Pecan Pie Bars
User Reviews
4.7
Pecan Pie Bars
Description
The shortbread crust is prepared by combining cold butter, flour, sugar, and salt until crumbly, then pressed evenly into a prepared pan and partially baked. Cooling the crust before adding the filling ensures texture layers remain distinct. The filling blends flour, brown sugar, salt, lemon zest, dark corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, and chopped pecans for a flavorful custard-like layer with nutty crunch.
After baking the filled bars until cooked and set, chilling them thoroughly helps the bars firm up, making slicing neater. The lemon zest subtly offsets the sweetness, balancing the rich flavors. Clean cutting knife edges during slicing highlights the layered look of crust and filling.
These bars serve as a portable dessert that captures the essence of pecan pie in handheld form, suitable for sharing or potlucks.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup butter unsalted, cold
- ½ cup sugar granulated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups corn syrup dark
- 4 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray then line it with parchment paper, but with the parchment paper hanging off the sides to make it easy to lift out bars.
Crust
- Add all the crust ingredients to a large bowl and using a pastry cutter or two forks, blend everything together until it resembles a dry coarse meal. Alternatively, you could use a food processor.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared baking dish and press it down evenly into the bottom. Place the pan into the oven and bake it for about 20 minutes, until the curst is set and dry on top, but it hasn't yet browned. Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling.
Filling
- In a large bowl add the flour, brown sugar, salt and whisk everything together. This will ensure there will be no lumps. Add the lemon zest and whisk. Add the corn syrup, eggs, vanilla, and whisk everything together until well combined.
- Fold in the chopped pecans. Let the mixture rest while the crust bakes and cools. During this time the pecan mixture will slightly thicken.
- Pour the pecan filling over the prepared crust and use a spatula to spread the pecans evenly, if needed. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the filling is set. To check if the filling is set, shake the pan and if the center is not wobbly then it's done.
- Cool completely at room temperature, then place the pan in the fridge for several hours or overnight before cutting them.
- The next day, use the parchment paper to gently lift the bars from the pan, then cut into squares using a sharp serrated knife. I cut it into 24 pieces, but you can cut it into 12 if you wish for larger squares.
Notes
- Chill the bars thoroughly before slicing to ensure clean cuts.
- Reducing corn syrup slightly can make the bars less sweet without affecting texture.
- Lightly toast pecans beforehand to enhance their flavor.
- Adding chocolate chips over the crust before the filling adds an extra flavor layer.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 255 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1bar | |
| Calories | 255kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 35g | 12% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 46mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 100mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 66mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 25g | 50% |
| Vitamin A | 227IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 0.4mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 21mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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