Pecan Pie Bars stack pecan pie filling atop a buttery shortbread crust. They are easy to serve and share!
These finger friendly bars will be quite the treat this season. Send your visitors on their way with a slice of ooey gooey love. For more yummy bar recipes, try Layered Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars, Peach Pie Bars, and Dulce de Leche Apple Pie Bars.
Pecan Pie in Bar Form!
I has only been a few years since I had my very first slice of pecan pie, can you believe it?! The instant I took that first bite I was hooked. It was chewy, nutty, and filled with caramel goodness.
I couldn’t believe I had never experienced this deliciousness before! The caramel filling piled with nuts is quite rich, but heavenly.
Making an entire pecan pie may seem like a daunting task, but now you can whip that same flavor up in bars! They are so easy to make, and even easier to serve. These bars are perfect for large gatherings and parties, or an easy pot luck dessert.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bars
PREP. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13″ pan with foil, leaving a 2″ overhang on all sides, this will help you remove them from the pan.
CRUST. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, sugars, and salt until fluffy. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the flour and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press the crust into the prepared pan. Prick a few times with a fork. Place in oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
FILLING. Meanwhile, to prepare the filling, in a medium size saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Once the butter has melted, add brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, vanilla, maple syrup and salt. Turn heat up to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes (or until the sugar has dissolved and it begins to simmer).
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Once mixture has cooled, add eggs and pecans. Mix until combined.
COMBINE + BAKE. Pour the mixture into the hot crust. Bake for 20-22 minutes (be careful not to over-bake or the sides will get burned).
CHILL. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes. Transfer to the freezer to chill for an additional 20 minutes. Remove, cut and serve.
Recipe Troubleshooting
Why is my filling runny? You may have taken them out of the oven too early. Make sure to jiggle the pan when you check it in the oven. If it is similar to movement of jello when it’s set then it’s ready! Don’t take it out before the filling has set. If your first attempt yields a runny bar try adding another egg to the batter; this will help stabilize the filling.
Make sure to line your pan with parchment paper and leave some of it hanging over the sides so that once your bars are baked you can easily lift the whole thing out of the pan and slice it on a cutting board easily.
Best way to cut pecan pie bars? Let the bars cool completely before you try to cut them. Some people recommend letting them refrigerate overnight before you try to slice them. Use a sharp knife and try to cut them outside of the pan. It will be much easier to cut them nicely if you have a flat surface to cut on.
Serving and Storing
MAKE AHEAD: You can easily make them ahead. Leave them uncut in the pan and place them in the fridge until you plan on serving them.
If you want to serve these bars with ice cream, I recommend keeping them at room temperature or even warming them up!
STORAGE: You don’t have to refrigerate pecan pie bars, but if you do it makes the cutting process a lot easier because the filling is more firm. They will also last longer in the fridge in an airtight container than they will at room temperature. If you leave them at room temperature the filling will be soft and squishy when you slice your bars.
FREEZING: You can freeze the entire pan or individual pieces. Keep the pecan bars airtight in the freezer for up to 2 months. To make it freezer safe, wrap the pan or individual pieces in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil and then place the bars in a freezer safe ziploc bag.
After they’ve been frozen you need to let them thaw overnight and then come to room temperature before serving. If you don’t want to wait for them to come to room temperature then you can nuke them in the microwave till they are slightly warmed.
For more delicious pecan recipes, try:
Gooey Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1/3 c sugar
- 1/3 c brown sugar - packed
- 16 tbsp butter (2 sticks) - softened
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 8 tbsp butter (1 stick)
- 1 c light brown sugar - packed
- 1/4 c corn syrup
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
- 2 c pecans - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line a 9 × 13″ pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving a 2″ overhang on all sides; this will help you lift the bars from the pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugars, and salt until fluffy. With the mixing speed on low, gradually add the flour and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press the crust evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, prick it a few times with a fork, and place the pan in the oven to bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, to prepare the filling, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, vanilla, maple syrup, and salt. Turn the heat up to medium and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Once the mixture has cooled, add the eggs and chopped pecans; mix until combined.
- Pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake for 20–22 minutes (be careful not to overbake, or the sides will burn). Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to the freezer to chill for an additional 20 minutes. Remove, cut, and serve.
