Honey Nut Bars

Alright, here are some adjectives: ooey, gooey, salty, sweet, soft and chewy.  Like the sound of that?  Good, then you will l-o-v-e, LOVE these Honey Nut Bars.  They embody every single one of those yummy descriptive words.  Oh, I forgot ADDICTING. I had to get these out of my house fast…I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to salty and sweet things!  If you love that combination as much as I do, make these immediately!  You will be so very happy you did…or maybe not once you have three or four or ten of them.  Ooooops.  I would know nothing about that though….

Enjoy!

Honey Nut Bars

Crust:

1 Stick+2 T. Unsalted Butter, melted

1 c. AP Flour

1 c. Rolled or Quick Oats

3/4 c. Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar

1/2 t. Baking Soda

1/4 t. Salt

Topping:

3/4 c. Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar

6 T. Unsalted Butter

1/3 c. Clover Honey

1/2 t. Salt

2 T. Heavy Whipping Cream

2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract

1 t. Cinnamon

3 c. (17 oz.) Whole Salted Mixed Nuts, toasted (I forgot to toast mine and they turned out fine)

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9×13 pan and line with foil, leaving extra foil to hang over the ends so that you will have “handles”.  Grease the foil.

For the crust, thoroughly combine all the dry ingredients.  Add melted butter and combine well.  Spread and press the crust into the bottom of the pan evenly.  Bake for 10 minutes and then let the crust cool on a rack for 10 minutes.

Place the nuts in a large bowl.  Bring the sugar, butter, honey and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often.  Slowly and carefully add the cream and return to a boil.  Remove from the heat and carefully add the vanilla and cinnamon.  Pour mixture over the nuts and coat them thoroughly.  Pour the nut mixture over the crust and spread evenly.  Press down on the nuts slightly with the back of a spoon.  Bake for 20 minutes, until the topping has just started to bubble slowly.

Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then using the foil “handles” remove from the pan and let cool completely.  Cut into squares with a sharp knife.  Make sure no foil has stuck to the bottom of the bars.

Makes 16 bars.