Maple Pecan Oat Bars

Name: Maple Pecan Oat Bars
Cook time: 28 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 sheet parchment paper for lining the pan; 180 g old-fashioned rolled oats none; 120 g all-purpose flour none; 100 g light brown sugar packed; 4 g baking powder none; 3 g fine salt none; 2 g ground cinnamon none; 100 g pecans chopped; 85 g unsalted butter melted; 120 ml maple syrup none; 5 ml vanilla extract none; 15 ml water hot; 1 each large egg lightly beaten

These bars use oats, maple syrup, and pecans for a sturdy chewy texture with a toasted nut finish. The maple mixture binds the dry ingredients into slab bars that slice cleanly after cooling.

By Julienne

Cook time: 28 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 sheet parchment paper for lining the pan
180 g old-fashioned rolled oats none
120 g all-purpose flour none
100 g light brown sugar packed
4 g baking powder none
3 g fine salt none
2 g ground cinnamon none
100 g pecans chopped
85 g unsalted butter melted
120 ml maple syrup none
5 ml vanilla extract none
15 ml water hot
1 each large egg lightly beaten

Instructions

Heat the oven to 175 C. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for lifting the bars out later. Pan is lined and oven is fully preheated.
In a large bowl, whisk the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and chopped pecans until evenly combined. Dry mixture looks uniform with pecans distributed throughout.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and water. Stir just until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth, then take it off the heat. Butter is fully melted and the liquid looks smooth, not boiling.
Stir the beaten egg into the warm maple mixture. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and fold until no dry flour remains and the oats are fully coated. A thick, sticky batter forms with no visible dry pockets.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and press it into an even layer, including the corners. Surface is level and compacted from edge to edge.
Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until the top is lightly browned, the edges are set, and the center springs back when pressed gently. Edges are firm and a tester inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into 8 bars. Bars are fully cool and slice cleanly without crumbling.