Μπισκοτένιες μπάρες με καραμέλα, πέκαν και σοκολάτα ΧΩΡΙΣ ΓΛΟΥΤΕΝΗ- Butterscotch pecan chocolate chip cookie bars GF, by Rita Ann and the gfhomebakery.com!

Have you ever struggle with diet? Well,I do! It’s not that I want to lose weight,but in order to maintain it,I definitely have to manage it. Not today,though! Because today is cheat day!

As a huge fan of caramel and butterscotch sauce there was something needs to be done in order to make that cheat day worth it! What’s better than fluffy,and slightly crispy on the outside,with chocolate and pecans and the sinful addition of butterscotch sauce. No regrets here whatsoever! Fall has finally made its appearance and pecan,pumpkin and all things good happening!

Now,some of you might wonder what’s the difference between caramel sauce and butterscotch sauce. Caramel is typically made with granulated sugar, milk and/or cream, butter, and sometimes vanilla. The primary flavors of caramel are the sugar and milk/cream. Butterscotch on the other hand is made with brown sugar. It’s primary flavors are brown sugar and butter.

So,first we make that beautiful sauce! I was lucky enough to find the recipe from Just a little bit of bacon. Easy,no fuss and very delicious! I mean,look at that beauty over here! Doesn’t it look incredible?

Then you make the cookie dough mixed with all this goodness of nutty pecans and mini chocolate chips and the fruity notes of orange. What an unbelievable combination!

Watch it as it pours on the cookie dough layer! I was afraid I might need to double the cookie dough recipe,but fortunately I was wrong. The cookie bars are rising and almost double.

BUTTERSCOTCH PECAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS (GF) 

Yields: 9 pieces     Cooking time: 15 minutes          Difficulty: Easy

Butterscotch sauce recipe adapted by Just a little bit of bacon

INGREDIENTS: 

For the butterscotch sauce: 

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/4 cup or 2 oz)
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the cookie dough:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter,melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar,packed
• 1 egg,at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

To make the sauce:

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan on medium heat.
2. Add brown sugar and stir to mix it into the butter. Then add the cream and bring the sauce to a boil.
3. Keep the sauce at a light boil for 5 minutes, reducing the heat of the burner if needed. By a light boil I mean the sauce should be bubbling but you don’t want the bubbles to be stacking on top of each other, something that happens easily when cooking sugary sauces.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the salt and vanilla. Taste and add more of either if you want to pump up the flavor a bit more.
5. Let the sauce cool to room temperature. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When chilled, the sauce is pretty solid so warm it back up in saucepan on medium heat for a few minutes if you need it to be pourable.

To make the cookie dough and assembly:

1. Preheat the oven at 350 F. Line parchment paper and grease a 8×8 inch pan.Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl,whisk by hand melted and cooled butter,sugar,orange zest,vanilla extract and egg until thoroughly mixed.
3. Add the dry ingredients and by using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon mix and incorporate mini chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
4. In your baking pan,add the 2/3 of the cookie dough and spread it all over the pan. Don’t worry if the layer looks thin.
5. Carefully,spread 2/3 of the butterscotch sauce,and live 1/2 and inch as a border around the cookie dough. Add dollops of the rest cookie dough. It will looks like isn’t covered but it will spread during baking.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Let it cool down first and then transfer it in a cooling rack.
8. Cut it in 9 squares and pour some   more sauce and pecans.

Enjoy!