WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY PISTACHIO COOKIES

 

These are one of my favorite all-time cookies, and I have made many different recipes but this one from Sally's Baking Addiction is my favorite.  They stay fresh longer than most recipes I have tried, and they freeze beautifully.  Usually I freeze cookies before they are baked but when I made these I wanted to save some for later so I froze them in an airtight container already baked.  I honestly couldn't really tell any difference than the ones I ate right after baking.  Love, love, love them!

3/4 c. (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 c. (150 grams) packed light brown sugar

1/4 c. (50 grams) granulated sugar

1 large egg at room temperature

2 t. vanilla extract

2 c. (250 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

2 t. cornstarch

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

4 oz. bar Ghirardelli white chocolate, roughly chopped*

3/4 c. (75 grams) dried cranberries, roughly chopped

1/2 c. (62 grams) salted, shelled pistachios

In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy.  Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color.  Beat in egg and vanilla on high speed.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together until combined.  On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined.  The cookie dough will be quite thick.  Add the white chocolate, dried cranberries, and pistachios and mix on low for about 5-10 seconds until evenly disbursed.  Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.  Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.

Remove cookie dough from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.  If the dough chilled longer than 2 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  This makes the dough easier to scoop and roll.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Once chilled, the dough may be slightly crumbly but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you roll into individual balls.  Scoop and roll balls of dough, about 1 TB of dough each, into balls. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. (I baked mine for 8 minutes.)  They will look extremely soft when you remove them from the oven.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.  If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon.  They will slightly deflate as you let them cool.  (I didn't have to do this.  Mine weren't too puffy.) Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

*White baking chips are not actually chocolate, because they don't have cocoa butter in them.  You will be much happier if you buy the Ghirardelli white chocolate bar and chop it.  Trust me on this.

Make ahead & freezing instructions: Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.  Baked cookies freeze well -- up to 3 months.  Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well -- up to 3 months.  Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.

 

RED VELVET COOKIE WITH CREAM CHEESE CENTER

                                                                             

This was my favorite cookie that we made on our baking day.  The color of the picture isn't accurate (the napkin was white!) Trust me, this is the color of red velvet cake.  I just desperately need to invest in a lighting system so that I can take pictures that are a better representation of the finished product at all times of the day and night.  Despite the poor picture, the decadent cream cheese filling takes this cookie over the top.  It is similar to a chocolate crinkle cookie in flavor, which is one of my all-time favorite cookies.  The cookie itself is firm on the outside and soft in the middle.  I keep thinking of other cookies that this cream cheese would enhance, and I will be doing that shortly.  Maybe Snickerdoodles?

Cream cheese filling:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

2/3 c. (75 grams) powdered sugar

2 TB (15 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/8 t. table salt

Dough:

2 c. (240 grams) all-purpose flour

1/3 c. (28 grams) cocoa powder

1-1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. table salt

1-1/3 c. (266 grams) granulated sugar

8 TB (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. gel red food color

Assembly:

1/2 c (99 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 c. (57 grams) powdered sugar  

To prepare the cream cheese filling combine the filling ingredients in the large bowl of a sand mixer fitted with the flat beater.  Gradually increase the speed to medium-high, and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Scrape the bowl as needed to ensure all the ingredients are well incorporated.  Use a rounded tablespoon cookie scoop to portion 16 mounds (about 17 gram each) of filling onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Freeze the scooped mounds, uncovered, for a minimum of 2 hours or up to a week in advance. (Once the mounds are frozen they can be transferred to a ziplock bag or other airtight freezer container.)

To make the dough sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater beat together the granulated sugar and butter until fluffy, about 1 minute on medium speed.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate and scraping the bowl between additions.  Add the vanilla and food color, beating to incorporate.

Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until no dry ingredients remain, scraping the bowl as needed, less than 1 minute.  Refrigerate the dough, covered for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day ahead.

To assemble and bake the cookies preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.  Add the remaining granulate sugar and powdered sugar in 2 separate small bowls.

