Honey Cashew Cookie Bars are chock full of crunchy cashews in chewy honey caramel on a brown sugar shortbread base, all drizzled in chocolate.
When I first came up with the idea to use cashews in this recipe, I immediately thought of my Mom who is a big fan of cashew nuts. I must stick a few in the freezer for her.
Mom’s twin sister, Aunt Moo, is also a big big of cashews and of this recipe. She has made these quite a few times over the years.
I daresay she’s made them more times than me!
These are one of my favourites in the dozens of cookie recipes available here on Rock Recipes. I share my Mom’s and aunt’s love of cashews and the chewy honey caramel on a brown sugar shortbread base is as near to simple perfection as I can imagine.
The terrific thing about this recipe is that you can use practically any nuts you like to make it your ow. I’ve made these with mixed nuts before as well, and they were exceptionally good.
I had to force myself away from these after the third cookie. They really are that irresistible!
A little chocolate is never a bad thing but honestly, these simple cookie bars are absolutely delicious all on their own; try them whichever way you like.
Originally published November 29, 2011.
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Originally published December 2012. Updated Dec 2020.
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Honey Cashew Cookie Bars
Honey Cashew Cookie Bars - These are a cashew lovers dream cookie bars. Plenty of crunchy cashews suspended in a soft honey caramel all on a brown sugar shortbread crust.
Ingredients
For the bottom layer
- 1 cup butter
- 2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 2/3 cups flour
For the top layer
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tbsp whipping cream
- 2 cups chopped unsalted roasted cashew nuts
- 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
For the bottom layer
- Cream together the butter and brown sugar.
- Mix in the flour until fully incorporated.
- Press into the bottom of a 9×13 inch, parchment paper lined baking pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
For the top layer
- In a medium sized saucepan combine the butter brown sugar honey and whipping cream.
- Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for only a minute or two before stirring in the cashews.
- As soon as the bottom has baked for 20 minutes, pull it out of the oven and spread the topping evenly over the base and return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Careful not to over bake these or the caramel top will go brittle and not chewy. If you have a candy thermometer you can test the top layer to ensure that it is somewhere between 245 to 250 degrees F when fully baked.
- Cool completely the pan on a wire rack.
- Drizzle the tops with the melted chocolate if you choose. These are exceptionally good without the chocolate too.
Notes
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Nutrition Information
Yield
36Serving Size
1 gAmount Per Serving Calories 209Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 6gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 21mgSodium 74mgCarbohydrates 23gSugar 13gProtein 2g
Dipali
Sunday 24th of September 2017
For the top layer...What time it would take to make caramel as i burt it in 3 minutes? Do we use powdered brown sugar or granular sugar?
Barry C. Parsons
Wednesday 25th of October 2017
I've never used anything but granular. You just have to boil it for a minute or two as the recipe instructs. Don't use heigh heat either.
Terrie
Tuesday 18th of October 2016
Can you use peanuts instead for someone who is allergic to other nuts?
Barry C. Parsons
Tuesday 18th of October 2016
Yup, should be no problem.
Anonymous
Monday 23rd of December 2013
These are AMAZING. We didn't use the chocolate drizzle either. My husband made these for dessert after Christmas dinner - it will be a miracle if they even make it that long. We couldn't find unsalted cashews, so we used salted - still amazing (or, maybe more amazing, we haven't tried with unsalted).
Barry C. Parsons
Thursday 20th of December 2012
Salty sweet treats are pretty trendy these days (ie salted caramel) so I'd give it a try. Roll the salted cashews over a clean tea towel with your palms to remove some of the salt and use unsalted butter in the recipe if you can. They might just be great.
Anonymous
Thursday 20th of December 2012
Duh didn't see unsalted, can I use salted just spent 10.00 on them. It wont keep the mixture from sticking to them will it?