Easy Pecan Pie Bar Recipe
Pecan Pie Bars start with a buttery shortbread crust that is baked and then topped with a caramel-like pecan filling. They're the perfect handheld version of a classic pecan pie.
Servings 24 bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup cold salted butter cubed
Pecan Mixture
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoon whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (scant) kosher salt
- 2 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar and kosher salt. Pulse a few times to combine.2 cups all purpose flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, ½ tsp. kosher salt
- Pulse the mixture while gradually adding the butter cubes. Pulse a few more times until all of the butter cubes have been added and the mixture becomes crumbly (alternatively you can use a pastry cutter or 2 forks to cut the butter into the flour mixture, but a food processor is much easier). The mixture will still look crumbly, this is right!1 cup cold salted butter
- OPTIONAL if you want to be able to remove all the bars from the pan at once and then cut into squares: Line the 9x13 baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the edges so you can easily pull the bars out of the pan. Spray with nonstick spray.
- Transfer the shortbread mixture to a 9x13 inch pan and firmly press with fingers into an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes until starting to just become golden brown around the edges.
Pecan Filling
- While the crust is baking, add the eggs, corn syrup, white sugar, brown sugar, whipping cream, vanilla and salt to a medium bowl and whisk just until the ingredients are combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.3 large eggs, 1 cup light corn syrup, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, 2 tablespoon whipping cream, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon (scant) kosher salt, 2 cups chopped pecans
- Spread the pecan mixture evenly over the warm crust.
Baking & Cooling
- Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for an hour or 2.
- Cut into 24 small bars (these are rich) and serve at room temp. This will be 6x4 in your pan. Use a sharp knife!
- Store leftover bars in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze these bars for 3 months, thaw at room temp for serving.
Notes
- Do not cut into the pecan pie bars too soon. Let them set up for about 2 hours.
- When you cut the bars use a really sharp knife in a sawing motion, not a dragging motion.
- Cut around the outside of the bars with a sharp knife to easily remove from the pan.
- These are sweet bars! Cut them into 24 smaller squares - this will be 6x4 in your pan.
- If you plan to serve the whole pan at once you can place some parchment or foil in the pan and spray it with non-stick spray, before layering the dessert. Leave some hanging over the edge and you will be able to pull the bars out of the pan in one whole piece, then cut it into squares.
