Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Bars


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Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Bars

My middle daughter is quite a diva. At age four, she is already demanding in ways I never remember being.

I was doing her hair the other day and she asked for me to do it “just like Elsa’s.” I swear to all the powers above, Frozen is doing me in. My hair is turning gray from that movie alone and how addicted my kids are to it. Anyway, no matter what I did to her hair, she continued to insist that it didn’t look right. I mean, duh. She has shoulder-length dirty blonde curly hair. Elsa has waist-length platinum flowy masses of Pantene commercial hair.

But try explaining that to a preschooler. To say she threw a tantrum would be an understatement.

She’s also been planning her fourth birthday party with way too much intricate detail. Have I mentioned she has two themes? Hello Kitty and (duh again) Frozen. Luckily, when it comes to party prep, I actually bake enough to satisfy her. And these cinnamon crunch bars are all part of the pre-party baking binge!

Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Bars

They’re really decadent. Buttery and crumbly and nutty and loaded with cinnamon. They’re a bit of extra work because you have to make two different layers, but the end result is pretty worth it.

Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Bars

For those of you with nut allergies, leave out the pecans. It’ll still taste good! But if you have no objections to having them stay, they toast very nicely in the oven and provide a great contrast for all the cinnamon sweetness.

Cinnamon Pecan Crunch BarsOn the bottom of these lovelies is a cinnamon sugar cookie dough layer. Kind of like a Snickerdoodle, actually, but better. And then the top is crumbs. Lots and lots of crumbs! And when they bake, they get all crunchy and crumbly. Nothing to hate here!

Cinnamon Pecan Crunch Bars

And nothing for my daughter to object to, I hope. As demanding as she is, my little girl doesn’t complain about dessert! She takes after her mommy that way.

Enjoy this party sampling!

 

Cookie Layer:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Crumb Layer:

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 cups chopped pecans

 

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons milk

 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Start with the crust layer. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Using the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolk and mix again. Gradually, mix in the dry ingredients until a dough forms.

Press the dough onto the cookie sheet. Bake for ten minutes.

While the crust layer is baking, clean out your mixer parts and make the topping. Combine the flour, cinnamon, sugar and salt. Add the pieces of cold butter an beat until crumbs form. Stir in the pecans gently.

Crumble the topping layer over the crust layer and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool completely.

When the bars are cool, mix the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the bars. When the glaze has solidified, cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.

 

Mir

I fulfill many roles in life: wife, mother, teacher, everlasting learner. This site is dedicated to one role that expresses my creativity in ways that I find consistently challenging and rewarding: baker. Inventing new ways to enhance food, especially if that food involves chocolate or peanut butter (or both!), is a passion of mine. I look forward to sharing my ideas with you.

This Post Has 10 Comments

  1. Aimee @ ShugarySweets

    Oh my word these would be perfect right now with my coffee. LOVE!!!!

    1. Mir

      They do work for breakfast! And I know you love your coffee. Thanks, Aimee!

  2. Mary Frances

    Oh my goodness, if I got a nickel for every time a little girl has told me (or someone has told me a story about) “do my hair like Elsa!” I would be rich! She is definitely a thing right now 🙂 I loved Frozen, so I’m ok with that!
    And these bars – I am totally ok with you sending me a pan of these. Like, this needed to happen yesterday. They look amazing Mir!

    1. Mir

      Thanks! I wish I could! We all need to set up a dessert barter system.
      And I think we all want Elsa’s hair. Too bad reality gets in the way! 😉

  3. Kathleen R.

    These look delicious- I wish I had one right now!!

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Kathleen! I have a bunch in my freezer if you’re around. 🙂

  4. Jocelyn@Brucrewlife

    Oh mylanta, these.look.amaaaaazing. These bars have so many of my loves in them! I could eat the whole pan and not feel guilty! Well, maybe a little, but it’d be worth it! 😉
    Jocelyn@Brucrewlife recently posted…No Bake Banana Split Oreo DessertMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Ha! Never feel guilty about what you love!

  5. Laura@Baking in Pyjamas

    Love the sound of the cinnamon cookie base, delicious! Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Laura!

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