Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust

Late to the Thanksgiving party, it's been an interesting end to the year. But hopefully, these bars will delight your day! The bourbon brings out all you love in a pecan pie, and the shortbread allows for easy bite-size pieces. You may just end up eating them all...

Yield: 30-40 bars (depending on size cut)

Time: 30minutes

Shortbread Crust:

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

Bourbon Pecan Pie Topping:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup corn syrup

• 4 pcs large eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 tbsp bourbon

• 2 cups pecans roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Shortbread:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Beat butter till smooth. Add all other ingredients. The mixture will resemble a coarse meal, you may need to use hands to fully incorporate all ingredients.

Press evenly and firmly onto the bottom of your pan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges start turning a light golden brown. It is easy to overbake, so watch for a slight golden brown on corners, take out promptly.

Take out of the oven while you work on your filling. Do not turn the oven off.

Bourbon Pecan Pie Topping:

Put all ingredients, but pecans, in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined then add the pecans.

Transfer onto your prepared crust and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before slicing into bars… Enjoy!

BOURBON CARAMEL PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

The year is 2020. Halloween falls on a full moon, which has not been seen for 20 years. As the veil thins, provide some treats to appease the unwanted guests. Take care, as witches take flight and black cats are seen.

Yield: 15cupcakes

Time: 45min

Cupcakes:

• 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 ½ teaspoons Baking powder

• ½ teaspoon Baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 cup Vegetable oil

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 1/4 cup granulated Sugar

• 1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature

• 3-4 tablespoons bourbon whiskey

Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 3-4 tablespoons caramel sauce

• 3 tablespoons bourbon whiskey

• ½ teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, oil, both sugars, buttermilk, and bourbon. Whisk until combined and smooth.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until everything is fully combined and smooth. Fill each liner about 2/3 way full.

Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

Remove the cupcakes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Frosting:

Add the butter to a large mixer bowl, whip for about 1minute.

Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.

Add 3-4 tablespoons of caramel sauce, vanilla, and bourbon to the frosting and mix until well combined.

Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Add additional caramel sauce as needed to get the desired consistency.

Frost cooled cupcakes and drizzle with warmed caramel if you choose…

Enjoy!

**For the candy glass as seen in the picture**

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups granulated white sugar

• 3/4 cups of water

• 2/3 cups light corn syrup

• Candy thermometer

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium saucepan add in the sugar, corn syrup, and water.

Insert the candy thermometer and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the thermometer reaches 300 degrees.

Once at 300 degrees, remove from heat and transfer immediately to a baking pan lined with wax paper. Spread out the mixture till it is thin (this will allow it to cool faster and break easier). Allow it to sit until hardened (about 2 hours).

Once hardened lift the pan up and drop straight down to crack the glass. Repeat until you have fragments at the desired size.

Apple Cinnamon Whiskey Cupcakes

The combination of Apple, Cinnamon, and Whiskey will have you bring this delicate cupcake to all the fall gatherings. This cupcake is not overly sweet, play with changing out the cider or whiskey to allow the cinnamon to be the focal point.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Time: 45min

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes:

1/3 cup butter

1 egg room temperature

1 cup buttermilk room temperature

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 heaping teaspoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking soda

1 cup apple cider room temperature (I used unfiltered apple cider, but Hard Cider would be a good alternative too!)

Whiskey Caramel Apple Filling:

3 Tablespoons butter

2 large or 3 small crisp apples peeled, cored, and diced

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 Tablespoons whiskey (I used Jim Beam Bourbon)

Frosting:

1 cup 2 sticks butter, room temperature

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 Tablespoons whiskey (I used Jim Beam Bourbon)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.

The butter will start smelling sweet and brown specks will appear, remove from heat and continue whisking for 30 more seconds. Pour into a heat-safe bowl and let cool.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda.

Once the butter is cool, add the buttermilk, egg, sugars, and vanilla, and mix until well combined.

Gradually add the flour, cider, and wet ingredients alternating between each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Be careful not to overmix!

Fill each prepared cupcake liner a little more than halfway. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake, comes out clean.

Filling

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.

Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and have released their juices.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the whiskey with cornstarch. Then add to the pan with the apples and cook for another 3 minutes, until the liquid thickens. Set aside to cool. (To cool faster, place in a heat-safe bowl and place in the fridge. This will not alter the texture.)

Frosting

Cream the butter for a minute or two. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, whiskey, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until creamy.

Keep adding whiskey until you reach the desired consistency. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy and whipped.

Assembly

Core each cupcake with a cupcake corer (melon baller, spoon, whatever you have on hand).

Fill the cupcake with apples, then top with buttercream frosting and…

Enjoy!