These pecan pie bars feature a brown sugar shortbread crust topped with a rich, gooey pecan filling. They’re an excellent alternative to traditional pecan pie and are ideal for serving a crowd.
For holiday entertaining I like to offer a variety of seasonal desserts alongside these bars. They pair well with warm or spiced drinks and make a welcome addition to any dessert spread.
Although I’m usually more of a cake person, pecan pie is my weakness and I never say no to it. These pecan pie bars capture all the classic flavors in a convenient hand-held format. A buttery shortbread-style crust is topped with a buttery, caramel-like pecan filling that sets into a delicious chewy topping. They’re straightforward to prepare and always a hit — a must for any holiday menu.
Serve these pecan pie bars with seasonal beverages for a complete dessert offering. They also freeze and store well, making them useful for planning ahead.
Table of Contents
- Pecan Pie Bars Ingredients
- How Do You Make Pecan Pie Bars?
- Tips For The Perfect Dessert
- Quick Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Flavor Variations
- More Holiday Desserts
- Pecan Pie Bars Video
- Love This Recipe?
- Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
Pecan Pie Bars Ingredients
You’ll need unsalted butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, water, light corn syrup, heavy cream and pecans.
- Pecans: The star of the bars. Use whole pecans and chop them yourself for the freshest texture, or buy pre-chopped pecans to save time.
- Corn Syrup: Light corn syrup provides the classic sweet, glossy texture in the filling. Use light corn syrup rather than dark to keep the flavor balanced.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream adds richness and helps the filling set with a creamy texture that milk can’t match.
How Do You Make Pecan Pie Bars?
Begin by lining a 9″x13″ pan with parchment and coating it with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the crust by creaming together part of the butter with a portion of the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, water and flour and mix until coarse crumbs form. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and bake until the edges are lightly browned.
For the filling, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, stir in the rest of the brown sugar and the light corn syrup, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream and remaining vanilla. Fold in the pecans so they’re fully coated, then pour the mixture over the pre-baked crust and spread evenly.
Bake again until the topping is set but still slightly soft in the center. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing into squares.
Tips For The Perfect Dessert
- Chill the bars before slicing to make clean cuts. They’re also delicious straight from the fridge or brought to room temperature.
- Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to make the crust quickly and evenly.
- When mixed, the crust will resemble coarse crumbs—that’s normal. Pressing it evenly into the pan will help it hold together and form a shortbread-like base.
Quick Tip
Working the crust into the pan takes a bit of time; an offset spatula lightly coated with cooking spray helps you press and even out the dough efficiently.
Recipe FAQs
The filling typically combines butter, pecans, brown sugar, light corn syrup and vanilla. Some recipes also add heavy cream, eggs, bourbon or warm spices depending on the variation.
Pre-baking the crust until it’s lightly browned helps it set and prevents it from absorbing moisture from the filling, keeping the base firm.
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze individually cut bars for up to 2 months and thaw before serving.
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Flavor Variations
This recipe is delicious as written, but it’s easy to customize:
- Chocolate: Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with the pecans for a chocolate-pecan twist.
- Spice: Add 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the pecan mixture for warm autumn flavor.
- Different Nuts: Substitute walnuts or almonds for pecans to change the texture and taste.
- Whipped Cream: Top individual bars with whipped cream when serving.
- Salted Finish: A light sprinkle of sea salt over the cooled bars gives a salted-caramel contrast.
- Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle caramel sauce on top for extra sweetness and shine.
These bars are easy to cut to the size you need, from bite-sized squares for a party to larger dessert portions. They also pair beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent treat.
More Holiday Desserts
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
1 hr
Pumpkin Spice Cake
50 mins
Caramel Apple Dip
6 mins
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
2 hrs 1 min
Pumpkin Meringue Pie
1 hr 50 mins
Pecan Pie Bars Video
Love This Recipe?
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Pecan Pie Bars
Time
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened, divided use
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed, divided use
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract divided use
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound raw pecans chopped
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9″x13″ pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup of the butter and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 tablespoon water. With the mixer on low, add the flour and mix until coarse crumbs form.
- Scoop the dough into the pan and press evenly with your fingertips or an offset spatula coated with cooking spray.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned around the edges.
- Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and the corn syrup, stirring to combine.
- Bring to a boil, stirring frequently for 3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and airy. Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.
- Add the pecans and stir until coated. Pour the mixture over the baked crust and spread evenly.
- Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the pecan topping is set (it will still move slightly when the pan is wiggled).
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
- For convenience, use pre-chopped pecans if desired.
- Seeing coarse crumbs when mixing the crust is normal; pressing the mixture into the pan will form the shortbread base.