Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (2024)

These are the best Pecan Pie Bars. This easy dessert recipe features a shortbread crust topped with a sweet pecan pie filling. These bars are perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas and throughout the year.

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (1)

These Best Pecan Pie Bars are nutty, buttery, rich, and delicious! They taste like pecan pie – but are made into an easy-to-eat bar! They are easier to make anytime and they feed more people than a single pie. These characteristics make these pecan pie bars perfect for parties, gatherings, and any time you want to share them with several people. And since this scrumptious dessert is cut into bars, people may help themselves to more than one!

Table of Contents

  • The Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
  • How to Make The Best Pecan Pie Bars
  • Do You Have to Refrigerate These Bars?
  • Can You Freeze Pecan Pie Bars?
  • More Dessert Bars We Love
  • Southern Pecan Pie Bars
  • More Favorite Pecan Recipes:

The Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe

My family’s Pecan Pie Recipe is one of the more popular recipes on my website and later in my cookbook. It has been for years! It has been a favorite of my family for generations and I can’t remember a family Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration that it wasn’t included. Then, back in 2011, I shared my recipe for these easy, amazing Pecan Pie Bars. And they have been a favorite recipe as well. These delicious bars aren’t just for the holidays. They are great throughout the year!

If you are looking for something that is perfect to serve a large crowd, easy as can be to make and even easier to eat, and that still brings out that nostalgic, traditional pecan pie flavor, this is a recipe you should definitely try!

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (2)

How to Make The Best Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients

  • Butter – softened butter is used for the crust and melted butter for the filling.
  • Flour – all-purpose flour is used for the shortbread crust.
  • Sugar – sugar is used for the crust and for the filling.
  • Eggs – make sure the eggs are at room temperature for better mixing into the filling.
  • Maple Syrup – you can also use light or dark corn syrup if you prefer.
  • Vanilla Extract – I love the flavor from my homemade vanilla extract or you can use store-bought pure vanilla extract.
  • Pecans – use your preference of pecan halves or roughly chopped pecans.

Optional Ingredients

  • Salt Topping – Sprinkle sea salt flakes or coarse sea salt over the top of the bars once they have cooled slightly.

Step-by-Step Instructions

For the Pecan Pie Bar Crust:

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (3)
Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (4)
  1. Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
  2. Mix. Mix together sugar, softened butter, and all-purpose flour with an electric mixer until just well combined.
  3. Bake. Press the shortbread crust mixture into the baking pan and bake until the edges turn light golden brown, about 20 minutes.

For the Pecan Pie Bar Filling:

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (5)
Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (6)
Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (7)
Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (8)
Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (9)
  1. Mix. Add eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup (or corn syrup), vanilla extract, melted butter, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Beat together until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Pour the filling onto the pre-baked crust.
  2. Bake. Bake the pecan pie bars until golden brown and the center has set, for about 30 minutes.
  3. Serve. Once done, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the pecan pie bars to cool completely.
Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (10)

Do You Have to Refrigerate These Bars?

I recommend that these bars be refrigerated to keep them firm and for longer-lasting bars and since they contain eggs. If you prefer to serve them a bit softer, remove them from the refrigerator for a few moments before serving.

If you prefer to serve them warm, reheat them in a 300º F oven for about 5 minutes! So delicious with a cup of coffee for dessert or even breakfast. (shhh!)

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (11)

Can You Freeze Pecan Pie Bars?

Yes, absolutely! One of the best things about these delicious bars is that they are so easy to make ahead to serve later, including freezing them for up to 3 months!

To freeze them, allow them to cool completely after baking.

Freeze as Individual Bars:

You can go ahead and cut these into individual bars and place them into an airtight, freezer-safe container. Separate each of the pieces with parchment paper. Then, store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or reheat in a 300ºF oven for about 15 minutes until warmed throughout.

Freeze the Full Recipe:

Cover well with parchment paper and then wrap in a freezer-safe dish with foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or reheat in a 300º F oven for about 20 – 30 minutes until warmed throughout.

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (12)

More Dessert Bars We Love

S’mores Bars

Peanut Butter Bars

Park Avenue Bars

Fudge Brownies

Lemon Bars

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (13)

Here’s my Southern Pecan Pie Bars recipe. I hope you love them!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

1 hr 40 mins

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

7 mins

Easy Apple Dumplings Recipe

1 hr

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (18)

PinPrintSave

Southern Pecan Pie Bars

Robyn Stone

4.88 from 31 votes

These are the best Pecan Pie Bars. This easy dessert recipe features a shortbread crust topped with a sweet pecan pie filling. These bars are perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas and throughout the year.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 24 bars

Ingredients

Pecan Pie Bar Crust:

  • 1/3 cup (66 g) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (170 g) butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour

For the Pecan Pie Bar Filling:

  • 3 large (150 g) eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (107 g) brown sugar, or cane sugar
  • 1 cup (312 g) maple syrup, or corn syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
  • 2 cups (228 g) pecans, Optional: use halves or roughly chopped
  • sea salt flakes, Optional

Instructions

For the Pecan Pie Bar Crust:

  • Preheat oven to 350º F. Line 9×13 baking dish with foil or parchment paper. Mix together the sugar, butter and flour call for in the crust portion with an electric mixer.

