bars.

WALNUT MAPLE BARS WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST RECIPE - (5/5)

Walnut Maple Bars with Shortbread Crust Recipe - (5/5) image

Provided by Texaschef11

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

Cinnamon Shortbread Crust
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into 4-6 pieces
Walnut Maple Topping
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×9-inch square pan with aluminum foil. In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the crust ingredients. Pulse several times until a coarse, sandy mixture forms. Pour into prepared baking dish and press into an even layer. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until crust is very lightly browned around the edges. Spread walnuts in an even layer over the still-warm crust (crust does not need to cool before filling). In a medium bowl, make the rest of the topping. Whisk together sugar, maple syrup, eggs and melted butter until very smooth. Add in flour vanilla and whisk until well combined. Pour over walnuts and put the baking pan back in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tart is set and topping is golden brown. Cool bars completely in the pan, then use the aluminum foil to easily lift them out before slicing. Makes 20 bars. Serves 10-12

Tips:

For the perfect shortbread texture, use cold butter straight from the refrigerator. This will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
If you don't have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender or two forks to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Be careful not to overmix the dough. Overmixing will make the cookies tough.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
Bake the cookies until the edges are just starting to brown. Overbaking will make the cookies dry and crumbly.
Let the cookies cool completely before cutting them into bars. This will help prevent them from falling apart.
The maple walnut shortbread bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Conclusion:

These maple walnut shortbread bars are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that is perfect for any occasion. With their buttery shortbread crust, sweet maple filling, and crunchy walnut topping, these bars are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. So next time you're looking for a special dessert, give these maple walnut shortbread bars a try. You won't be disappointed!