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Why I Love These Bars
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.
Here’s why you’ll love these, too:
- There’s no pie dough to roll out. It’s just a simple press-in crust.
- Uses pantry staples with maple syrup in place of the traditional corn syrup.
- Bakes in one pan and cuts neatly into easy-to-eat bars.
- Freezer-friendly and make-ahead friendly.
- A perfect dessert for both fall and Thanksgiving gatherings.
These are dangerously addictive! My plan to “just try a corner” while they were warm failed, and I’d eaten a six-inch square by the time they cooled. This is the perfect pecan bar recipe. The balance of cookie crust, filling, and pecans, solves the issue I always have with pecan pie, which is an overly sweet filling that I never finish. Delicious!!!
Pecan Pie Bars Ingredients
The ingredients in these pecan pie bars mirror those of a traditional pecan pie:
- All-purpose flour – Used to help form the crust as well as thicken the filling.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the shortbread layer of the crust. It’s not a lot, but just enough, as we’re adding other layers of sweetness elsewhere.
- Kosher salt – Balances sweetness and deepens flavor in both layers.
- Butter – Creates a tender, buttery base when mixed into the flour. Butter is also used in the filling to add some richness.
- Eggs – Give structure to the filling and help it set.
- Light brown sugar – Adds just a hint of molasses-like flavor that tempers the sweetness, so it’s not overpowering.
- Maple syrup – Provides natural sweetness and that classic gooey texture. Many recipes would use corn syrup, but maple syrup acts similarly and is a naturally occurring sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the flavor of the pecans. If you want to make your own at home, make sure to check out my homemade vanilla extract recipe.
- Chopped pecans – The star of the show! Avoid chopping them into uniform pieces so they provide some depth to the filling, with both large and small pieces.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bars
There are 3 easy steps to prepare this Thanksgiving dessert recipe:
Step 1: Prepare the crust – In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Press evenly into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the crust in a preheated 350°F oven for 20-24 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the filling – In a bowl, whisk eggs to break up yolks. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, flour, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Whisk until smooth. Fold in chopped pecans. Pour the filling over the baked crust and gently spread it to the edges.
Step 3: Bake the bars – Bake in the 350°F oven for 25-35 minutes until the top is golden and the center is just set (185°F internal temperature). It should jiggle slightly when moved. Let cool completely in the pan (about 2 hours). Lift out using parchment, slice into bars, and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Chop your pecans into differently-sized pieces – This ensures that you’ll have some larger pieces and some smaller pieces, which is what gives these pecans their beautiful look. Alternatively, you can leave the pecans whole and lay them across the top after pouring the filling on the shortbread layer.
- Use parchment with overhang – Makes lifting the bars out of the pan after baking super easy.
- Check for the jiggle – Don’t overbake! The bars are done when the center jiggles slightly but isn’t wet. Since all ovens bake at different times, there is a range for when the bars will be finished baking. You want to look for that slight jiggle, and an instant-read thermometer is the best way to check (look for an internal temperature of 185°F).
- Cool completely before slicing – This helps the bars set and gives you cleaner cuts. You’ll want to let them sit for about 2 hours to make sure they’re cool.
- For extra toastiness – Lightly toast the pecans before adding them to the filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 3 months.
Yes, this should be possible. Just double the recipe and keep an eye on the bake time. A half sheet pan will result in slightly thinner bars and may bake a bit faster.
You can! Just omit the added salt in the filling to avoid over-seasoning. Toasted pecans also add extra flavor.
Yes, this should be possible, although I haven’t tested it that way. Several readers have had success making this in an 8×8-inch pan. Bake times may be slightly shorter, so check a few minutes early.
Follow These Tips
Serving
Once the bars have cooled completely (super important step!), slice and serve. You can cut them into any size desired: squares, rectangles, strips, or even triangles. I’d suggest pairing the bars with hot coffee or tea and vanilla ice cream.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture. These can also sit out at room temperature for 2 days if placed in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Once sliced, freeze the bars in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then enjoy.
More Thanksgiving Desserts
- Classic pumpkin pie
- Simple pecan pie – if you want the real pie
- Chocolate bourbon pecan pie
- Pumpkin roll
- Classic apple pie
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 12 tbsp (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter cut into ½-inch size pieces
For the filling
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 ½ cups maple syrup
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2 ½ cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch or quarter sheet pan with nonstick baking spray and line with a parchment paper sling, allowing the parchment to hang over the sides on two sides.
- Prepare the crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk 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. Spread the crust mixture evenly in the prepared pan and press down, making a crust. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20-24 minutes.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ tsp kosher salt, 12 tbsp (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling: In a bowl, whisk the eggs to break them 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, ¾ cup light brown sugar, 1 ½ cups maple syrup, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 ½ cups chopped pecans, 1 tsp kosher salt
- Bake: Once the crust has finished baking, remove it from the oven. Pour the prepared filling over the hot crust. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is set around the edges and jiggles slightly in the middle, 25-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature for 2 hours before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
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
Pecan pie bars are my family’s new favorite dessert/snack!
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.
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!
These are definitely a hit! My husband thinks they are better than pie!!
Thank you!
Can gluten-free flour be used? Will it affect the texture?
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!!
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!
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 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!