A layer of buttery shortbread topped with a gooey mixture of honey and walnuts, these bars are easier to make than you'd think and very delicious! It's a great recipe for the holiday season and as a finger dessert for parties.
Whether you call them honey walnut squares or bars, these are delicious, crunchy and just perfectly gooey.
A twist on traditional pecan bars, I love that both the shortbread base and the topping are easily made with a bowl, a spatula, and a saucepan.
A great dessert for parties, they can be cut into small pieces and used as finger food. Everyone will rave about them!
3 steps
This recipe, as with many bars or squares have two parts:
The crust, which is a shortbread (flour, powdered sugar and butter) and comes together in no time.
The filling, which is made in 5 minutes in a saucepan. And you probably have all ingredients in your kitchen right now.
Baking: the final step and a very important one because the chewiness will depend on the correct baking time so the filling is neither too hard nor too runny.
Shortbread base
Making shortbread is super easy and all you need, besides few and simple ingredients, is a bowl and a spoon.
Butter: it must be at room t°, or soft.
Powdered sugar: if you sift it before adding it to the butter (image 1) it will be easier to incorporate.
Flour: all-purpose or cake flour can be used. Patiently work it with the spatula (image 2) until it's all mixed and a cohesive dough forms.
Once you have the shortbread dough mixed, you need to pat it into the pan.
I like to line the pan with a wide strip of parchment paper because it makes it easier to remove the walnut squares from the pan after baking.
- Put small pieces of dough all over the bottom of the pan. Then, with your hand, pat the dough (image 3) until it covers it completely.
- Prick the bottom lightly with a fork (image 4) and bake as directed.
Walnut filling
The ingredients for this wonderful filling are simple (image above).
Honey: use any runny honey that you like. If you choose a flavored one (eucalyptus for example) the bars will have a different flavor.
Walnuts: broken pieces are fine, and they're usually cheaper. Again, use your favorite kind.
Brown sugar: I like the medium colored one because it gives the bars a nice golden color without making them too dark.
This honey walnut filling is made in a saucepan, similar to the butterscotch bars, starting with butter, honey, and sugar (image 1).
It boils for 5 minutes and foams a lot during that time (image 2). Then the rest of the ingredients are added and the filling is poured into the prepared pan (image 3).
After baking the honey squares will be golden and bubbly (image 4).
Top tips
Shortbread base: it can easily be frozen before baking. When I have a lot of baking to do, I prepare the base, prick it and freeze it in the pan. Then I bake directly from the freezer.
Filling: I think that honey and walnuts is the best combination, but you can use pecans.
Storing: these bars can be stored in the fridge for several days, always well wrapped to prevent drying out. Or keep them in a tin separated in layers by parchment paper.
Other recipes you might like:
Dulce de Leche Coconut Fudge Truffles
Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
Double Chocolate Bark
Triple Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Killer Brownies
Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows
Mint Chocolate Brownies
Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
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Honey Walnut Squares
Ingredients
For shortbread base:
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose or cake flour
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, at room t°
For the filling:
- 3/4 cup (90g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (60g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (175g) runny honey
- 1 cup (120g) walnuts, very coarsely chopped, or in halves
- 1/4 cup (60g) whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1/2 a lemon
Instructions
For the shortbread base:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Butter or spray an 8-inch square pan and line with a wide strip of parchment paper. It will cover the bottom and two of the sides.
- In a large bowl mix soft butter with powdered sugar. It should be creamy.
- Add flour and patiently incorporate it all until you have a soft dough. I use a spatula or a wooden spoon.
- Put this dough in the bottom of the prepared pan in small mounds. With your fingers pat until it covers the whole surface.
- Prick with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes, until starting to dry and barely color. Reserve on a wire rack while making the filling.
- Let the oven on.
For the filling:
- In a medium saucepan put butter, honey and brown sugar.
- Cook on medium heat until it breaks a boil. It will start to bubble.
- Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. It will foam and maybe you want to lower the heat a bit.
- Remove from heat and immediately add the walnuts, cream, salt, vanilla, and lemon.
- Pour into the pre-baked crust and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let stand 5-10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Carefully run a smooth-bladed knife around the edges so that they don't stick when it cools completely.
Notes
Shortbread base: it can easily be frozen before baking. When I have a lot of baking to do, I prepare the base, prick it and freeze it in the pan. Then I bake directly from the freezer.
Filling: I think that honey and walnuts is the best combination, but you can use pecans.
Storing: these bars can be stored in the fridge for several days, always well wrapped to prevent drying out. Or keep them in a tin separated in layers by parchment paper.
Can the recipe be doubled? I want to make a half sheet pan's worth of Walnut Honey bars and freeze a bunch and give as gifts.
Hi Stephanie, yes, it can be doubled. The largest I made was 9x13-inches and it bakes well. With these types of recipes, you don't want to overbake it because the caramel will harden too much and that's not good when you bite. Just keep that in mind.
If you have enough room in the oven, I suggest making two 8 inch pans at the same time. You make one doubled recipe but divide it when patting the dough and adding the filling. Second best option is making one large 9x13. Hope this helps!
Totally helps. Thank you! I will do two pans!
I was wondering if I could add an egg or two to the filling, or even just the yolks, to kind of create a texture similar to pecan pie, except with walnuts instead of pecans and honey instead of corn syrup. Which sounds amazing to me. What do you think?
Hi Kimberly, if you want to add eggs I think you're better off not cooking the honey mixture first. It will take longer in the oven, like pecan pie does. Let me know how it goes!
Right because I don't want them to scramble. hey thanks for the quick reply!! Last question- How would you describe the filling in comparison to a pecan pie filling? Is it as gooey and pudding-like as pecan pie or is it more like a chewy caramel candy bar in texture? I'm honestly gonna try both ways most likely i just wanted to know which to make first. I've got a lot of time on my hands with everything that's going on lately. Hope you and yours are well!
It's more like a candy bar. The stove cooking and further get the caramel (more butterscotch really) to a soft bite but if you keep on baking it will get harder. It's not pudding-like at all, IMO. Stay safe Kimberly!
Honey and walnut what a great combination it is. Those points and notes which you have mentioned in this article are very useful. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
The perfect nibble for the holidays, everyone loved them!
What an amazing recipe and this is so simple to make. I have some fresh pecans at home from the local farm and I want to give this recipe a try. This is perfect for the holidays. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Happy holidays to you Sandhya!
I've never had anything like this. They sound delicious. Can't wait to share these with my family.
You are right I have everything here to make this recipe and am needing some for Christmas Day that is easy but looks like I spent hours making something. I love walnuts so this is perfect.
I don't know if the other comment went through. Just wanted to tell you this recipe is amazing! And easy really. That was a surprise. Happy holidays Paula!