Use a rounded jumbo cookie scoop to portion 16 mounds (about 47 grams each) of cookie dough onto 1 of the baking sheets.  Remove half of the frozen filling mounds from the freezer.  Working quickly, pick up one cookie dough portion and use your thumb to press a well in the center.  Place a frozen mound of filling into the well and pinch the dough together around the filling to fully enclose.  Roll the dough between your hands to form a ball.  Repeat with 7 more portions of dough and filling. (If at any point the dough or filling becomes too soft to work with refrigerate the dough and freeze the filling for 20 minutes before resuming.)

Roll the filled dough balls in the granulated sugar followed by the powdered sugar to coat and transfer to the baking sheet.  Bake the cookies 16-18 minutes or until they are cracked all over and dry around the edges.  The tops will still be shiny and moist but should not stick to your finger if touched lightly. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the first batch bakes, fill and coat the remaining cookies.  Bake the second batch, cool as described above and store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.  Mine were left for several days and still were great.

Tip:  The best way to make these cookies ahead is to freeze portions of the dough, thaw them overnight in the fridge, and then assemble them with still-frozen mounds.  Roll them in sugar just before baking.  (Freezing the fully assembled cookies causes the filling to leak out during baking.

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES

                                                                         

Kim hosted our annual Xmas cookie baking day this year for Scott and me, and Eric was in town and joined us!  It was so fun, and we made a variety of yummy cookies.  This one was a favorite of us all.  The chocolate dough has cinnamon and a bit of ground cayenne, a combination commonly found in Mexican hot chocolate that is a unique flavor with a slight kick at the end.  The marshmallowy interior provides a wonderful chew even after a few days in an airtight container.  Be sure to freeze the marshmallows fully to give the cookies their ripple of white.  Otherwise, the marshmallows will dissolve into the cookies as they bake.

1-1/2 c. (192 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 c. (51 grams) cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed

1 t. baking soda

1 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. ground cayenne

3 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. (113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature

1-1/2 c. (305 grams) light brown sugar

1 large egg at room temperature

Mini marshmallows, frozen solid

1/4 c. (50 grams) granulated sugar

In a medium bowl whisk the flour, cocoa power, baking soda, salt, cayenne and 2 t. ground cinnamon.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Beat until creamy, 2 more minutes.  Add the flour mixture and beat on low until no dry spots remain, about 1 minute.

With a 2 TB (1 oz) cookie scoop, scoop the dough into mounds on a baking sheet.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.  Freeze marshmallows, if you haven't already.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Add granulated sugar and remaining t. cinnamon to a small bowl.

Remove half of the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes if the dough is very stiff.  Take a mound of dough and flatten it slightly in the palm of you hand.  Pile 5 frozen mini marshmallows on top of the flattened dough, then bring the outer edges over the marshmallows to envelope them. Roll into a ball but leave a little of the white showing in the middle, and then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat.  Place on the baking sheet 3 " apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cookies puff slightly and bits of molten marshmallow peek through the surface.  Cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store cookies in an airtight container. They stay fresh for 3 days, but honestly mine were still chewy and tasty 5 days later.

Tip:  Balls of dough (not coated in Cinnamon sugar) can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.  To bake, thaw for 5 minutes at room temperature, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake for 13-15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE COOKIES

                                     

Heath is in the top five of my favorite candy bars because I do love toffee.  When I saw this cookie on the Smitten Kitchen blog I knew I would have to make it.  If you like all things chocolate this cookie is for you.  The outside is somewhat crispy and the inside is soft except for the bits of Heath and chopped walnuts.  I chopped both really fine and am loving every bite! I forced myself to eat half a cookie so I could show you in the picture the crisp outside and soft inside.  It's not one you can eat many of at one sitting, but when you do eat one (or two!) you will be so happy!!

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. table salt

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used 3 bars of bittersweet and one of semisweet because that's what I had.)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1-3/4 c packed brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 TB vanilla extract

5 -- 1.4 oz Heath bars, chopped (Basically 6.4 oz of Heath)

1 c. walnuts, toasted, chopped

Flakey sea salt for sprinkling, optional (I used Maldon sea salt)

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend.  Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth.  Take the top of the double boiler off the water and cool mixture to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl  until thick, about 5 minutes.  Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla.

