vanilla pecan squares.

There are really good cookies and there are meh cookies. These are the meh ones. I made these because I wanted to use up some pecans but I don't think my pecans have been wasted. Texture wise, they are not that great. The corner and side squares are crunchy around the edges and soft-cakey in the middle. I think I'm as confused as these cookies- are they supposed to be crunchy or cakey or soft?

The good thing is, when the name says vanilla pecan squares, you really taste the vanilla up front, none of that hmmm... I'm detecting something. I wonder what it is... And the toasty nutty pecans really complement the vanilla too. However, I think it's a little on the sweet side so you might want to cut down on the sugar.

Vanilla Pecan Squares
recipe adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini
makes 40

200g sugar (you may want to reduce this to 150g)
2 eggs
200g flour
100ml vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp rum (I omitted because I didn't have)
a pinch of salt
40 pecan pieces

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Whisk the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the oil, vanilla and rum, mix again. Add in flour and salt, mix again. The dough should resemble cake batter- liquid and thick.

Pour into a lined 9 x 13 inch baking pan and even out the surface with a spatula. Arrange the pecan pieces regularly across the surface for easier cutting later on.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (mine took 20-25), until the top is lightly golden and the pecans are fragrant. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Lift all the squares carefully and place them on a cookie sheet and leave inside a turned off oven for 30 minutes to dry them out.