These maple walnut squares are delicious, sweet bites, with tons of maple flavour in the filling, lots of walnuts and a crispy shortbread crust.

Maple Walnut Squares

Maple walnut squares are a classic sweet treat, with a shortbread base, a sweet, maple filling and lots of walnuts. They set up beautifully, so they cut nicely and are perfect for anything from a bake sale to a BBQ to a sweets table. (And they taste a lot like butter tarts, which is always a good thing :)

While these are sweet, they are not over-the-top sweet. The nuts do a great job of tempering the sweetness, especially slightly bitter walnuts.

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Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Walnuts – you can use walnuts or pecans for the squares. Sometimes I like to use a combination of pecans and walnuts. Use what you have or prefer.

Maple Syrup – real maple syrup is highly recommended. Specifically, I love to use Amber or Grade B maple syrup, which has the strongest maple flavour.

How to make maple walnut squares

Crust dry ingredients in a small bowl.
1
Cold butter added to the dry ingredients.
2
Crust after cutting the butter into the dry ingredients.
3
  1. Start by adding all of the crust ingredients except the butter to a medium bowl. Stir together well.
  2. Add the cold butter pieces to the bowl.
  3. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are no larger than pea-sized.
Prepared baking pan for the squares.
4
Crust mixture added to the prepared pan.
5
Pressing the crumb mixture into the pan.
6
  1. Prepare an 8-inch metal baking pan by spraying with cooking spray and lining the bottom and two sides with parchment paper.
  2. Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared pan.
  3. Press the crumb mixture into the pan firmly and evenly.
Crust ready to bake.
7
Filling ingredients in a bowl.
8
Filling ingredients mixed together with the walnuts on the side.
9
  1. The crust is now ready to pop into the oven for 18-20 minutes.
  2. While the crust is baking, whisk together the filling ingredients except the walnuts.
  3. Set aside the filling mixture and measure out the walnuts.
Walnut scattered over the baked crust.
10
Filling poured over the walnuts in the pan.
11
Finished squares in the pan.
12
  1. Once the crust comes out of the oven, scatter the walnuts over the top of the hot crust.
  2. Pour the filling mixture over the nuts.
  3. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the squares are set, about 30-35 minutes.

Recipe tips!

  • If the neatness of squares is important (for presentation), once cooled, remove to a cutting board and cut off all the edges by about 1/2 inch, then cut the remaining piece into equal squares.
  • Refrigerating the squares before cutting will make for neater slices.
  • If you like the sweet/salty combination, sprinkle some finishing salt (like Maldon’s/Fleur de Sel) on top as soon as the squares come out of the oven.
Maple walnut squares cut and stacked on a serving board.

Storing and freezing

I like to store these squares in the refrigerator, but they are most delicious at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge for a bit before serving. These should also freeze well for a couple of months.

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Maple Walnut Squares

Get the Recipe: Maple Walnut Squares

Delicious sweet maple walnut squares, with a shortbread base, a maple syrup filling and lots of walnuts!
5 stars from 7 ratings
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, cold, and cut into 8 pieces
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped (or pecans)

Filling:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 35%
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 2/3-3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (or pecans, or a mixture of both)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F (regular bake setting/not convection or fan-assisted). Line an 8-inch metal square baking pan (preferably with straight sides) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on at least two sides, to use as handles to lift the squares out of the pan later.
  • In a medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt and walnuts. Add the cold butter pieces and use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are no larger than pea-sized. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press firmly and evenly into the pan.
  • Bake the crust in the centre of the preheated 350F oven until golden and set, about 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, but leave the oven on.
  • While the crust is baking, whisk together all the filling ingredients except for the walnuts and set aside. Measure out the walnuts and have ready.
  • Once the base crust is out of the oven, scatter the walnuts evenly over the top of the crust. Re-whisk the filling, then pour the filling over the nuts and crust. Use a fork to evenly distribute the nuts floating on top, if necessary.
  • Place into the 350F oven and bake until filling is set and the top is deep golden, about 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, then carefully lift out of the pan using the parchment paper edges. (I like to refrigerate for a bit before cutting into squares, just to make the whole process neater, but the squares are quite sturdy without refrigerating, once cooled.) Cut into squares. Eat as is, or serve on a dessert plate with a dollop of whipped cream and a scattering of nuts.

Notes

Tips!
Be sure to chop the walnuts for the base quite fine, as larger pieces will make the squares more difficult to cut later.
Refrigerating the squares before cutting will make neater squares. 
For perfect squares, trim the outside by a 1/2-inch or so all the way around before cutting into squares.
If you like the sweet/salty combination, sprinkle some finishing salt (like Maldon’s/Fleur de Sel) on top as soon as the squares come out of the oven.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips on making this recipe.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Snack
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 306kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 224mg, Potassium: 130mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 356IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg
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