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Date-Pecan Bars

Date-Pecan Bars

These chewy, sweet bars are a great alternative to fruitcake -- but they don't contain any alcohol, making them a kid-friendly holiday treat.

Everyday Food, December 2003 http://www.marthastewart.com/337009/date-pecan-bars
3.642855
Rated
72.8571100(30)30
  • Prep Time 30 minutes
  • Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield Makes 18

Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan, room temperature
    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
    • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
    • 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pan; place it in the pan, then butter the paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in dates and nuts.
  3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then cut it into bars using a serrated knife. To cut the baked dough into 18 bars, make 3 cuts horizontally and 6 cuts vertically.

Cook's Note

Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week.

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