Recipes Chocolate-Chip-Pecan Cookie Bars 4.0 (2,620) Add your rating & review Feel free to swap walnuts or almonds for the pecans, or use half nuts and half dried cranberries for tart, chewy bars. More Delicious Cookies Dessert Bar Recipes By Breanne Varela Breanne Varela Breanne Varela was a pastry chef known for her indulgent signature sweet potato doughnuts, killer cookies, and irresistible cupcakes. She ran the pastry and dessert programs at James Beard Award-winning Los Angeles restaurants A.O.C. and Lucques, as well as Tavern and Larder at Tavern.Experience: Breanne Varela's career as a pastry chef gained traction when she helmed the pastry department at critically acclaimed Los Angeles restaurants A.O.C. and Lucques, co-owned by powerhouse restauranteurs Chef Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne. She was part of the early culinary team that helped establish Lucques as one of the top restaurants in Los Angeles. Breanne managed to craft nuanced desserts with only a deck oven and stovetop within reach of her small corner workstation. Tavern's comparatively larger space allowed Breanne and her team to produce more than 35 pounds of cookie dough a day, almost all sold in a day. Aside from her chocolate chip cookies, some of her noteworthy specialties include, a spiced chocolate panna cotta served with pepita brittle and candied pumpkin and strawberry scones with frangipane mixed into the dough. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 7, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Con Poulos Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hrs Yield: 32 bars Ingredients 1 cup pecans 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened) 2 tablespoons canola oil ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips Directions Preheat the oven to 350° and line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until golden. Chop the pecans and let cool. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the butter and oil with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt; beat the dry ingredients into the mixer at low speed. Add the chocolate chips and pecans; beat just until incorporated. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and nearly set in the center. Let cool completely, then run a knife around the edges and invert the rectangle. Peel off the paper and invert onto a cutting board. Cut and serve. Make Ahead The cookie bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Rate it Print