Caramel Nut Bars
These caramel bars are made with with a brown sugar and chopped nut meringue topping. A Christmas favorite, and good any time of year!
Notes
For an extra treat, add chocolate chips to the caramel bar mixture before baking.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, separated
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
- Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl.
- In a medium mixing bowl with a hand held mixer on medium speed, cream 1/2 cup butter with 1 cup granulated sugar.
- Beat in egg yolks and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- With mixer at low speed, blend in flour mixture, alternating with milk and vanilla.
- Mix just until blended.
- Turn batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.
- Bake caramel bars layer for 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks begin to form.
- Gradually beat in brown sugar; stir in nuts.
- Spread over the top of the warm crust.
- Return to oven and bake 20 minutes longer, or until puffed and lightly browned.
- Cut into bars while still warm.
- Cool caramel bars in pan on wire rack.