Stir in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts.  Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment or Silpat.  Scoop batter by spoonfuls onto sheets, spacing two inches apart.  Slight press them down a bit and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt if using.  Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cooked are still soft to touch, about 10-12 minutes.  Cool on sheets.  (can be made 2 days ahead and stored airtight at room temperature.). It will be impossible to let them cool completely, but they really taste a lot better cool, as they continue baking once they come out of the oven.

Slice and bake option:  Smitten Kitchen said she struggled a bit to scoop these cookies so she rolled the dough into a log 1.5" in diameter and chilled it.  When she was ready to bake the cookies, she cut the log into 1/2" slices.  The dough log can be stored in the freezer, wrapped in waxed paper and then two layers of saran wrap for up to a month, just baking the cookies off as you need.  Cookies baked straight from the freezer may need an addition minute or two in the oven, depending on their thickness.  

After reading her struggles, I simply chopped the Heath and walnuts really small so I didn't have trouble scooping them.  The idea of having a log in the freezer that can easily be baked any time is appealing though, so I might try it sometime.

COCONUT BROWN BUTTER COOKIES

                               
Yes, I have been on a coconut kick, but this should be the last one I needed to blog.  It is another one from the Smitten Kitchen blog.  I had to order the unsweetened coconut flakes on Amazon for these because I couldn't find them online at any of our local grocery stores, and at this point I am not about to drive around going to stores looking for them.  It absolutely went against my rule of being environmentally conscious by having someone drive out here just to deliver some coconut.  It came in a 4-pack so I looked for recipes to use the coconut and not feel so guilty (of course I'm telling myself that as opposed to just wanting to continue baking sweets, and why not coconut?!)  The only other time I broke my rule was to order Lyle's Golden Syrup for the Tuxedo cake, and can I just say my mouth waters when I think of that cake!  Anyway my HEB quit carrying it, and I couldn't find it anywhere so I broke down and ordered it.  It came from Las Vegas!!!  When I think of all the people and trucks and planes that went into me getting that one little can of syrup I still feel guilty.  So, back to these cookies.  My family thinks they are a lighter version of the Ranger cookies which are their all-time favorite cookies.  I wanted to make them because of the brown butter, and I must say I could have eaten the whole bowl of dough.  I literally moaned when I ate the dough, and those of you that know me know that I do love to moan when I am eating!  I didn't moan when I ate the baked version, but I did like it a lot and everyone else did as well.  So if you make them be sure and taste the raw dough.

1 c. unsalted butter
2 TB water, approximately
1/2 c + 2 TB granulated sugar
3/4 c. packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1-1/4 c. + 3 TB all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
Slightly heaped 1/2 t. flaky sea salt or 1/4 t. table salt
4 c. dried unsweetened coconut flakes or chips (I used Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, as did SK)

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty.  Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do.  Don't take your eyes off the pot as it seems to take forever (more than 5 minutes) but then turns dark very quickly.  Once it is a almost a nut-brown color, remove from heat and immediately pour the butter and all browned bits at the bottom into a measuring cup. Adding 2 TB water should bring the butter amount back up to 1 cup.* Chill browned butter in the fridge until it solidifies, about 1-2 hours.  

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment or nonstick mat like Silpat.

Scrape chilled browned butter and any bits into a large mixing bowl. Add both sugars and beat the mixture together until fluffy.  Add egg and beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed.  Add vanilla.  Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl.  Pour half of flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined, then add remaining flour and mix again, scraping down bowl if needed.  Add coconut flakes in two parts as well.

Scoop dough into balls (I use my scoop that measures a little over a TB).  Give them plenty of room on the baking sheet because they will spread a little; slightly press them down.  Bake them 11-12 minutes or until they are deeply golden all over.  Cool cookies on baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cookies keep for up to one week at room temperature.  Extra dough can be stored in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for a month or more.

