Walnut Maple Bars with Shortbread Crust

By kmad

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

Details

Servings 20
Adapted from bakingbites.com

Preparation

Step 1

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).

Cool bars completely in the pan, then use the aluminum foil to easily lift them out before slicing.

Makes 20 bars.