Bake

Pecan Pie Bars

by:
September 18, 2020
4
20 Ratings
Pecan Pie Bars
Photo by JULIA GARTLAND
  • Prep time 35 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Makes one 9x13-inch pan
Author Notes

Pecan pie likely originated when Indigenous Quinipissa and Tangipahoa tribes introduced pecans to French colonists in the 1900s. Pecan pie bars—with their squared-off edges and ideal crust to filling ratio—are a more modern invention.

In colonial times, pecan pie was sweetened with molasses, which provides a much deeper, more complex sweetness than you’ll find in many contemporary recipes (typically made with light or dark corn syrup and granulated sugar). Here, I strike a balance. Both the crust and filling have enough molasses-y dark brown sugar to echo the toasted notes of the pecans, while granulated sugar protects against too much toastiness (i.e. bitterness). The filling— sugars, eggs, flour, butter, spices, salt, nuts—gets whisked together all at once into a sweet sludge that you’ll be tempted to drink straight up (oh, just me?).

In an earlier test, I found that toasted, powdered pecans in the shortcrust yielded a bar that was overly heavy and oily (and, worst of all, tasted faintly reminiscent of a trail bar). So instead, I kept it simple: a crumbly, butter-based, snappy shortcrust that comes together just as snappily in one bowl. When gauging doneness, look at the edges of the pan—between the subtly browned corners and the paler center, it should remind you of a blonde pug (a trick I learned from my days in pastry). —Coral Lee

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Crust
  • 384 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 71 grams (1/3 cup) lightly packed dark brown sugar
  • 50 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 4 1/2 grams (3/4 teaspoon) kosher salt
  • 310 3/4 grams (2 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • Filling
  • 319 1/2 grams (1 1/2 cups) lightly packed dark brown sugar
  • 64 grams (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 442 grams (1 1/3 cups) light corn syrup
  • 14 grams (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
  • 6 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
  • 9 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) kosher salt
  • 247 grams (2 1/2 cups) pecan halves, toasted
Directions
  1. For the crust: Combine the flour, sugars, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until big curds form (it shouldn’t come together into one ball).
  2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing at least 2 inches of overhang on all 4 sides. Plop the dough into the pan, then cover with a sheet of plastic film. Press the crust evenly into the pan, especially into the corners, then freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
  3. Remove the sheet of plastic and bake the crust until golden-brown all over, about 35 to 45 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, make the filling: Roughly chop about ⅓ of the pecans. Beat together the dark brown sugar, flour, eggs, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth. Fold in the chopped and whole nuts, then pour the filling over the baked crust, making sure the nuts are evenly dispersed.
  5. Bake until the filling is set, another 35 to 45 minutes.
  6. Let cool in the pan slightly, before showering with flaky salt, and cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, the pecan pie bars will keep well for up to 4 days.
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  • OccasionalCook
    OccasionalCook
  • Smaug
    Smaug
  • Eleanor Molnar
    Eleanor Molnar
  • FrugalCat
    FrugalCat
  • Anna Orishchenko
    Anna Orishchenko

Popular on Food52

14 Reviews

katie
katie November 18, 2024
Do these freeze well? I would love to make them the weekend before Thanksgiving!
 
OccasionalCook
OccasionalCook November 15, 2024
Eager for some fine print/consistency on date of origin of pecan pie: wiki says "Attempts to trace the dish's origin have not found any recipes dated earlier than a pecan custard pie recipe published in Harper's Bazaar in 1886." It seems pecan pie was being made *prior* to the 1900s, which contradicts info in the first paragraph of Author Note; second paragraph notes the dish being made in colonial times, i.e., long before the 1900s. That all said, looking forward to trying this recipe!!
 
Smaug
Smaug November 15, 2024
I think that 1900 was supposed to be 1600- pecans were well known to Europens in colonial times.
 
OccasionalCook
OccasionalCook November 15, 2024
Agreed! :)
 
Smaug
Smaug March 8, 2023
It's worth pointing out that dark corn syrup, more frequently used in pecan pie, contains a good hit of molasses.
 
Smaug
Smaug March 8, 2023
The pecan bar recipe I use, by the way (from Maida Heatter, of course) uses honey and lemon zest, a marvelous combination.
 
Eleanor M.
Eleanor M. December 16, 2022
Quite possibly the greatest dessert I’ve ever eaten. I swapped out the corn syrup for golden syrup and it was an excellent modification. This is one of those treats that is so rich you feel like you should eat only one, but it’s so good you went to eat the entire pan. It’s delicious with a little homemade whipped cream on top. Don’t stop, don’t think, make these today!
 
Smaug
Smaug November 15, 2024
It's worth pointing out that golden syrup is invert sugar- a combination of fructose and glucose, while corn syrup is glucose; dark corn syrup contains molasses and a couple of minor ingredients, but will still be considerably less sweet than golden syrup. And of course adds a hit of molasses flavor.
 
FrugalCat
FrugalCat September 23, 2022
Also good with walnuts instead of pecans.
 
tbl
tbl December 23, 2021
I chose this pecan bar recipe, as I always prefer to work with weight rather than volume. BIG MISTAKE. Was this recipe developed using weight or volume measure? When I got to the 3 tablespoons butter and found it weighed close to 45 grams, not the 14 grams stated in the filling, I questioned the entire recipe. 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt weighs 2.4 grams on my tenth gram scale, not the 4 1/2 grams I put into the crust. EPIC FAIL! Test kitchen approved apparently doesn't mean much here. Dumping contents from my food processor now.
 
Smaug
Smaug March 8, 2023
2Tb. butter =1 oz.= 28g., so 14g. is one Tb.; clearly a conversion mistake- the author likely is working in volumes (which many bakers still prefer) and using a conversion table. The salt, of course, is dependent on how fine it is.
 
Lan
Lan February 4, 2021
Made these around Christmas time and everyone at work LOVED them!! The recipe was easy and delicious. Definitely let them cool a little before cutting if not the filling is super soft and spills out
 
Anna O.
Anna O. January 1, 2021
Loved it! It’s the favourite pie in my family. I made it for Thanksgiving, then for Christmas, and I’m doing it today on Jan 1st. My husband, who doesn’t like too sweet recipes, and my kids who are sweet teeth, equally adore it.
 
Wendy S.
Wendy S. November 27, 2020
Delicious. Nice balance between the shortbread and the buttery pecan filling. My chocolate-loving son said "put them in the rotation."