I generally have some hesitation in sharing super-easy recipes like this one. Then, I have an internal discussion with myself about how we all need to have a collection of embarrassingly easy sweets to make when we are lacking in time and/or inclination. After that, I end up sharing them with you with some near-apology about how easy they are. This particular tastes-too-good-to-be-this-easy treat comes from Southern Living 2010 Annual Recipes.
While there is baking involved with these, it’s not in the traditional sense. No flour, just a few ingredients, and very little mixing. Store-bought graham crackers get things started by providing a crust. Add to that a sweet mixture of buttery pecans, and that’s all that’s required to get these ready for baking.
Even more than my love of pecans, I was drawn by the sweet/salty combination of these treats. Salted caramel is a glorious thing, but making it is far from it. These bars get you the taste of salted caramel without all the effort.
If you want a little something different, you can add chocolate to these when they come out of the oven. At Quinn’s urging, I made half of these with chocolate. He preferred the chocolate version, but I was a bigger fan of the non-chocolate side. Shocking, I know.
These are nice and crunchy after they’re cooled from the oven. If you have a little patience, a wonderful thing happens after a couple of days. The bars soften and become chewier. To me, it’s definitely worth the wait to get them to that point. But, don’t be surprised if they don’t last long enough for you to find out.
Related posts:
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Mmm salted caramel is so tasty in…everything!
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:21 pm
Definitely saving this recipe! It looks so good!!
January 24th, 2012 at 4:29 am
the taste of salted caramel – the effort = perfection.
January 24th, 2012 at 4:58 am
So easy indeed, it’s a keeper and I’m sending this recipe to a friend who is a pecan fan!
January 24th, 2012 at 8:22 am
You can never go wrong posting a recipe with salted caramel. Never.
January 24th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Mmmm.. printed. My daughter is having friends over for a game night this weekend and I have a super busy week. These will make an easy snack that won’t take too much time, either.
January 26th, 2012 at 10:39 am
Wow, this is terrific! This is a really nice addition to our dessert trays for weddings and corporate functions. Will definitely try them. Can’t wait to see what the reaction from customers is for these!
January 30th, 2012 at 9:57 am
Sweet, salty, crunchy – all my favorite things. These rock!