Walnut Maple Cookie Bars w/ Butter Cream Frosting

These cookie bars came out pretty great. We really like adding toasted walnuts to anything resembling a brownie or fudge.  Essentially, these cookie bars are a little more dense than most brownies.  When we cut this, we cut it into 6 even squares and then cut each of those into 4 to make 24 bars. After refrigerating overnight, I think they could have been better as 6 and then cut into 9 even parts for 56 smaller bite sized pieces.  Either way, they are really good.

Ingredients

Cookie dough:

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

 

Frosting:

3/4 cup butter, melted (could substitute with 1/2 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup cream cheese)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

4 tablespoons heavy cream

Top with 1 cup toasted walnuts

 

The optional items are to reduce the sweetness.

 

Cooking Directions

For the Cookie:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper.

Toast one cup of chopped walnuts (could be done in a small skillet with some butter or in a toaster oven)

Melt the butter.

Beat together the butter and sugars until smooth.

Mix in the egg and the maple syrup.

Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until soft dough forms.

Spread the dough evenly in the pan or dish.

Add walnuts to the top, pressing into the dough.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Let cool completely before frosting.

We like to remove the cookie from the baking dish before frosting as it makes it easier to cut.

 

For the Frosting:

Melt the butter.

Toast one cup of chopped walnuts

Place butter in a mixing bowl.

Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time.

Add vanilla, maple syrup, and heavy cream until all the ingredients have been added and the frosting is smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.

 

Add frosting to the completely cooled cookie.

Scatter walnuts evenly on top.

 

Here is the dough with the walnuts pressed into it

Here is the dough with the walnuts pressed into it

 

Toasted walnuts

Toasted walnuts

 

Cookie complete and put on cutting board

Cookie complete and put on cutting board

 

Frosting added (the cookie wasn't completely cooled so the frosting separated a little)

Frosting added (the cookie wasn't completely cooled so the frosting separated a little)

 

Cut and enjoy

Cut and enjoy

 
 

All Recipes and pictures Copyright ©2005 - 2024 by Gregory Motes; All Rights Reserved