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Baklava Cookie Bars

Easy Spiced Baklava Cookie Bars

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  • Author: Laura Kasavan
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 28 minutes
  • Total Time: 58 minutes
  • Yield: 16 bars
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake

Description

Baklava cookie bars are a twist on traditional baklava! The soft cookie crust is layered with a spiced nut topping and drizzled with honey. Recipe makes 16 bars.


Ingredients

Crust

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Nut Topping

  • 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1/3 cup almonds, chopped
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Syrup

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 3 Tbsp water
  • 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Make bars: Whisk together melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in a large bowl until combined. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture and fold in until incorporated. Press dough evenly into bottom of parchment-lined pan and bake crust for 15 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
  3. Make nut topping: While the crust bakes, combine pecans, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl; add melted butter and stir until incorporated. Spoon nut mixture evenly over warm crust and return pan to oven. Continue baking another 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
  4. Make syrup: While the bars finish baking, combine honey, water, and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and let mixture simmer until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
  5. Place baked bars on a wire rack and drizzle syrup over still-warm topping, tilting pan slightly to coat evenly. Cool bars completely in pan. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; cut into triangles with a sharp knife. If desired, serve with a drizzle of honey.
  6. Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months.


Notes

Larger Batch: For a larger batch of cookie bars, double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13-inch rectangular baking pan.

Orange zest: I flavored the bars and syrup with orange zest and juice. You can also use lemon zest and juice.

Spices: Ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg flavor the nut topping. You can also add 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom.