These easy to make pecan pie bars have a sweet, gooey pecan pie filling and nutty brown butter shortbread crust for a treat no one can resist. These are basically like pecan pie, but with a simpler, press-in-the-pan shortbread crust, so the recipe comes together quickly. Your house will smell incredible while these are baking!
Looking for more recipes like this one? You might also love these pumpkin pecan waffles, homemade butter pecan ice cream, and butter pecan pound cake with bourbon icing.
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Why You’ll Love These Recipes
Like Pie, but Easier. You get all the satisfaction of eating a piece of pecan pie, but with a lot less effort.
Nutty and Gooey. These pecan pie bars have all the best textures with the buttery, crumbly crust, and the sweet gooey filling full of crunchy pecans.
Delicious for Days. The leftover pecan bars are just as good days after baking.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Crust
- Butter. Melted butter binds the dough together, and gives it a rich buttery flavor. By browning the butter first, you add even more toasty, nutty notes of flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour. Gives the dough structure.
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness of the filling and enhances the flavor of the pecans.
Filling
- Butter. Adds rich, buttery flavor and moisture to the filling.
- Dark Brown Sugar. Adds sweetness, moisture and a hint of molasses.
- Light Corn Syrup. Makes the filling sweet, thick and gooey.
- Eggs. Add richness, and helps to thicken and set the filling.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness of the filling and enhances the flavor of the pecans.
- All-Purpose Flour. Helps to thicken the filling.
- Pecans. Use raw, unsalted pecans so that your filling doesn’t end up too salty.
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is very fragrant, starts to foam and nutty brown solids form on the bottom of the pan. Immediately remove the pan from the heat.
- In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the brown butter, scraping up all the golden brown solids, too, and stir everything together into a moist, crumbly dough.
- Press the dough crumbs evenly against the bottom of the pan.
- Bake the crust on the center oven rack for about 18 minutes, until a pale golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
Filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.
- In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour, until smooth. Whisk in the chopped pecans.
- Carefully pour the filling over the hot crust.
- Bake on the center oven rack for 45-50 minutes, until the filling is set.
- Let the bars cool completely, at least 3-4 hours, before cutting into squares.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip the step of browning the butter in the crust?
You can, but it’s a simple step that adds so much more flavor and nutty goodness to these pecan pie bars.
How do I make the filling without corn syrup?
While I haven’t tested it in this recipe, pure maple syrup should work as a substitute. You could also use honey, but that will alter the flavor of the pecan bars considerably.
Will this recipe work with chocolate in the filling?
Sure. After baking the crust, sprinkle the crust with a handful of chocolate chips before pouring in the filling. Bake as instructed.
Do the leftover pecan bars need to be refrigerated?
No, just store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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Pecan Pie Bars
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup unsalted butter, browned
- 1 â…” cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup light corn syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted raw pecans, roughly chopped
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is very fragrant, starts to foam and nutty brown solids form on the bottom of the pan. Immediately remove the pan from the heat.
- In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the brown butter, scraping up all the golden brown solids, too, and stir everything together into a moist, crumbly dough. Press the dough crumbs evenly against the bottom of the pan.
- Bake the crust on the center oven rack for about 18 minutes, until a pale golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
Filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.
- In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour, until smooth. Whisk in the chopped pecans.
- Carefully pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake on the center oven rack for 45-50 minutes, until the filling is set.
- Let the bars cool completely, at least 3-4 hours, before cutting into squares.
I made these. Very good! Chris
Can you use a 9 x 13 pan and what would the ingredients be
While I haven’t tested a larger batch, I imagine you can double the recipe for a 9×13 pan.
These look delicious! I know you have made these at a high altitude location, what changes would you need to make for non-high altitudes? Longer baking times, lower temperature?
Heather, I have information about adjusting recipes in my FAQs. However, I don’t think any changes would be necessary for this particular recipe.
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
So helpful! I didn’t see the FAQ page. Very informative. Thank you! I can’t wait to try these out!
This was an excellent recipe. Can the bars be frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing them, but it may work! I’m planning on making these for Christmas, so I can try freezing a couple of them to see.
Oh my, these were a HUGE hit for our family Christmas, thank you so much for the recipe, it turned out perfect! I added chocolate chips–took it to the next level!
Love the addition of chocolate chips!
One of my go to recipes. Have made these twice and everyone has loved them.
I absolutely LOVE the inside of a pecan pie and the pumpkin pie bars I’ve made was a hit ( not my jam however) so love the idea of bars vs a pie.
Soooooo – how long would cooking this with a double batch be in the a same size pan? So I can really get that deliciousness of the pie?!
Recommendations on what to double or so on?!?!
Thank you!
I forgot the flour!!!!! Idk how they’ll come out!
Uh, oh, they might not set, but fingers crossed!
Hello Heather,
Can I switch to Karo Dark Syrup and Light Brown Sugar since I have these already in my pantry? I am at 6800 feet.
Love your beautiful website.
Happy Holiday! TIA
That should work just fine.