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!
Table of Contents
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
Will they taste and bake the same if you use coconut oil instead of but butter?
Planning on serving these pecan bars for Thanksgiving.
Is it too soon for me to make these tonight? Tuesday?
Hi Dyann,
You can definitely go ahead and make these. Just store them well covered in the refrigerator.
You said that you updated the recipe to bake the crust first. I do not see this. Did you post the updated recipe elsewhere? Should you poke holes in the crust before baking? Also, how long should the crust cool before adding the filling? I always make Trisha Yearwood’s Pecan Pie but I think I’ll change it up this year and make these. Thank you!
Hi Dawn,
The recipe has been updated. It’s not posted anywhere else. To make this, you will just follow the instructions to make the crust, but then refer to the Southern Pecan Pie Bars recipe for instructions on how to bake it (this is why recipe says “unbaked” but then the instructions tell how to bake it). As soon as you’ve mixed the filling, you’ll pour it into a HOT pie crust. I hope you enjoy these!
Thanks!
These didn’t turn out how I expected the filling soaked into the crust. I folllowed he recipe not sure what went. Wrong
Hi Trisha,
I’m sorry that happened! I have not had that problem when I pre-bake my crust as in the recipe notes. I hope this helps. Thanks!
Can you pour the pecan fuill into shortbread crust while it’s still hot?
Hi Sydney,
It should be poured into the crust while it’s still hot. Thanks!
When you add the pecans, are these chopped? Also, do you add more for the top layer? Would it be more than 2 cups needed? Also, would it be okay to add in the pecans as candies pecans for filling?
Thanks! Will be making these soon!
Hi Brittany,
You can leave pecans whole or roughly chopped – I leave them whole as in the photo. You will only need the amount of pecans noted in the recipe. I’ve not tried candied pecans in the recipe and I’m concerned that it might make the recipe too sweet – and I can’t say how it would turn out if there are other ingredients on the candied pecans that could impact the results.
I hope this helps and that you enjoy them! Thanks!
Did you update the recipe to read: bake the crust before putting the filling in?
Hi Dawn,
Yes, I have updated the recipe. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
I love this recipe! It’s easy, it’s delicious, and it’s adaptable! I made one change the recipe, I myself am a bit of a chocoholic… So before I poured the pie filling over the crust, I sprinkled about a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips! And it turned out great!
Thank you so much for the recipe! This will definitely be my go to!
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Anna! Thanks so much!
Made these for a bake sale. I make the same crust for lemon bars all the time just prebake it. However the filling leaked through the crust when I made these. Still taste great just messy. Any suggestions?
Hi Janice,
I’m sorry that happened, but I am glad you enjoyed the taste! I have updated the recipe instructions so that they are more clear, so I hope that helps. Thanks so much!
Wow! I have a pecan bar recipe that I use, but this one is definitely my go-to now. That filling is amazing!
I followed the directions almost exactly, but I did make some minor changes, mostly for quantity of product. Here’s some details of what I did. I didn’t want so many bars, so I halved the recipes and used an 8×8 Pyrex pan (or was it 9×9??). Instead of 1 1/2 large eggs, I used one jumbo egg. I also used light corn syrup. Instead of whole pecans, I coarsely chopped them so that there were still large chunks left. I baked it for a full 35 minutes.
I tried one about 20 minutes out of the oven, and it was still quite hot! But the filling set just fine with no runny mess. After it chills, it tastes a little different because everything sets. It’s not a bad difference! Just a different eating experience, I think. The bars cut much cleaner after they have been chilled, though they are easier to cut through when still warm.
Sorry for the lengthy comment! I just wanted to help anybody else out if they wanted to halve the recipe and also to let you know how much I loved these bars. Thank you!!
Thank you so much for your comment Karen. I’m happy you enjoyed this! xo