Pecan Pie Bars

5 from 2 votes

Pecan pie bars are perfect for the holidays! They take less time to bake than a traditional pie. You'll love the buttery and tender shortbread crust, and the crunchy, soft, and chewy pecan filling.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Cooling2

Total Time3

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: bars

Calories: 373kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) VERY cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes freeze for 30 mins or overnight

Pecan Filling

3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
¾ cup dark brown sugar packed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups roughly chopped pecans large chunks are fine, do not chop too fine

Instructions

Make the shortbread crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch ceramic baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides. Tip: lightly butter the bottom of the pan to prevent the paper from moving.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt until evenly combined. Add the cold butter cubes and cut in the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender (or rub the dry ingredients into the butter with your fingers) until you get small coarse crumbs. It will look very dry and crumbly. Note: You can also pulse using your food processor.
Press down the mixture firmly into the lined baking pan. Make sure it's compact and evenly distributed.
Par-bake the crust for about 15 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and let it cool slightly for a few minutes. If needed, gently press down on the crust with a spoon to flatten any areas that have risen during baking.

Make pecan filling and assemble

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined. Fold in the roughly chopped pecans. Spread the pecan filling mixture over the pre-baked crust evenly.

Bake

Return to the oven and bake for another 30 to 32 minutes. The pecan pie bars are done when the center is set. It’s okay if it jiggles just a little bit in the center, but the edges should be set.
Let them cool completely, at least 2 to 3 hours, at room temperature. Do not cut into them until they are completely cooled or they may fall apart. Once cooled, cut into squares.
Serve as is or with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Notes

Use COLD Butter for the shortbread crust: Freeze the butter the day before. Cold butter ensured a flakier crust.
Don’t substitute the corn syrup in this recipe - it provides the right texture. Using substitutes like honey or maple syrup requires additional tweaks.
How to tell if the pecan pie bars are ready: They are done when the edges are set, and the center is almost set. A little jiggle in the center is okay, but if it jiggles too much, they may need a few more minutes.
Cooling: Let cool down completely before slicing, otherwise they won’t hold their shape. Give them 2 to 3 hours to cool down at room temperature.
Make ahead: Since they need to cool for about 2 to 3 hours, make them ahead 1 day before and store, covered, at room temperature or in the fridge.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
Freezing: Wrap with parchment paper and store in a resealable bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.

Substitutions and variations:

Dark brown sugar: Light brown sugar. Do not use granulated sugar, as it will affect the texture.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition