Best Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
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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.
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!
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!
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:
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Mix. Mix together sugar, softened butter, and all-purpose flour with an electric mixer until just well combined.
- 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:
- 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.
- Bake. Bake the pecan pie bars until golden brown and the center has set, for about 30 minutes.
- Serve. Once done, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the pecan pie bars to cool completely.
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!)
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.
More Dessert Bars We Love
Here’s my Southern Pecan Pie Bars recipe. I hope you love them!
Southern Pecan Pie 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I would like to make these a week + before Christmas. Can I freeze them?
Can you freeze the pecan pie squares
Sure! Enjoy them, Marte!
I made these for Thanksgiving, they were a huge hit!!!!. I’m not a baker so I was so pleased with the response from my huge family. A friend of mine (amazing baker) suggested that I use heavy cream for the last 1/4 of corn syrup, turned out perfect. I did pre-bake the shortbread crust as well. I took some to work as well and was told by my colleagues that I should go home and make some more. Thanks for the recipe
What a compliment if your colleagues ask you to bring more, Eileen! I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed these bars – we sure love them in my family as well! Thanks! xo
how do you get them out of the pan?
Can I use maple syrup instead of corn syrup?
Sure. Enjoy the pie bars! Thanks!
Hi Robyn,
Where can I find the Shortbread crust recipe?
I do hope you include a list link!
Hi Lily,
Here’s the direct link to the Shortbread Crust. I hope you enjoy it!
Very delicious! Very much like pecan pie! It turned out kinda runny but maybe after I refrigerate it then it will thicken up! Delicious tho!!
Is the crust baked or unbaked when I put the filling?
Hi Zulema,
You’ll just follow the instructions and bake first as directed in step 1. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
I live in Colorado, which is at a higher elevation. Would you change the amount of the ingredients for higher altitude? I just made this recipe and it seems a bit runny due to the butter content.
Hi Christopher,
We are visiting Colorado this week and I am definitely reminded that I am not an expert regarding higher altitude baking! 🙂 I understand the basic adjustments but am having to take my time to make sure that I adjust temps, liquid, eggs, sugar, etc! Whew! I think you may want to adjust the oven temperature to 325º F from 350º F and increase the baking time accordingly. For the ingredients, I would try it by reducing the corn syrup to 2/3 cup from 1 cup called for in the recipe. I believe the recommendation is to increase the liquid (butter), but if your pie seems to be runny after reducing the temp and increasing the baking time, maybe try reducing it. I’m so sorry I not more help on this! I’d love it if you come back and share changes you make for a successful high-altitude pecan pie! I’m sure others in your area would love it!
So I’m a little confused. I am making pecan pie bars for tomorrow. I see some of your post say to bake the crust first before filling and others say not to. So my question is do I bake the crust before adding pecan filling it not? I desperately want them to turn out perfectly so please help.
Hi Tammy,
Yes, some crusts need to be pre baked and some don’t according to the pie. You do pre bake for these bars and the exact instructions are noted in the recipe. I hope you enjoy these! Thanks!