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Pecan Pie Bars are the upgraded version of pecan pie and I’ll die on this hill. I’ve never been one to grab the pecan pie over the holidays. I’d much rather go for my apple pie or award-winning apple crisp. But a pecan bar I’ll grab. I don’t know what I love most about these bars: the buttery shortbread crust, the gooey caramel center or the crunchy pecans on top. Desserts with multiple textures and flavors that have both sweet & salty notes are my favorite.
We have to talk about the texture going on in these bars. Something amazing happens when that hot pecan caramel sauce hits the shortbread crust. The sauce resoftens the crust and the filling and the top of the crust almost melt together to create a new layer. It doesn’t make the shortbread soggy. It just creates a new layer that is extremely enjoyable to eat. The way your teeth sink into one of these cold bars is next level. Oh yes, I said “cold. bars.” They are best cold. It’s the difference of being a 7 and being a 10. They’re a 10 fresh out of the refrigerator.
With that being said, you should plan to make these the day before you serve them. It’s also best to slice them after they’ve been in the fridge overnight. The gooey center spills out if you cut too early.
Tips for the Best Pecan Pie Bars
- Using a food processor for the shortbread crust helps evenly incorporate the butter. It cuts out so much time than if you were mixing with a pastry cutter by hand.
- Use your hands to bring the crust together. Squeezing the crumbly base several times in your hands warms the small butter pieces into the rest of the dry ingredients. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a crumbly mess of a crust base that won’t be able to hold the weight of the topping well.
- Bake your pecan pie bars until the outer edges have fully set and the middle still jiggles a little when you shake it. This is the real test to see if it’s done. Don’t just base cooking time on what’s written in this recipe. You have to do the shake test as well. That will override anything else.
- You MUST let it rest. If you cut into it too soon the filling will spill out everywhere. The magic is in the waiting. Let the bars get to room temperature then pop in the fridge. I know it’s tempting to cut into them, but I promise the wait is worth it!
- Feel free to top with flakey salt for even more of a sweet salty experience.
Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 c flour
- 1/4 c sugar
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 8 tbsp salted butter (1 stick) cold, diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
Gooey Filling
- 3/4 c brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 C light corn syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 c heavy whipping cream
- pinch salt
- 1 1/2 c pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add flour, sugar, corn starch, salt and cold diced salted butter to a food processor. Pulse several times.
- Add vanilla to the food processor and pulse again several times until everything is incorporated.
- Put shortbread mixture in an 8x8 parchment lined pan and squeeze the shortbread mixture together with your hands several times. The heat from your hands will soften everything and it will bring it all together.
- Press into the bottom of the plate and bake on 325 for 25 minutes.
- While the crust bakes, make your filling. Measure pecans and then roughly chop. Set aside.
- To a mixing bowl add brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and corn starch. Whisk. Add light corn syrup, cinnamon, heavy whipping cream and salt. Whisk again.
- Fold in pecans.
- Add mixture to the hot shortbread crust. Place back in the oven for another 50 minutes. Remove from oven and check for doneness. Jiggle the pan, you want the center to move a little when you shake it, but the edges to be fully set.
- Let rest on the counter for at least 2 hours. Once cooled to room temperature place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The longer it can sit in the fridge the better. Cut and serve.