Baklava Cookie Bars

I wanted to use honey my fried Debby gave me, so I decided to make Baklava Cookie Bars.

Ingredients:

Cookie Base:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks)
  
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsps orange zest
• 3 cups (360 gr) flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• (optional - 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
• (optional - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
  
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• (optional - 8 or 10 sheets filo dough, brushed with 2 Tbsp melted butter and baked at 350 for 12 minutes until golden)
  

Syrup:

• 2/3 cup (5.3 ounces or 227 gr), honey
• 3 ounces (6 Tbps) water
• 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 9 x 13" baking pan with parchment paper.
2. (Butter and toast the filo sheets if you are using them in the topping.)
   
   
3. Make the cookie base: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and orange zest until combined. 
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture and fold in until incorporated. 
5. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan and bake crust for 16 to 18 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
   
   
6. Make the 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. 
7. Spoon and spread topping evenly over warm crust and return pan to oven. Continue baking another 12 to 14 minutes, until golden.
   
   
8. Make the syrup: While the bars finish baking. Combine honey, water, and orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. 
9. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
   
   
10. Finishing off: Place the pan of baked bars on a wire rack. Drizzle syrup over still-warm topping, tilting pan slightly to coat evenly. 
11. Cool bars completely in pan. 
12. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; cut into triangles with a sharp knife. Place on mini muffin size cupcake liners for neater serving,
    
13. Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
    
    

 

Carole's Notes:

We liked this! The optional clove and nutmeg give the bars an "autumn" flavor - skip them for a more traditional baklava flavor.

These are intensely sweet - I cut them into 48 pieces.

The recipe is lightly adapted from https://tutti-dolci.com/baklava-cookie-bars/ and https://www.thedomesticfront.com/baklava-bars/