Table of Contents
- These pecan pie bars are easier than pie!
- Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Here’s how to make this recipe.
- These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
- What other recipes
- Watch how to make this recipe.
- Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
- Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
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If you want to make something that’s easier than pie, then these pecan pie bars are the answer! They’re just like their namesake but without the work of rolling out a crust. Instead, the layers of filling and pecans are made right in a baking sheet. It’s super easy and delicious!
These pecan pie bars are easier than pie!
Thanksgiving can be overwhelming. Whether you plan for a large or small gathering, the food preparations can be daunting. Instead of thinking of shortcuts, I look for ways to enjoy the same flavors and traditions. These pecan pie bars are a perfect way to not make a pie but instead have the same ingredients and flavor in a slightly quicker and easier process. Instead of making and rolling pie dough, this uses a quick press in the crust. After prebaking to ensure the crust will be dry, the same filling used in pecan pie is poured over the crust and baked until just set. The result is the decadent pecan pie we all love but in easy to make and serve bar form.
Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- All-purpose flour in the filling binds together the mixture, so it’s cohesive enough to hold together but still has a touch of gooeyness.
- Vanilla extract adds a bit of additional flavor to the pie. Pecan pie itself doesn’t have a ton of flavor besides the pecans. Since it’s mostly a pie made of sweetness, the vanilla is a welcome flavor addition. If you want to make your own at home, make sure to check out my homemade vanilla extract recipe.
- Eggs give structure to the filling and help create a custard-like base. Be sure not to overcook the filling to maintain the correct consistency.
- Brown sugar will give just a hint of molasses-like flavor that tempers the sweetness, so it’s not overpowering.
- Maple syrup helps flavor and sweetness but also the iconic gooey consistency that’s expected in pecan pie. Many recipes would use corn syrup, but maple syrup acts similarly and is a naturally-occurring sugar.
- Melted butter provides flavor and creates the correct consistency. An oil or fat added to this filling will create the desired texture and will be the final step in creating a gooey filling.
Here’s how to make this recipe.
- Prepare the crust. In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix those three ingredients together, then add in the cubed cold butter. Toss the butter in the flour mixture, making sure to coat the butter with the flour. Pick up pieces of butter and push them together with your thumb and forefinger to smash the butter, creating flat, irregular pieces. Once the dough is shaggy and somewhat sandy in texture, pour it into a shallow 9×13 sheet pan lined with parchment. Spread it out to an even layer and press it in with your hands or a flat-bottomed object. Bake the crust in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Once baked, remove it from the oven and set aside.
- Prepare the filling. In a bowl, add the eggs, and whisk them slightly to break up the yolks. Then add the brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, vanilla extract, melted butter, and salt. Whisk together the mixture until evenly combined.
- Add in the nuts. Chop up the pecans into small pieces and add directly to the filling mixture. Mix the chopped nuts into the filling and pour directly into the pre-baked crust. Push the filling out to the corners of the sheet to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
- Bake the bars. Place the bars into the 350°F oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The top should be slightly golden, while the middle will retain some jiggle. The internal temperature can be checked with an instant-read thermometer and should register 185°F in the center. Let cool completely before slicing.
These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- When preparing the crust, make sure that the butter is cold. This will make it easier to work together with the flour mixture and ensure that the crust is flaky once baked.
- The dough should be somewhat drier than a regular pie crust. When making a fist with a handful of the dough, it should stick together but then be crumbled apart easily.
- Since these bars can be sticky, it’s best to line your baking dish with parchment. This will allow for easy removal once the bars are baked, as well as easy cleanup.
- Once the bars have been baked, let them cool completely before slicing. If they are cut when still warm, the filling could spill out. Make sure to slice the edges where the parchment paper does not cover so the bars can be removed easily from the pan.
Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
The pecans do not necessarily have to be chopped. They can be layered in any desired design, but you would not want to simply fold in whole or halved pecans without ensuring they would be evenly spread over the crust. Since this is a thin bar as compared to a traditional pecan pie, there is not as much space for the pecans to self-adjust during baking.
This recipe is not designed to be a pecan pie. While the filling is somewhat the same, the crust in this recipe would not hold up in a pie dish.
Yes, these pecan pie bars can be made 24 hours in advance. Keep in mind that the crust can begin to absorb some of the filling and become soft. However, the bars should be fine if consumed within 24 hours. Alternatively, the bars can be frozen and consumed within three months.
What other recipes
Watch how to make this recipe.
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
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Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter cut into ½-inch size pieces
For the filling
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups maple syrup
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2 ½ cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To prepare the crust, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the pieces of butter. Coat the pieces with flour and work the butter into the flour. Smash pieces of butter between your thumb and forefingers until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal and holds together when squeezed into a fist.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, ¼ tsp kosher salt, 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- Spray a 9 x 13-inch or quarter sheet pan with nonstick baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Spread the crust mixture evenly in the prepared pan and press down, making a crust. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a bowl, whisk the eggs to break up. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, melted butter, salt, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Then fold in the chopped pecans.4 large eggs, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 ½ cups maple syrup, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 ½ cups chopped pecans, ½ tsp kosher salt
- When the crust is finished, remove it from the oven. Pour the prepared filling over the warm crust. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is set around the edges and jiggles slightly in the middle, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- When preparing the crust, make sure that the butter is cold. This will make it easier to work together with the flour mixture and ensure that the crust is flaky once baked.
- The dough should be somewhat drier than a regular pie crust. When making a fist with a handful of the dough, it should stick together but then be crumbled apart easily.
- Since these bars can be sticky, it’s best to line your baking dish with parchment. This will allow for easy removal once the bars are baked, as well as easy cleanup.