*Not all types of butter contain the same amount of water.  Most standard American grocery store butters have 1 TB of water per stick of butter.  However, should you find that your first batch of cookies is too thick, a little extra water is all you'll need to get the texture right.  

CRISP SALTED OATMEAL WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

                                
Whew!  That is a mouthful for sure.  Every time I try and tell someone about this cookie I have to click through all the ingredients to be sure I explain it correctly!  My sweet tooth is in overdrive right now, and I am obsessed with cookies from the Smitten Kitchen blog. This is one of her favorites, so I made them, and was very happy with them as was everyone who tasted them.  I usually like a softer cookie, but with these being thin and crisp they are very light.  It makes it so easy to eat a couple without feeling too stuffed which of course I love.  As I said, my sweet tooth is on high alert at all times these days!!

1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. table salt
1-3/4 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract
2-1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
6 oz. good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped *
1/2 t. flaky sea salt (like Maldon or flour de sea) for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment or Silpat.  Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.  Scrape down the bowl again.  Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth.  Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

Scoop** out a little over a TB of dough, roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet about 2-1/2" apart.  Using fingertips, slightly press down each ball.  Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie.

Bake until cookies are a deep golden brown, about 12 minutes or longer based on how your oven bakes.  Rotate the cookie sheet halfway through.  Set cookie sheet on a wire rack to cool.

 *SK says that most "white chocolate" chips are almost always artificial.  In order for anything to be considered chocolate it must have 20% cocoa butter, and even the Ghirardelli chips I had didn't have any cocoa butter in them.  She says using the bar chopped will change our view forever on white chocolate.  After making these initially with the chips I already had I discovered the Ghirardelli bar is made of cocoa butter so I bought it and will try it the next time I make them (which will probably be sooner rather than later!)

**If you don't have a cookie scoop, it is an investment that will change your baking world.  I have several sizes bought at a restaurant supply, but even Bed, Bath and Beyond has the size that works for most cookies.  I usually use mine that holds about 1 TB of dough and then let each scoop of dough be a bit fuller.  It makes the perfect size cookie for us.  In the past I didn't enjoy making cookies, because I thought they were time-consuming.  With the scoop it goes really fast, and I now enjoy baking them.

GINGERSNAP COOKIES

My family loves gingersnap cookies, and while they have never been a favorite of mine I decided to make these for them.  Interestingly enough, I liked them so much that I ate most of them!  They are soft, chewy and simply delightful.

For Cinnamon Sugar:

2 TB sugar

2 t. cinnamon

For Cookies:

2 c. flour

1 TB ground ginger

2 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. salt

¾ c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 egg

¼ c. dark molasses (I used Grandma’s Molasses)

To make Cinnamon Sugar mix both together in a bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl until well combined.

Beat shortening in another bowl with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually beat in sugar, then egg and molasses.  Beat in one-third of flour mixture until well combined.  Beat in remaining flour mixture until a soft dough forms.   Either use a one inch cookie scoop or pinch off pieces of dough and roll into 1” diameter balls.  Roll balls in Cinnamon Sugar and arrange 2” apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake until tops are rounded and slightly cracked, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.  (Cookies keep up to 3 days in an airtight container either chilled or on the counter.  They may be frozen up to 3 months.)

ALMOND JOY COOKIES

Scott brought this recipe to our “baking day” during the Xmas holidays, and I’m trying to catch up blogging recipes when I actually remembered to take a picture.  Since Almond Joy is at the top of the list of favorite candy bars for Justin and me, I voted yes for these cookies!  They didn’t disappoint.  You could probably just take your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and add coconut and almonds and achieve the same thing, but why not just type the recipe in its original form?  Looks like a white chocolate chip from another cookie we baked somehow made its way into this picture -- oops.  Wish I had one now …

1 c. butter, softened

1-1/2 c. white sugar

1-1/2 c. brown sugar

4 eggs

3 t. vanilla

4-1/2 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

5 c. chocolate chips

2 c. sweetened coconut

2 c. chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment.  Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time; stir in the vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed.  Stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

GLAZED CITRUS COOKIES

With my Meyer lemon tree loaded up this year I was constantly looking for new recipes that would use that scrumptious juice.  This cookie also calls for other juices so I could trick JT into trying them since he is not a lemon fan.  It is not a fancy cookie, but quite enjoyable.  I will definitely make them again.  I added orange juice and zest this time along with lemon but think I will try grapefruit next.

