Nussecken

Side view of a Nussecke sitting on its side, drizzled with dark chocolate and sprinkled with flaky salt.

5 from 3 votes

Nussecken, or German Nut Bars, can be made with a variety of nuts but when made with pecans they taste like delicious, soft pecan pie bars! They are perfect for thanksgiving or the holidays when you don't feel like making an entire pie.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Cooling1 30

Total Time2 20

Course: Afternoon Kaffee, Dessert

Cuisine: German

Keyword: bars, Chocolate, pecans

Servings:

Calories: 277kcal

Ingredients

Base

150 grams ap flour
60 grams granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
60 grams butter softened
1 egg

Layers

150 grams apricot jam
80 grams butter
80 grams granulated sugar
225 grams pecans finely chopped

Finishing touches

150 grams dark chocolate melted
1 tsp flaky sea salt

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions

Make the Base

Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
Line a 9" x 9" pan with a strip of parchment pater that is 9" x 15".
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all of the base ingredients.
Use the paddle attachment on medium speed until the ingredients are fully combined.
Press the dough into the base of the pan in a smooth and even layer.

Prepare the nut layer

In a medium sauce pan, add in the butter, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water.
Place over medium low heat to melt the ingredients together. Stir frequently until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from the heat and pour in the finely chopped nuts.

Assemble and Bake the bars

Spread the apricot jam in an even layer over the base.
Pour the nut filling over the top and smooth it out.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Rotate the pan after 20 minutes to ensure even browning.
Once baked, the bars should be a deep golden brown color. Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool for 30 minutes.

Finishing touches

After 30 minutes have passed, use the parchment paper sling to remove the bars from the pan.
Leave them to cool fully to room temperature before cutting.
Cut the bars into 9 squares, then cut each square diagonally in half into two triangles.
Place the bars in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour before dipping in or drizzling with the melted chocolate.
Optionally top with flaky sea salt.

Notes

These will keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for 1 week or up to 2.

Make sure the butter for the shortbread base is soft - this will allow the dough to come together faster without developing gluten and causing the base of the bars to be tough.

Be sure to chop the nuts finely. If the chunks are too big, the nut layer won't hold together and they will be difficult to cut.

After baking, the bars should be allowed to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Then remove them from the pan and leave to cool fully before cutting them. If you leave them to cool for longer, be prepared to chip away at the edges with a knife to loosen it from the pan.

If you decide to dip the corners into chocolate, I suggest refrigerating them for at least an hour to help firm them up.

Nutrition