Shortbread. Caramel. Chocolate. Pecans.

Check. Check. Check. Check.

And where is my cup of coffee? And the Baileys?

This Dulce de Leche Shortbread Cookie Bar Recipe is a grown-up cookie bar. Its like the Tollhouse Cookie Bar grew up, went to college, worked in corporate America, took a trip to Italy and came back to develop a start-up. It’s complex. It’s rich. It’s not meant for kids.

And even better, it is SUPER easy (because you are going to buy pre-made dulce de leche) and has great presentation.

Because as an adult cookie bar, it’s important that it look good, as well as taste good.

Dulce de Leche Shortbread Cookie Bar Recipe

Recipe Yields: One 9″ Square Pan of Bars, how big of a piece you cut is up to you.

Ingredients

2 cups, plus one tablespoon all-purpose flour
1.5 sticks of unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), diced
1/3 cup powdered sugar3
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, separated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dulce de leche – I use the Trader Joe’s brand
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a 9″ square baking pan with aluminum foil (leaving a 2″ overhang on two sides for easy lifting) and coat foil with cooking spray. Set aside.

3. Pulse 2 cups of flour, butter, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and salt in a food processor until the mixture starts clumping together, around 1 minute.

4. Press flour mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

5. Bake until firm and brown, around 25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for five minutes.

6. While the flour mixture is baking, combine the dulce de leche, heavy cream, egg yolks, remaining tablespoon of flour and 2 teaspoons of vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour mixture over crust and sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.

7. Return to oven and bake until set around the edges, but slightly jiggly in the center, around 25 minutes.

8. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

9. Lift out of the pan using the overhanging foil. Remove the foil and cut into pieces.