Description
These Best Pecan Pie Bars are a delicious twist on traditional pecan pie, featuring a buttery shortbread crust topped with a rich, gooey pecan filling. Perfectly portioned into bars for easy serving and sharing, they combine the classic flavors of pecan pie in a convenient, hand-held treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
For the Filling
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecan halves (lightly toasted if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the crust and filling.
- Prepare the crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold, cubed unsalted butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch baking pan to form the crust.
- Bake the crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for around 15 minutes or until it’s just starting to turn golden. This par-baking ensures a crisp base for the pecan filling.
- Make the filling: While the crust is baking, whisk together the packed brown sugar, corn syrup, melted unsalted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl until smooth and combined.
- Assemble the bars: Remove the crust from the oven and evenly spread the pecan halves over the warm crust. Pour the prepared filling mixture over the pecans, ensuring they are well coated.
- Bake the bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and set with a slight jiggle in the center.
- Cool and cut: Allow the pecan pie bars to cool completely at room temperature. Once cool, cut into 16 bars for serving.
Notes
- Lightly toasting the pecan halves before adding them enhances their flavor and crunch.
- Make sure to use cold butter for the crust to achieve a flaky texture.
- Letting the bars cool completely before slicing prevents the filling from becoming too runny.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
