Pecan Pie Bars
Pecan pie bars are everything I love about pecan pie, only easier. Maple syrup, a buttery press-in crust, and that irresistible caramel-pecan chew in every bite.
Servings: 16 bars
Equipment
- 1 9x13 baking pan
Ingredients
for the crust
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups butter, cold
- 2 Tbsp water, cold
for the pecan filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp Bourbon (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups pecan halves
whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
to make the crust
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse briefly to combine.
- Add the cold butter, cut into pieces, and pulse until there are no large chunks of butter remaining.
- Add the cold water and continue to process until the dough comes together. It will still be a bit crumbly.
- Crumble the dough evenly over the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan (you can line it with parchment paper, too, if you prefer), and press it in, going up the sides about 1 inch. Using the flat bottom of a measuring cup can help you get an even surface. (Note: take your time to get the coverage even, but don't worry too much about perfection, the crust is mostly there to hold the filling, anyway!)
- Bake the crust for about 25-30 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time, take it out and use the bottom of a measuring cup or a spoon to gently press down the center of the crust so that it doesn't puff up too much.
- Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
To make the pecan filling
- In a medium saucepan, brown the butter for extra flavor. (See notes below on how to brown butter*).
- Remove from the heat and add the maple syrup. Stirring frequently, return to the heat and let the mixture bubble for 2-3 minutes to create a thick syrup.
- Allow the syrup to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, dissolved cornstarch, Bourbon, and vanilla extract. Whisk well until smooth.
- Gradually pour in the warm syrup mixture, whisking well as you go. Finally, fold in the pecan halves.
- Pour the filling into the par-baked crust, spreading it out into an even layer.
- Carefully return to the oven, and bake for about 35-40 minutes until the filling is set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before slicing and serving.
- Because the filling is egg-based and quite moist, I follow standard food safety guidelines and don’t leave these at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. These bars can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
*How to brown butter:
- Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.
- Let it bubble and foam, then stir as the milk solids begin to brown on the bottom.
- When it turns golden and smells nutty and toasty, pull it off the heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 469 kcal · Carbohydrates: 41 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 33 g · Saturated Fat: 16 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 92 mg · Sodium: 301 mg · Potassium: 136 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 23 g · Vitamin A: 761 IU · Vitamin C: 0.1 mg · Calcium: 48 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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