Think pecan pie filling, but with chocolate, hazelnuts, and significantly less work. These easy Salted Hazelnut Chocolate Maple Rum Bars are layered with festive flavors and satisfying textures.
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During the holiday season we do it all for the cookie. In the month of December I bake more cookies than I do during the other 11 months of the year combined. And I make a wholelotta cookies throughout the year. However, sometimes we just need to keep it easy. By skipping all of the fussy decorating and baking up a quick batch of cookie bars, you save yourself time. Without sacrificing the festive feeling of holiday sweetness.
A quick & simple treat
There is something particularly special about these bars. They seems to capture people's treat loving hearts this time of year. Maybe it's the magical mix of indulgent ingredients or the simple fact that they contain rum. I think I can speak for most of us when I say we could use a little nip of something around the holidays. You'll find these Salted Hazelnut Chocolate Maple Rum Bars have got that extra something that seems to make everyone smile.
Think pecan pie filling but with chocolate, maple, hazelnuts & significantly less work
The filling is similar to a pecan pie filling in texture. But instead of pecans
and corn syrup, the decadent filling is made with crunchy hazelnuts
, rich maple syrup
and spiced rum. There is a smooth and melty dark chocolate
layer between the nutty, smooth filling and the press-in brown sugar shortbread cookie base.
A salty sprinkle balances the rich sweetness
To finish, the Hazelnut Chocolate Maple Rum Bars are liberally sprinkled with crunchy sea salt flakes
to bring those intensely indulgent flavors back down to earth. That balance in the sweet and salty is right where it needs to be.
Easy instructions for texture
If you want something that will satisfy everyone this holiday season, these flavor filled cookie bars are it. Considering how much flavor and texture is happening, you'd think they were complicated to make. Honestly, they are as simple as can be.
Just layer the goods in a single cake pan and bake away. Save yourself time and bake your friends and family a batch of these sweet, salty and simple Salted Hazelnut Chocolate Maple Rum Bars for the holidays this year.
This recipe for these indulgent and festive cookie bars, along with my Vanilla Shortbread Tree Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting and my Iced Orange Currant Oatmeal Cookies, can be found in the 2019 Bake From Scratch Magazine Holiday Cookies issue. 
Get your copy today!
Recipe
Salted Hazelnut Chocolate Maple Rum Bars
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 bars
Description
Think pecan pie filling, but with chocolate, hazelnuts, and significantly less work. These nutty bars are layered with a brown sugar shortbread cookie base, topped with smooth dark chocolate and a decadent maple, rum, and hazelnut filling. To finish, the bars are liberally sprinkled with crunchy sea salt flakes to perfectly balance out the indulgent flavors.
Ingredients
BROWN SUGAR SHORTBREAD
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup brown sugar (- lightly packed)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (- at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE MAPLE RUM FILLING
- 2 cups raw hazelnuts
- ½ cup cup maple syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar (- lightly packed)
- 2 tablespoons Spiced Rum
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (- at room temperature)
- 1 ¼ cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoons sea salt flakes
Instructions
BROWN SUGAR SHORTBREAD
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread the hazelnuts in one layer on a baking sheet and place on the middle rack of the oven. Toast for 10-15 minutes, until the hazelnuts give off a nutty aroma and have browned slightly. The skins should start to blister. Allow to cool slightly, then wrap nuts in a clean kitchen towel. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins (don't worry about skins that don't come off) and cool completely. Coarsely chop half of the hazelnuts.
- Line a 9 inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour and salt.
- With the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until super light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until blended. Be sure to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Lightly press the crumbly dough evenly into the lined cake pan.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the top is firm to the touch. Set aside to cool.
- Layer the chocolate chips onto the baked Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust, then layer the hazelnuts on top. Carefully and evenly pour the Hazelnut Chocolate Maple Rum Filling over the top. Bake for another 18-20 minutes until the filling has set.
- Cool completely and allow to set for at least 1-2 hours before cutting into a 4 x 4 grid to make 16 total squares. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt flakes.
HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE MAPLE RUM FILLING
- Combine the brown sugar and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from 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.)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Cookie Bars
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