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Pecan Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
Bake rich pecan pie bars on a buttery shortbread crust for an easy holiday dessert. Get step-by-step instructions and tips.
Holiday Pecan Pie Bars are a handheld adaptation of classic pecan pie, featuring a tender, buttery shortbread crust topped with a rich, caramel-like filling packed with toasted pecans. The recipe typically combines all-purpose flour, butter, and confectioners’ sugar for the base, while the topping layers brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, and a generous quantity of chopped or halved pecans to achieve the signature glossy finish and nutty crunch. Baked in a rectangular pan and cut into squares, these bars deliver all the flavor of a traditional pie without the need for rolling pastry, making them convenient for potlucks, cookie exchanges, and dessert platters. Because of their warm, sweet profile and emphasis on pecans—a staple of autumn harvests—they are especially popular during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other winter holiday gatherings, but their straightforward preparation also lends them to year-round enjoyment whenever a crowd-pleasing dessert is needed.
Pecan Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
Bake them days ahead, tuck them into an airtight container, and they’ll stay irresistibly fresh through the whole holiday stretch. With one bowl, one pan, and minimal cleanup, they’re a stress-saving dessert that lets you spend more time with guests and less time at the sink.
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
45 minutes
Total Time
65 minutes
65 minutes
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g)
- All-purpose flour, 2 cups (about 250 g)
- Granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g)
- Fine sea salt, ¼ tsp
- Pure vanilla extract, 1 tsp
- Large eggs, 3
- Packed light brown sugar, ¾ cup (150 g)
- Light corn syrup, 1 cup (240 ml)
- Unsalted butter (melted for filling), 2 tbsp (30 g)
- Pure vanilla extract (for filling), 1½ tsp
- Fine sea salt (for filling), ¼ tsp
- Pecan halves or coarsely chopped pecans, 2 cups (about 225 g)
- Optional – semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup (85 g)
- Optional – flaky sea salt, pinch, for finishing
- Optional – whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C)
- Line a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides
- Lightly grease the parchment paper
- Combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a mixing bowl
- Whisk the dry ingredients to blend them evenly
- Add cold cubed unsalted butter to the bowl
- Cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form
- Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into a compact crust
- Bake the crust until the edges are lightly golden, about 20 minutes
- Set the pan on a wire rack while preparing the filling
- Crack eggs into a large bowl
- Whisk the eggs until well blended
- Add light corn syrup, packed brown sugar, melted unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and salt to the eggs
- Whisk the filling until completely combined and smooth
- Stir chopped pecans into the filling mixture
- Pour the pecan filling evenly over the warm crust
- Spread the pecans so they cover the surface uniformly
- Return the pan to the oven
- Bake until the filling is set but still slightly jiggles in the center, 25–30 minutes
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack
- Cool the bars completely in the pan
- Lift the cooled slab out of the pan using the parchment overhang
- Transfer the slab to a cutting board
- Cut the slab into individual bars with a sharp knife
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
6407 kcal Protein
66 g Fat
386 g Carbs
721 g Fiber
29 g Sugar
509 g
6407 kcal Protein
66 g Fat
386 g Carbs
721 g Fiber
29 g Sugar
509 g
Notes
Toast the pecans for 8–10 minutes at 350°F before folding them into the filling—this quick step sharpens their nuttiness and keeps them from turning soggy. For a flavor twist, replace 2 tablespoons of the corn syrup with bourbon or dark maple syrup, then chill the baked bars for 30 minutes; they’ll slice into neat, bakery-worthy squares.
why this recipe
Rich with buttery shortbread crust, layered in glossy caramelized filling, and crowned by toasty, fragrant nuts, these pecan pie bars capture everything you love about the classic holiday dessert in an easier, hand-held form. Their crisp edges and chewy center deliver an irresistible contrast, while a hint of warm spice adds depth that keeps guests coming back for that “just one more” square. Simple to assemble, sturdy enough for potlucks, and decadent enough for the most elegant festivities, they offer all the indulgence of pie without the fuss, making them a brilliant addition to any seasonal spread.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace the light corn syrup with another sweetener, such as pure maple syrup or honey, without changing the texture of the filling?
You can swap up to about ¼ cup (60 ml) of the light corn syrup with pure maple syrup or honey for extra flavor, but replacing it entirely will change the texture—corn syrup’s glucose helps the filling set cleanly and resist crystallization. If you do a full substitution, expect a looser, slightly stickier filling that may not slice as neatly; chilling the bars thoroughly before cutting will help compensate.
Can I freeze the pecan pie bars in advance, and how should I thaw them to keep the crust crisp and the filling intact?
Yes—once the bars are completely cool, freeze them in a single layer until firm, then wrap each bar tightly in parchment and a double layer of plastic (or place stacks of wrapped bars in a freezer bag or airtight container) for up to 2–3 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator while still wrapped so condensation forms on the outside, then let them sit at room temperature 15 minutes or warm briefly in a 300 °F (150 °C) oven for 5–7 minutes to refresh the crust’s crispness.
Q3: Can I make these pecan pie bars gluten-free without sacrificing texture?
Yes. Swap the 2 cups of all-purpose flour in the crust for an equal amount of a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend that already contains xanthan or guar gum, chill the pressed crust 10 minutes, then par-bake it 2–3 minutes longer to ensure it firms up; the filling is naturally gluten-free, so no other changes are needed. The resulting bars retain the same buttery snap and cleanly sliceable texture.