Pecan Pie Bars That Are Better Than Pecan Pie

Perfectly nutty and slightly gooey Pecan Pie Bars are a fast and fun twist on the classic Thanksgiving dessert. With 15 servings, this recipe feeds a crowd and comes together in no time--making it perfect for the holidays!

Ingredients
Crust
2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (291g)
½ cup light brown sugar (100g)
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cubed (226g)
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Pecan Pie Bar Topping
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (57g)
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (200g) (I prefer to use a blend of light and dark brown sugar)
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, room temperature preferred, lightly beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoons table salt
2 ½ cups chopped pecans (250g)

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from the links below.

Instructions
00:00 Introduction
Crust
00:24 Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper or foil, using enough so that the excess hangs over the sides (you’re effectively making a sling that you’ll use to remove the bars after baking and cooling).
00:29 Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the basin of a food processor and briefly pulse until combined.
01:28 Scatter butter over the top of the mixture and pulse again until just combined and small butter pieces are still remaining.
02:23 Add heavy cream and pulse again until dough is still sandy/just beginning to cling together but will stick together if pressed between your thumb and forefinger (this is about 25-30 1-second pulses for me).
03:17 Pour crumbly mixture into prepared baking pan and use your hands or the back of a spoon to evenly flatten into the pan.
04:17 Transfer to 350F (175C) oven and bake until the crust is just beginning to turn light golden brown, about 25 minutes. While crust is baking, prepare your pecan pie bar topping.
Pecan Pie Bar Topping
04:26 Melt butter and set aside so it has some time to cool.
04:45 In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and flour and whisk until well-combined and lump free.
05:12 Add eggs, corn syrup, vanilla extract and salt and stir until completely combined and then drizzle in melted butter and stir to combine.
06:13 Stir in chopped pecans.
06:25 Once crust has finished baking, pour pecan pie filling over warm crust (use a spatula to evenly distribute the filling/nuts if needed). Return to oven and bake on 350F (175C) for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set and the center does not jiggle when the pan is jostled.
07:12 Allow to cool for 4-6 hours or overnight before cutting and serving.

Notes
Preparing without a food processor
Note that while the crust for pecan pie bars can be prepared without a food processor (using a grater or pastry cutter or rubbing the butter into the mixture), it will be very, very difficult to work together. This is a dry dough that really benefits from the power of a food processor, so use yours if you have it!
Corn syrup
I prefer to use light corn syrup, dark corn syrup will work but I find it makes the bars richer in a way that I found to be overpowering. I do not know of a substitute that will work as well as corn syrup; maple syrup and honey tend to make the filling too loose/runny.
Pecans
I tried this recipe toasting the pecans first and without toasting the pecans and did not find a significant difference and the extra step to be unnecessary. However, you can feel free to toast the pecans first!
Storing
After cooling/cutting, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.

[Shamrocksdogwood]

Followed the recipe exactly and made these yesterday. These are simply AMAZING! You cannot stop eating these. They have a nice shortbread like biscuit base, a soft center and a chewy caramel nutty topping. It will forever be my go to recipe for the holidays.

[patriciatremblay]

I made these yesterday evening and just cut them now! They are delicious! I had to use half light and half dark corn syrup. I forgot to buy more..lol. I did the crumb mixture by hand..haven’t had a food processor in years. Thank you for the parchment paper tip..it’s going to make Christmas baking much easier! I’ve told you this before, but even though I’m baking over 40 years, I can still learn new things! Blessings to you, Sam! ♥️🇨🇦❤️

[bettytullis]

I have been baking for more than 50 years and this will be my go to pecan pie bar recipe from now on. The crust is a crisp yet tender texture. The top is a perfect balance of pecans and gooey filling. As another viewer commented (and I agree) you can't stop eating them. I took one bite and realized I'd need another batch because these bars will be a hit with everyone in my family.

[anneramirez]

If you are super anti- corn syrup, like with a corn allergy, you can substitute Cane syrup. It has a slight molasses flavor, but not strong.

[bigeneingers]

Ok, I gotta give you kudos, Sam. I made this (again) and it was beyond delicious (I take no credit as I just followed your recipe). I took this to work and the ladies loved it as well. The compliments kept coming all day long. Thank you. I think you will now be my go-to chef for all my baking and cooking lol.

[eurondajefferson]

I had a surplus of pecans and I signed on to search for a recipe for pecan bars and bam, this video pops up!! I doubled the recipe and they were absolutely amazing!!! I did not want the bars to have the texture of pecan pie filling and they did not! It was kind of “caramely”. These bars are absolutely delicious! Thank you!!

[Susan-cooks]

I made these yesterday. My family loved them. The crust is perfection! Thanks for another great recipe.

[bettywalker]

Made these yesterday and wow they are great. My son loves pecan pie so I made them for him. He was very impressed and said he liked it better than the pie. Definitely 5 stars

[Shellieruba]

I made these for thanksgiving and my family especially the older crowd LOVED them. They said they weren’t too sweet and that they were delicious. Everyone was raving about the pecan bars, even I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them, so much so that now I’m back to make them for a Christmas party coming up 😂

[PineBaskets]

Made these yesterday. FABULOUS!!!! Made little gifts for my clients and friends. Perfect recipe and perfect video THANKS

[Barbara-ivqb]

I made these today as part of my Christmas baking. They are absolutely delicious. Easier than pie! Better too….

[Canuckmom]

OH Great...just what I need...another AWESOME dessert recipe I am now going to have to make for Christmas. OMG - they look FAB and Butter Tarts are one if my top 5 favourite things. Yum.
As a home Baker I have to say, I do the parchment lining on All my squares: Nanaimo Bars, Walnut Dreams, Brownies, etc. Makes cutting and clean up a breeze, and saves your pans too. Great recipe - and instructions. thanks.

[theresebrandser]

I like your generous use of salt. Salt makes the sweet and the pecans pop!

[patricklopez]

Hey there, Sugar Spun Sam. I made your pecan bars last week and they were SO awesome! Addictive! So I will make another batch this afternoon and bring them for my homies at work tomorrow. I bet they will like that. Thank you so much, your videos are some of the best I’ve seen. You are a great teacher!

[KL-eryi]

I make this every Thanksgiving at the request of family. If you find you are out of corn syrup just substitute maple syrup. Delicious!

[Gagrl]

I just wanted to let you know that your recipe for pecan pie bars is one of the best I have ever had. Your recipe was very easy to follow and my bars turned out amazing. I made a double batch for thanksgiving this year instead of pecan pie. I am truly thankful I found your recipe. I lost my old recipe that was my mother's and I finally found a great replacement to give to my daughters. Thanks again.

[taccosnachos]

These look amazing, interesting how crisp the bottom comes out considering how sandy it looks before it bakes! Great recipe!

[julioblase]

Thank you for this recipe, I have used it before and I'm excited for the holiday season so I can make them again.

[sfgirlm]

My sister makes these every year for Christmas and they are amazing!

[polliwogg]

My mother in law makes these for the Holidays!🥰 They are amazing- everyone, including the kiddos, devour them!