  • Press into the bottom of the 9×13 baking dish and bake until the edges turn light golden brown, about 20 minutes.

For the Pecan Pie Bar Filling:

  • Add the eggs, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, melted butter, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Pour the filling onto the cooked crust.

  • Bake the pecan pie bars until golden brown and the center has set, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting and serving. Optional: Sprinkle with sea salt flakes while barely warm.

  • Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Notes

Freezer Instructions: Allow the Pecan Pie Bars to cool completely. Store in the freezer in a freezer-safe container, covered well with foil or store in an air-tight freezer container if storing in individual pieces. Store for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Join today & start saving your favorite recipes

Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes.

Save recipe

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

More Favorite Pecan Recipes:

Pecan Chewies

Cinnamon Pecans

Toasted Pecans

Categorized as:All Recipes, Bars, Christmas Recipes, Cooking, Dessert Recipes, Freezer Friendly Recipes, Game Day Recipes, Halloween Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Make-ahead Recipes, Pies / Tarts / Cobblers, Recipes, Simple Recipes, Southern Favorites, Thanksgiving Recipes

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

Read more about Robyn

Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is light or dark Karo syrup better for pecan pie? ›

Light and dark corn syrup can be used interchangeably in almost every instance, with slight flavor variances. In a pecan pie, for example, light corn syrup will contribute sweetness and a hint of vanilla, but that's about it. Dark corn syrup, in addition to sweetness, will add color and a more robust, toasty flavor.

Why are my pecan bars runny? ›

If your bars seem runny, you need to bake them longer for the filling to set. They should not jiggle when you shake the pan.

How do you keep pecan pie from getting hard? ›

A hard pecan pie means it was cooked too long. Again, bake the pie just until the filling is set and registers 200 degrees on an instant read thermometer. You can also try covering the top of the pie with a piece of aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of the baking time and/or baking the pie on a lower rack.

How do you keep pecan pie crust from sticking to a pie plate? ›

Try a light spray of cooking oil or line the pan with parchment paper if it's a persistant problem. If you have followed a popular pie crust recipe it should not stick. A lightly greased pan with veggie Crisco may solve the problem if the sticking is with your pan not errors in your recipe.

What is the primary thickening agent in pecan pie? ›

Butter: Butter gives this pie richness and a delicious depth of flavor. Cornstarch and water: Two teaspoons of cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold water work together to help thicken the filling. Eggs: Whole eggs help bind the filling together and add welcome moisture.

Can I use molasses instead of dark corn syrup in pecan pie? ›

Mix one part of molasses to three parts of honey to make a dark corn syrup substitute. This version will have a comparable thickness and volume but will be sweeter than the corn syrup.

What makes a pecan pie not set up? ›

If runny pecan pie fillings are a chronic problem, check your oven temperature. It may be running too cool and not be sufficiently hot for the custard magic to take place.

Can you leave a homemade pecan pie out overnight? ›

Do I need to refrigerate pecan pie? According to the USDA, homemade egg-rich pies, including pecan pie, must be refrigerated after cooking and cooling to prevent the growth of bacteria. They recommend chilling pies promptly, and as a general rule, not leaving food at room temperature for more than two hours.

Should I poke holes in my pecan pie crust? ›

And on that note…by pricking the crust all over with a fork, not only do you prevent it from puffing up into unsightly deformities, you also allow tiny holes for some of the filling to seep underneath which — hear me out! — transforms the crust into this buttery toffee-like deliciousness. Third, the toasted pecans.

How do you keep a pecan pie crust from getting soggy? ›

5 Ways to Prevent Soggy Pie Crust
  1. Blind Bake. The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. ...
  2. Brush With Egg. ...
  3. Brush With Chocolate. ...
  4. Bake on a Hot Baking Sheet. ...
  5. Keep Moisture Out.
May 1, 2019

What to put on the bottom of pie crust to keep it from getting soggy? ›

Brush the Bottom with Corn Syrup or Egg White

Coating the inside surface of the bottom crust will create a barrier to prevent sogginess.

Which is better light or dark Karo syrup? ›

Typically, light corn syrup is used when a delicately sweet flavor is desired, such as in fruit sauces and jams. Karo light corn syrup is made with real vanilla. Dark corn syrup is made with refiners' syrup, a type of molasses. With its more robust flavor and color, it is ideal for many baked goods.

Which Karo syrup is sweeter? ›

Dark corn syrup is made by combining corn syrup with molasses and caramel colouring and is sweeter than light corn syrup.

Is dark or light Karo syrup better for constipation? ›

In many cases, today's dark corn syrup has a different chemical structure. The current chemical structure doesn't draw fluids into the intestine to soften stool. Because of this, dark corn syrup may not be effective in relieving constipation. It isn't known whether light corn syrup may be helpful.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Delena Feil

Last Updated:

Views: 5831

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (45 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Delena Feil

Birthday: 1998-08-29

Address: 747 Lubowitz Run, Sidmouth, HI 90646-5543

Phone: +99513241752844

Job: Design Supervisor

Hobby: Digital arts, Lacemaking, Air sports, Running, Scouting, Shooting, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Delena Feil, I am a clean, splendid, calm, fancy, jolly, bright, faithful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.