- Once the bars have been baked, let them cool completely before slicing. If they are cut when still warm, the filling could spill out. Make sure to slice the edges where the parchment paper does not cover so the bars can be removed easily from the pan.
I made these pecan pie bars and they are delicious. However I had to chisel them out of the pan, even though I sprayed the pan well. Any ideas as I’m sure I will try them again. Thanks for your help.
You might try using the non-stick spray that has flour in it. I think PAM makes one and there are a couple other brands, You might want to google it.
Maybe line the pan with parchment paper.
I used Kaleb’s suggestion of lining the pan with parchment paper and it helped a lot. After cutting the edges loose on the ends I ran a long metal spatula under the parchment to release everything and it worked well
Can you make a smaller version of this dessert.
I would love to make half the amount.
They freeze beautifully so go ahead and make the full recipe and enjoy the rest later as a special treat. Happy Thanksgiving.
You can always half the recipe for any 9×13 recipe and put it in an 8 x 8… I do it all the time…
I am a 77 yr. old Grammy & enjoy watching you cook & bake immensely! You’re so for real & comical too!
Your house is gorgeous, thank you for letting us into your world, your an amazing young man! God has blessed you w/ remarkable talent!
I made these bars, and they looked great, and tasted great, but I had difficulty getting them out of the pan. The gooey mixture seeped under the crust and stuck to the parchment. I did not press the crust up the sides, and I did not let the crust cool before adding the filling. I will try again with these adjustments.
Hi Kathy,
I had the same problem with my filling going underneath the crust. Didn’t press the crust on the sides either. Could you let me know if your adjustments worked. Hope someone can help us.
Made this evening for Thanksgiving . Supper easy and delsh! Definitely use parchment paper as the filling is extremely sticky . Make sure to use right size psn . While this was cooking I also made Wyse’s pie crust for my pumpkin pie . ( my favorite pie dough recipe )
I want to make this recipe. Do you use light or dark brown sugar? Also real maple syrup or pancake syrup? I love pecan pie and easier recipes. Your recipe looks yummy! Thank you.
I made these today they are DELICIOUS!!!
Kaleb, you are so engaging! Watching the video on this one made me immediately want to try it. I don’t know whether my oven is waaaaaay off or what but the timing was nowhere near right for me. I prebaked the crust for 15, then 20, then 25 minutes and it never became golden brown. After almost 30 minutes I just took it out and hoped for the best. After baking the filling for 25 minutes, it was still sloppy wet, no edges set at all. I took it out after 30 and it did eventually set up but even with cooking spray and parchment, this stuff is as stuck as glue. If I remake it, I would double the crust recipe- it’s wafer-thin and just gets overwhelmed with the topping. Hoping that the amazing taste will overcome the baking mess I’ve made with this. In any case, I love your style! It’s like taking cooking lessons from an old friend.
Tried your pecan pie bars… crust was so soggy it nearly ruined it for me. What did I do wrong?
Excellent!
I am the “dessert girl” for all of our family get togethers. I made these for Thanksgiving this year and they turned our great! Everybody loved them! I think using maple syrup instead of corn syrup really stepped up the flavor.
Thanks, Kaleb!
Absolutely delicious…these are replacing pecan pie for me going forward. So easy to cut and serve too! It’s always a challenge to cut a smaller pie without things falling apart.
I followed the recipe to a tee on this one. It turned out perfectly! I struggled a little with the crust but it turned out nicely. These were delicious!!!! Five stars from my husband for sure!
Made your pecan pie bars for Thanksgiving 2022! Wow!! Only used 1/2 the amount of maple syrup (substituted with corn syrup) and can’t imagine how much more delicious they’d have been with 100% maple. Makes a very full 9×13 pan and served so many more people than a pie would have. Glad I watched your video first or would have given up on mixing the butter/flour! Thanks for teaching me so much (have only been married for 64 years) and sparking my interest in baking again! Love your enthusiasm!!
Can gluten-free flour be used? Will it affect the texture?
These are definitely a hit! My husband thinks they are better than pie!!
Thank you!
Wow! these were so delicious! Made them for Christmas on a whim, an hour before company arrived & they beat out any other dessert on the table! Followed the recipe exact- even down to the size of pan & using parchment paper & they came out perfectly. thanks!
Absolutely delicious! The maple syrup was perfect and tasted so much better than corn syrup.now I will need to buy bigger jugs of syrup during maple season.
Pecan pie bars are my family’s new favorite dessert/snack!
I have a Question::: Do you use real maple syrup or a maple pancake syrup or can you use Molasses??? I want to make these for my Daughter in law for a special occasion, so if anyone knows please get back to me! Thx so very much!
Sherry 💞😇
Real maple syrup
Love these and so very easy!!!
Hi,
I have toasted, salted pecans– would that work in this recipe?
Delicious!!! Thank you for another great recipe. I love the addition of maple syrup
Quick to put together. Easy to make.
Delicious!!
I used my shortbread recipe for crust which uses brown sugar. Lined my pan with aluminum foil and light sprayed foil. The bars are so delicious. One thing I will try to remember if I am giving as a gift or doing cookie exchange is cut off a little bit around the edges (were a little crunchy but still really tasty).
We are a family of two so I cut recipe in half and did a 8×8. Will definitely be using this recipe in the future
I’d like to make a 1/2 sheet pan. How do I figure proper ingredients.
Thanks
Perfect! My husband is in for a treat come Thanksgiving! (Tomorrow)! I stayed up to surprise him with this! His favorite is pecan pie but I made this instead as I came down with something. Wish I could send a pic as it turned out beautiful! Thank you again for your fun recipes that completely delight our tastebuds!