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With a buttery shortbread crust and caramelized pecan filling, it’s impossible not to love these sweet and nutty pecan pie bars!!
Even Easier Than Pie!
If you love classic Pecan Pie or Mini Pecan Pies then you will LOVE these pecan pie bars. Easier than baking an entire pie, this delicious twist is a fall favorite dessert that the entire family is obsessed with.
Pecan-flavored treats are especially popular during the holidays on Thanksgiving, or even as a homemade neighbor gift during Christmas time, but don’t make the mistake of thinking this is strictly a seasonal recipe. You can enjoy this caramel-flavored bar recipe any time!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Addicting. They have the best ooey gooey texture.
- Makes a big batch. You can easily cut 20 smaller squares or cut 12 large squares.
- Perfect for pecan lovers. Even those who aren’t, LOVE these pecan bars.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
BAKE TIME: 50 minutes
Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – How to Measure Flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter cubed – Be sure that the butter is COLD!
Filling
- 1½ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs – room temperature eggs incorporate best with the other ingredients
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups chopped pecans – You can mix the pecans with chopped walnuts or cashews.
- optional toppings – Drizzle the bars with Caramel Sauce. Top each piece with a dollop of Whipped Cream or a scoop of Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bars
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- CRUST. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt. Cut in ¾ cup cold cubed butter with a fork or pastry blender to create coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of the prepared dish and bake for 20 minutes.
- FILLING. Whisk 1½ cups sugar, 4 large eggs, 1 cup light corn syrup, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract in a large bowl. Stir in 2½ cups chopped pecans. Spread the filling over hot crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- BAKE. Bake for 30–35 minutes more, until filling has set.
- Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.
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Equipment
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
Filling
- 1½ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- To make the shortbread crust: In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter with a fork or pastry blender to create coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of the prepared dish and bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling: whisk sugar, eggs, corn syrup, melted butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in pecans. Spread over hot crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes more, until filling has set.
- Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.
Video
Notes
- Line the pan with parchment paper this will not only help keep them from sticking to the pan, but once the bars cool, you can lift the entire block out of the pan using the parchment paper.
- Without the side of the pan getting In the way you can then use a large kitchen knife to cut the bars, wipe the blade clean after each cut.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Use toasted pecans. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the chopped nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast for 6-8 minutes until they turn a deep color and produce a delicious nutty aroma.
Chocolate. Spread semi-sweet chocolate chips onto the hot crust before pouring in the rest of the pecan mixture.
Season. Sprinkle the bars with sea salt before or after baking.
Cover pecan bars and store them in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze in gallon-sized freezer bags, with parchment paper in between each layer of bars for up to 6 months! Allow time to thaw before eating.
Adapted from tasteofhome.
Very good. Liked by all.
Can I use a glass baking dish or does it need to be metal? Thanks
You can use glass!
These look amazing! I’m thinking about combining two of my favorite things for Thanksgiving. Do you think I could make these as directed and then top them with a firm no bake cheesecake?
Ooh I have never tried, but that sounds yummy! You’ll have to let us know how it turns out of it you!
Hi! Just curious – what helped you make the decision to use light corn syrup/white sugar instead of brown sugar/dark corn syrup? I’ve always seen them with the darker options so wondering what led you to that 😊
These bars are just the best! My go to recipe!
Oh I’m so happy to hear that!
I want to make these for my husbands birthday, Can I use parchment paper so crust won’t stick?
Yes you could!
The directions say to grease the pan and there’s a picture showing parchment paper lining the pan. Which is correct? Hurry please, I’m making these now lol!!!
It’s baking now!
Looks amazing!
I made these pecan bars today. The filling is delicious. My crust did not adhere to the filling. It crumbled. What didI do wrong.
?
I’m sorry to hear that. Shortbread dough is a bit crumbly by nature, but should come together when pressed down and baked. Perhaps the flour/butter ratio was a little off. If the dough seems too dry, you can add a bit more butter or a few tiny drops of water to get it the right texture. And again, making sure to press down the crust in the pan and baking it first before adding the filing on top. Hope that helps!
Hi I was wondering if you can freeze the recipe? These are great and want to make a couple to have on short notice thank you
Yes! They freeze beautifully!
I made this for the first time for a friend’s party just because I had all ingredients on hand. It was a hit. Everyone asked for the recipe. It is my go to now.