DATE-PECAN BARS

Date-Pecan Bars image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Time 1h30m

Yield Makes 18

Number Of Ingredients 10

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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pan; place it in the pan, then butter the paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in dates and nuts.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then cut it into bars using a serrated knife. To cut the baked dough into 18 bars, make 3 cuts horizontally and 6 cuts vertically.