EASY pecan pie bars! Sweet, buttery, amazing, impress your family kind of goodness! Made with soft shortbread-style crust, maple syrup, brown sugar and topped with flakey salt. Perfect for holiday snacking tables. You deserve something simple and indulgent this time of year. So let’s make it!
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Why You Will Like This Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
This pecan pie bars recipe yields a big batch that you only have to make once to feed the whole crowd. The important part, they are caramelly and melt in your mouth magically, so you can skip that old-fashioned pecan pie. I decided to make them this year at Thanksgiving because they make a great addition to our charcuterie snacking table that has both savory and sweet snacks while everyone socializes.
Ingredients for Pecan Pie Bars
- Butter – Yes it’s a lot of butter! Sometimes you simply have to pull out all the stops for a special treat.
- Sugar – both white granulated sugar and brown sugar create the right flavor and texture.
- Eggs - The eggs serve as a binder and slightly soften the shortbread crust for that pie feeling. I took my cue from Ina Garten who is quite famous for this recipe.
- Vanilla - Vanilla is the friend to everything, especially the caramelly portion of this recipe.
- Flour - Unbleached All-purpose flour is always my choice for texture and flavor.
- Maple Syrup - Maple syrup appears repeatedly in my recipes because of its delicious, cozy, flavorful attributes.
- Lemon Zest – Life needs lemons, and this recipe is no different. A sneaky little undertone of pop.
- Heavy Cream – Stick with 40% cream for that perfect caramel result. No substitutions.
- Pecan Halves – Named pecan bars for a reason. Pecans are simply good! But they get even better as they toast up in the final bake.
- Flaky Salt – I always have Maldon salt on hand because it makes me feel fancy, and of course, it's a perfect addition for topping off rich sweets.
OPTIONS FOR PECAN PIE BARS
- Bourbon Baby! Jazz up the flavor pallet with a little LorAnn super strength bourbon flavoring (a ¼ teaspoon will do), or 3 tablespoons of the real thing. Not both.
- Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars - Give in to a little drizzle. I’m a dark chocolate lover myself. But honestly, these don’t need the chocolate unless you simply can’t resist.
How To Make Pecan Pie Bars
Detailed instructions in printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Illustrated step-by-step instructions as follows:
- Make the shortbread dough base.
2. Press into a parchment pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350° F.
3. Next, add the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup to a saucepan.
4. Simmer to melt, then bring to a 3-minute soft rolling boil to create the caramel filling.
5. Add the pecans to the completed caramel.
6. Pour the pecan caramel filling over the crust and bake the pecan pie bars for 30 minutes.
7. Let cool completely at room temperature for one hour. Cover cooled bars with plastic or a fitted lid, like this 9in x 13in OXO Good Grips Silicone Bakeware Lid , and let chill for at least 5 hours.
8. Slice as desired. Serve at room temperature. ENJOY!
How To Cut The Pecan Pie Bars
Let’s make things easy on ourselves, shall we?
- First start by completely chilling the pecan bars.
- Next, loosen the edges of the pan on all four sides with a small knife to make lifting the bars out of the pan easier and by using the edges of the parchment paper to lift out. The bars will be heavy, so start with a gentle tug on the parchment, once successfully lifted, it’s handy to transfer them to a cutting board quickly.
- Make 8 cuts along the long 13” side, I start with a cut in the middle, then cut each half into four strips. Next, make 4 cuts along the short 9” side to yield a total of 32 pieces. Don’t be fooled, these are still pretty large!
Storage Tips
- To Store. They have a short shelf life, so be sure to store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if you are not planning to eat them within a day or two.
- Freeze. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight. If your oven has a proofer, you can warm them at 100°F for 45 minutes prior to serving.
Equipment for Pecan Pie Bars
- Stand Mixer
- 9x13 Baking Pan
- 9in x 13in OXO Good Grips Silicone Bakeware Lid
- Medium bowl
- Parchment Paper
- Rubber Spatula
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- 8 Qt Pot
- Wooden Spoon
History of Pecan Pie
According to the Georgia Pecan Nursery, Pecan pie is an American invention. Its history can be traced back thousands of years, to Native Americans who used the nut's meat as a filling for their medicine pouches and in recipes like wampum belts. The colonists began using pecans as a food source, though they didn't begin to bake with them until the mid-1800s.
Legend has it that the French people who settled in New Orleans made the first pecan pie after eating pecans given to them by Native American tribes. Some also claim that pecan pie originated in Alabama in the early 1800s but there is no written documentation to substantiate it. Though it is thought of as a southern holiday dish, in Texas, pecan pie has been a tradition for more than 100 years, and the pie was officially named the state dessert in 2013.
Pecan Pie Bars
Equipment
- Stand Mixer A hand mixer will work as well.
- Medium bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- 8 Qt Pot
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
For The Crust
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter at room temperature, 3 sticks (340g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature (100g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4.3ml)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder (1.2g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (1.5g)
For The Filling
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (340g)
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup or honey (255ml)
- 2 ¼ cups light brown sugar or dark brown sugar (450g)
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest about ½ medium lemon
- ¼ cup heavy cream 40% fat (60ml)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4.3ml)
- 1 ¼ pounds pecan halves 20 ounces, coarsely chopped (570g)
- Flaky sea salt such as Maldon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out. Set aside.
- The crust: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once in between. Once blended, add in the eggs and vanilla, blend until incorporated.
- Next, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low speed, spoon the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, until incorporated.
- Transfer the dough to the parchment lined pan. Press doug evenly into the pan, building it up on the sides all the way around by about 1-inch. The dough is sticky, so if it clings to your hands, simply dip your fingers into some flour. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, this is a par bake step, meaning it is partially baked. The dough will slip down from the sides, but by having built up the edged you will not end up with receded edges. If it puffs in the center, use a fork to lightly prick in the dough to allow air to escape. Set aside to cool.
- The filling: in a large, heavy-bottomed 8 Qt saucepan, combine the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and lemon zest.
- Cook on low heat, stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon, until the butter is melted, about 5 minutes. Once melted, increase the heat to medium high and boil for 3 minutes. Be sure to set a timer. Promptly remove from the heat after 3 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla, heavy cream, and chopped pecans. This is extremely hot, cautiously pour the hot mixture into the crust. Do not touch or taste! Using a spatula or wooden spoon, spread pecan mixture evenly to the edges of the pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Filling will be slightly liquid at final bake, but will set up as it cools. Remove from oven, sprinkle with a few generous pinches of flaky salt. Place on a cooling rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Once cooled, cover the bars with plastic and place in the refrigerator to chill for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- With a knife, loosen the bars from the sides of the pan, then lift them onto a cutting board. Slice into bite size bars. Make 8 cuts along the long 13” side, and 4 cuts along the short 9” side to yield 32 pieces.
- Allow to come to room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
- How To Cut The Pecan Pie Bars Let’s make things easy on ourselves, shall we?
- First start by completely chilling the pecan bars.
- Next, loosen the edges of the pan on all four sides with a small knife to make lifting the bars out of the pan easier, and use the edges of the parchment paper to lift out.
- The bars will be heavy, so start with a gentle tug on the parchment, once successfully lifted, it’s handy to transfer them to a cutting board quickly.
- Make 8 cuts along the long 13” side, I start with a cut in the middle, then cut each half into four strips. Next, make 4 cuts along the short 9” side to yield at total of 32 pieces. Don’t be fooled, these are still pretty large!
- To Store: They have a short shelf life, so be sure to store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if you are not planning to eat them within a day or two.
- Freeze: Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight. If your oven has a proofer, you can warm them at 100°F for 45 minutes prior to serving.
Nutrition
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