Brown Butter and Honey Pistachio Cookie Bars Recipe
Delightfully nutty and sweet, these Brown Butter and Honey Pistachio Cookie Bars combine the rich, caramelized flavor of brown butter with the natural sweetness of honey and the crunch of toasted pistachios. Perfectly chewy and packed with buttery goodness, these bars offer a luscious treat with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to balance the sweetness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Butter and Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, plus a little extra for greasing the pan
- 2 ½ cups (about 310g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt (use ½ teaspoon if using salted pistachios)
Sugars and Sweeteners
- ¾ cup (165g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (170g) honey (clover or wildflower honey works well)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Nut and Topping
- 1 ½ cups (about 210g) shelled pistachios, raw, unsalted, roughly chopped (reserve ¼ cup for topping, optional)
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top (optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Brown the Butter (The Flavor Foundation): Place the 1 cup of unsalted butter in a medium-sized, light-colored saucepan to monitor the browning process well. Melt the butter over medium heat. It will begin to foam and sizzle as the water evaporates. Keep swirling the pan occasionally for even cooking. After the foaming subsides, watch carefully as the milk solids sink and turn golden brown, forming golden specks and the butter turns an amber hue, emitting a nutty fragrance. This takes about 5-8 minutes after melting.
- Cool the Brown Butter: Once the butter is browned and fragrant, immediately remove the pan from heat and transfer all the browned butter including the toasted milk solids to a large heatproof bowl. Let it cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or speed up by chilling in the refrigerator for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally. The butter should be cool to the touch but still liquid, not solidified.
- Prepare the Cookie Bar Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter with light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and honey. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding carefully until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped pistachios, reserving some for topping if desired.
- Assemble and Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a rectangular baking pan with butter. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the reserved pistachios on top and optionally add flaky sea salt for enhanced flavor. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into bars and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Using a light-colored saucepan is key to accurately browning the butter without burning.
- Reserve some pistachios for topping to add visual appeal and extra crunch.
- Flaky sea salt sprinkled on top balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors.
- Ensure the brown butter is cool but still liquid before mixing with sugar and eggs to prevent scrambling the eggs.
- Use raw, unsalted pistachios to control the saltiness of the bars.
Keywords: brown butter cookie bars, honey pistachio bars, pistachio dessert bars, brown butter honey cookies, nutty cookie bars
