Name: Rum Pecan Cookie Bars With Sea Salt
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 32
Ingredients: salt - 1/2 teaspoon; all purpose flour - 2.5 cups; eggs at room temperature - 2; brown sugar - 1/2 cup; brown sugar (lightly packed - 1 cup); pure vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon; unsalted butter at room temperature - 1 cup (2 sticks, plus more for greasing pan); halved pecans - 2 cups; maple syrup - 1/2 cup; unsalted butter at room temperature - 1 tablespoon; spiced rum - 2 tablespoons; coarse sea salt - 1 tablespoon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Lightly toast the pecans for 7-8 minutes.
Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with room temperature butter and a pastry brush.
Beat 1 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar with electric mixer on low speed until creamy and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Whisk salt and flour together.
Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix just until the dough starts to come together, do not over mix.
Lightly press the crumbly dough evenly in pan.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center springs back when touched lightly.
Meanwhile, place the remaining brown sugar and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add the butter, rum and vanilla.
Allow the mixture to cool, then add the eggs and whisk until smooth. (Do not add the eggs while the syrup is hot or they will begin to cook)
Add the pecans to the mixture and evenly pour the mixture over the baked cookie base. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the filling has set.
Cool completely, about 1 hour.