2 c. flour

¼ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1-1/4 c. sugar

1-1/2 TB finely grated citrus zest (lemon, orange, lime or grapefruit)

2 lg. egg yolks

¾ t. lemon extract

¼ t. orange extract

1 c. powdered sugar, sifted

2-3 TB fresh citrus juice (use the same kind as the zest)

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.  Add the sugar and 1 TB citrus zest and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in the lemon and orange extracts.  Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until a soft dough forms.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets.  Freeze at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Bake the cookies straight from the freezer, 1 baking sheet at a time, until the edges are set and the bottoms are lightly browned, 15-17 minutes.  Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the glaze:  Whisk the powdered sugar, 2 TB citrus juice and remaining ½ TB zest in a medium bowl until thick and smooth.  (Add 1 more TB citrus juice is the glaze is too thick.)  Spread on the cookies; transfer to a rack and let set, about 1 hour.

KIM’S FAMOUS BROWNIES

These brownies are so good you will swear they are made from scratch.  Leave it to my baking buddy Kim to find a divine brownie recipe!  She has been telling me about this recipe for years, and yet for some reason I never made them.  My kiddos are coming over to watch football today, and brownies are one of Lauren’s favorite desserts – and she said nothing fancy – only football food!  So I decided it was time to try this easy recipe!  I’m hoping they don’t count the brownies and realize two are already missing :-)

1 pkg. Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownie mix

1 egg

¼ c. water

1/3 c. canola oil

2 Symphony candy bars

Preheat oven.  Spray an 8X8” pan with Pam.  Follow instructions on brownie mix.  Pour half of it into the prepared pan.  Lay the two candy bars side by side, and then spread the rest of the brownie mixture over.  Bake according to the directions on the box.  Cool and slice into squares.

Obviously you can double the ingredients and bake it in a 9X13 pan.

PECAN SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Eric made these while he was here last week, and Scott requested that I put them on the blog.  Logan begs for them.  You have to love pecans to appreciate the use of 3 cups of good pecans, but if you do you will positively love these bars.  He used pecans I bought at a Farmer’s Market last Fall and put them in the freezer.   Hint – My mama always said it is best to freeze pecans in a glass jar instead of plastic bags, and it has always worked beautifully for me!  Update -- Jeana took these to Thanksgiving and her 80 year old father told her he never wanted a pecan pie again -- he wants these instead!

Crust:

¾ c. flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off

¼ c. corn starch

½ c. powdered sugar

½ t. salt

1 stick cold, unsalted butter cut into 1” pieces

Filling:

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter

¾ c. light brown sugar

3 TB honey

½ t. vanilla extract

Generous pinch salt

2 TB heavy whipping cream

3 c. coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cover a 9” square baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Push foil neatly into corners and up sides of the pan, using two pieces if necessary to ensure it overlaps all edges.  (The overhang will help removal from the pan.)  Spray foiled pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.  Pulse a few times to mix.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size clumps of butter within.  Dump mixture into prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the bottom.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then bake until crust is set but not browned, about 17 minutes.  Set on a rack to cool, but leave oven on.

In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt.  Stir with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves.  Turn up the heat and boil gently for 3 minutes.  Stir in heavy cream and chopped pecans.  Pour pecan mixture over crust (It doesn’t matter if the crust is still warm.)  Bake until filling is bubbling and caramel in color, about 20 minutes.  Cool completely on rack.  To cut, use the foil overhang to lift baked square out of pan and onto cutting board.  Loosen the foil from the edges, then cut with a sharp knife into 2” squares.  Store finished pecan squares in air-tight container and serve at room temperature.