This recipe for Mud Hen Bars was recommended by D’Arcy, one of our wonderful Hen-Level patrons. A Southern heirloom recipe dating back 100 years, the original version was a simple pecan cookie bar topped with a brown sugar meringue layer. Sometime in the 20th century, marshmallows and chocolate chips were added to the recipe and the pecans were omitted from the crust. So, we tried putting them back together and the result was delicious.
This recipe is very easy to make gluten and/or dairy free. Chicken eggs work best here because they’ll whip into meringue more quickly. If you’re using duck or goose eggs, make sure you add a teaspoon of vinegar to the egg whites to help denature the proteins and make them easier to whip.
We talk you through making Mud Hen Bars in Episode 272 of our podcast. If you enjoy these bars you may also like our recipes for Hot Chocolate Cookies and Easy Black Forest Brownies.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or dairy free butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons half and half or milk or thick dairy free creamer
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour of gluten free 1-1 flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Pinch cream of tartar, optional (use if you have problem with meringue deflating)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 heaping cup of chocolate chips
1 heaping cup of mini marshmallows
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil, or butter/spray with oil and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until well blended and fluffy.
Separate two of the eggs and set aside the whites. Add one whole egg and the two yolks to the butter mixture, blending in.
Add the vanilla and milk/dairy free creamer.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the butter mixture along with the pecans; mix to combine, dump into the baking dish, and gently pat into place. Bake for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the reserved egg whites until foamy. Add optional pinch of cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Fold the brown sugar in the beaten egg whites until blended.
Sprinkle the marshmallow and chocolate chips over top of the crust. Spread meringue over top of the chips and marshmallows.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan, the cut into squares or use foil to life out and slice. Serve and enjoy!