Pecan Pie Bars

Name: Pecan Pie Bars
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 cup light corn syrup; 1 cup dark brown sugar; 5 eggs (large); 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1.5 teaspoons salt; 2 cups pecan halves (see Note); Baked Press-In Crust (see Note)

5.0

(3,563)

7 Reviews

Pecan pie bars have all the virtues of pecan pie without the need to roll out a crust. Plus, you can cut them as you like and serve them as part of a dessert spread.

By

Sarah Jordan

Updated on May 19, 2023

Active Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 45 mins

Yield:

1 (9- x 13-inch) pan

These tender and delicious pecan bars have an effortless press-in shortbread crust and a custard-like filling. Melted butter, light corn syrup, dark brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt come together for that filling — once the pecan halves are mixed in, all you have to do is pour it into the prepared crust and bake. If you'd like to amplify the nutty flavor of the pecans, you can lightly toast them before stirring them into the filling (be sure to let them cool first).

Unlike their pie counterpart, the bars' filling-to-crust ratio is fairly even, which helps to balance out the sweetness. Pecan pie bars are a great option for feeding a crowd; cut them into single-serve squares and include them in a dessert spread, or size them a bit more generously for a main-event dessert. This pecan pie bars recipe can easily be made ahead — store the bars in the refrigerator overnight and either serve them chilled or at room temperature. While you can certainly enjoy the dessert plain, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of bourbon-tinged whipped cream wouldn't hurt, either.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup dark brown sugar
5 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups pecan halves (see Note)
Baked Press-In Crust (see Note)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over moderate heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the light corn syrup and dark brown sugar, then whisk in the eggs until thoroughly blended. Whisk in the vanilla extract and salt; stir in the pecans halves until combined.
Pour the pecan filling into the prebaked crust and bake for about 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely. Cut into bars and serve.