Pecan Pie Bars
These are the best ever Pecan Pie Bars. This dessert recipe tastes just like pecan pie but in easy-to-eat bar form! Great for Thanksgiving or anytime of the year. These bars have a shortbread crust, sweet filling topped with pecans.
PECAN PIE BARS RECIPE
You know that feeling after Thanksgiving when you feel like you are going to explode? I feel that way right now.
We had a holiday dinner for the women in our church and we had a cookie exchange at the end (in addition to dessert already served).
You’re supposed to bring a dozen of your favorite cookies and then you take home a dozen assorted cookies from what other people brought. I made a plate and on the way home my mom and I had a bite of pretty much all of them.
Soooo sick. Good thing I made these Pecan Pie Bars earlier this week so I could actually enjoy them.
HOW TO MAKE PECAN PIE BARS
The filling is simple. Nuts, eggs, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla.
The shortbread crust is melt in your mouth delicious. Just press it into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake.
Pour the filling over the crust.
Bake until the center is set.
They are just like pecan pie but in bar form. The crust melts in your mouth. They’re really sweet but aren’t all pecan pies?
OTHER PIE RECIPES:
- Pecan Pie Muffins
- Pecan Cheesecake Pie
- Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Banana Cream Pie
- Peanut Butter Pie
- S’mores Pie
- Cherry Cheese Pie
- Boston Cream Pie
- Lemon Pie
- Peaches and Cream Pie
- Turtle Pie
- Nacho Pot Pie
Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, cold (10 2/3 Tablespoons)
Filling:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13 baking dish with heavy foil or parchment paper with the sides overhanging the dish and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt. Cut in 2/3 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a pastry blender or just two knives. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the prepared pan, and press in firmly.
- Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, corn syrup, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread the filling evenly over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set. I usually like things on the rare side and a little gooey but these you want cooked all the way through so make sure the middle is set. If the top starts getting to browned cover with aluminum foil.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into bars with a sharp knife.
Notes
How do you keep these? Refrigerated or not?!thanks
I don’t refrigerate them.
I don’t usually comment on recipes, but this was outstanding. I made it exactly as described and it was a big hit. The squares are like tiny pecan pies — you get the whole pecan pie experience without having to eat an entire slice.
Note: I created the crust in a food processor using the metal blade, not to dough blade. Doing this produces the crust mixture in about 30-40 seconds, which made overall prep time super fast.
Note: I might put in 2 teaspoons of vanilla next time, which is common in other pecan pies recipes.
Finally: I appreciate the short and useful intro on this recipe. Other food writers often pad their intros with a ton of anecdotes and trivia that is not helpful 🙂
Cheers!
Thank you Doug!
Delicious. Followed the recipe exactly. Came out perfect.
Thank you!
I made these delicious cookie bars for my Christmas plates this year. They were so good. I made a batch for my own hous and 2 other batches for cookie plates to give away. They have been the rave so far. I have heard nothing but good news from everyone around. I liked your recipe the best, and I’m glad I chose it because my cookie bars were amazing and delicious. Thank you and God Bless you…Merry Christmas…
So glad you liked them Donna! Merry Christmas.
Can you use puff pastry or frozen pie crust ?
You could use a pie crust but the shortbread crust is to die for.
I have never been able to make a pecan pie or bar that my husband approved of. I was starting to think it was just me. But yesterday I made these bars for my husband’s 50th birthday celebration and he loved them so much that he didn’t want to share them! Friends and family loved them, too! I loved them because they were so easy to make but look and taste like I spent hours in the kitchen! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome! That makes me happy