The Ultimate Gooey and Buttery Pecan Pie Bars (Actually So Easy to Make!)

I am going to tell you how to make some pecan pie bars that are simply amazing. Kids will absolutely love helping you make these!

Pecan pie is so good, but it can be very sweet. Like, so sweet! You have one bite and you are like, oh my gosh, it is delicious, but then you cannot eat anymore because it is just so rich. This easy pecan pie bars recipe completely solves that problem by giving you the perfect proportion of crunchy pecans, gooey pie filling, and a crisp shortbread crust.

Why You Will Love This Easy Pecan Pie Bars Recipe

• The Perfect Balance: The shortbread base is buttery and crisp with very little sugar, which perfectly balances the rich and gooey pecan filling on top. No more cloying and overly sweet desserts!
• So Easy to Make: This is not like a traditional pie where you have to stress over rolling out dough, chilling it, and crimping the edges. You just press the crust right into the pan! It is so simple that kids can actually make it on their own without you having to hyper supervise every step.
• The Best Texture: You get crunchy toasted pecans on top, a gooey and amazing center, and a crisp, buttery, cookie-like base underneath.

If you’re already into easy, crowd-pleasing bar desserts, you’ll probably love my Viral Cherry Cheesecake Bars too. They’re just as simple to slice and share.

What You Will Need

Special Equipment

• 9×13 inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Kitchen scale (highly recommended for accuracy)

For the Shortbread Crust

• 12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 and 1/2 cups (300g) all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar (roughly 66-80g depending on your brand, so weighing is worth it here)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Pecan Filling

• 2 cups pecans (halves or pieces)
• 1 and 1/2 cups dark corn syrup (or Lyle’s Golden Syrup, or pure maple syrup)
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2/3 cup (140g) brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1/3 cup (40g) all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (or bourbon, or dark rum, or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt (use 3/4 to 1 full tsp if using coarse kosher salt)

Allergen note: this recipe contains eggs, dairy, gluten, and tree nuts (pecans). If you’re baking for someone with allergies or dietary restrictions, double-check every ingredient label before serving.

If you love a buttery, from-scratch crust as much as I do, my Rhubarb Pie with Crystallized Ginger is another one worth bookmarking.

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Toast Those Pecans!

First off, you want to lightly toast your pecans. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the pecans onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, giving them a mix halfway through.

You are going to give these a rough chop later, but they are going to be so much more delicious if they get a little time in the oven first. Toasting your nuts is so important, especially for pecans! It adds a wonderful depth of flavor, and they even look prettier too. Remove and let them cool until they are just warm, then give them a rough chocolate-chip-sized chop. Leave the oven on.

2. Melt the Butter

Place the 12 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely with the butter wrapper to prevent explody splatters and microwave for 40 seconds at 50 percent power, followed by 10-second bursts until completely melted.

3. The Easiest and Most Delicious Shortbread Crust

The base of pecan pie bars comes from a crisp and buttery shortbread crust. If you are wondering why it is called shortbread, the word “short” describes the texture because it is buttery and crisp rather than chewy. And they used the word “bread” because the Scottish bakers who invented this wanted to avoid paying an English tax on cookies or biscuits. They named this a bread, which was not taxed!

To make this, just combine your melted butter, 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. You just stir and mash it together with a fork until it forms a wet and crumbly mixture with no stray dry flour.

4. Prep the Pan

Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides so you can easily lift the bars out later. Tip: cut four small slits in the corners of the parchment so it folds perfectly into the pan!

5. Press and Par-Bake

Dump the shortbread mixture into the pan. Break up any large lumps and press it firmly down into a smooth, compact, and even layer. Run a fork along the bottom edges to smooth them out. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are just taking on a beautiful golden color. Baking it first keeps the crust from getting soggy later!

6. The Amazing and Gooey Filling Base

While the crust bakes, grab a large bowl. You are basically making a really easy sugar custard base that is going to cook up to just the right consistency.

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of a nice and rich inverted sugar. You have a few choices like dark corn syrup, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, or, if you are feeling extra special, maple syrup! The maple syrup tastes the absolute best, and it’s also the easiest way to make these pecan pie bars without corn syrup. Mix that up with your 4 eggs, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.

Fun fact: pure vanilla extract is made by steeping vanilla beans in alcohol (at least 35% ABV), which is why it carries a little boozy depth of flavor. If you want to avoid the alcohol, you can swap it for two teaspoons of vanilla bean paste. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and there are no clumps of egg or sugar lingering at the bottom.

7. Add Flour and Pecans

Sift 1/3 cup of flour into the wet mixture to help stabilize the custard, whisking just until combined. Do not overmix, or you will activate the gluten! Fold in those beautiful chopped and toasted pecans.

8. Assemble and Bake

Carefully remove the screeching hot crust from the oven and place it on a trivet. Immediately pour the pecan filling right over the warm crust. Smooth out the pecans so they are evenly distributed. Return the pan to the 350°F oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is just set, with only a slight jiggle left in the very middle, not a liquid wobble. It will finish firming up as it cools. Do not over bake!

9. Cool and Slice

Let the bars cool completely in the pan. For the cleanest and most beautiful cuts, chill the pan in the fridge before slicing with a serrated knife. If you want them ooey gooey, feel free to eat them slightly warm! Get ready for the most amazing and crowd-pleasing dessert ever.

Once you’ve got the bar-dessert bug, my Secret Brownies are another freezer-friendly favorite that disappears just as fast at parties.

If you like this recipe Explore more recipes

FAQs

Save

The Ultimate Gooey, Buttery Pecan Pie Bars

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

bars

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

Chill time

120

minutes

Total time

3

hours 

5

minutes

All the rich, gooey, crunchy goodness of a classic pecan pie baked on top of a buttery, crisp shortbread crust, without being overly sweet!

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• 9×13-inch baking pan

• parchment paper

• mixing bowls

• whisk

• kitchen scale

• Ingredients:
• For the Shortbread Crust:

• 12 tbsp (170g) unsalted butter, melted

• 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour

• ⅔ cup powdered sugar (weigh with a scale, brands vary)

• ½ tsp salt

• For the Pecan Filling:

• 2 cups pecans

• 1 ½ cups (360ml) dark corn syrup (or Lyle’s Golden Syrup, or pure maple syrup)

• 4 large eggs, room temperature

• ⅔ cup (140g) brown sugar, light or dark

• ⅓ cup (40g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (or bourbon, rum, or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste)

• ½ tsp fine salt (or ¾ tsp kosher salt)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, tossing halfway. Let cool slightly, then chop roughly.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter (40 seconds at 50% power, then 10-second bursts).
• In a large bowl, whisk together the 300g flour, powdered sugar, and ½ tsp salt. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until a wet, crumbly dough forms.
• Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Dump the dough into the pan and press firmly into a smooth, even layer.
• Bake the crust at 350°F for 20 minutes until the edges are golden.
• While the crust bakes, whisk together the syrup, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until perfectly smooth.
• Sift in the 40g of flour and whisk just until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.
• Pour the filling over the hot baked crust, spreading the pecans into an even layer.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is just set with only a slight jiggle.
• Cool completely before lifting out with the parchment paper and slicing. Chill for the cleanest cuts!

Notes

• Syrup Swaps: you want a nice, rich inverted sugar here. Dark corn syrup and golden syrup are wonderful, but pure maple syrup will give you the absolute best flavor and works great if you’re avoiding corn syrup!
• Vanilla Swaps: pure vanilla extract is made from alcohol infused with real vanilla bean. If you want to skip it, use 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste instead, or swap the vanilla for a tablespoon of bourbon or dark rum for extra depth of flavor.
• Storage: these are an egg-based custard dessert, so refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooling. They stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezing: slice completely cooled bars and store in a freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers for up to 3 months.
• Allergens: contains eggs, dairy, gluten, and tree nuts (pecans).