If you love the taste of pecan pie but are looking for something a little easier to prepare (and serve!), these Buttery Pecan Bars are for you. I truly love pecan pie and I’m sure at some point around the holidays I’ll be making one or two for my family.
But when I found this recipe in Our Favorite Harvest Recipes Cookbook I thought what a great way to have all the flavor of a pecan pie without all the work!
These bars are rich, sweet, and full of that cozy, caramel-like flavor that pecans are known for. Buttery Pecan Bars are one of those desserts that feel a little fancy, but are surprisingly easy to make.
The bars are baked until the top is golden brown and the filling sets into a gooey, slightly chewy texture that’s balanced by the crunchy pecans. Every bite offers a wonderful contrast between the soft, sweet filling and the crisp, buttery crust.
Whether you’re serving them at a holiday gathering or simply enjoying them as an afternoon treat, these bars are sure to be a hit.
With their rich, buttery crust and gooey pecan filling, these bars capture the best parts of pecan pie in a bite-sized form. Give them a try the next time you’re craving something sweet, and don’t forget to share with friends and family!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy pecans? Let me know in the comments below!
What are Buttery Pecan Bars?
Buttery Pecan Bars are a sweet dessert treat featuring a rich, buttery shortbread crust topped with a gooey pecan filling. The crust is made with flour, butter, salt, and sugar, which creates a firm base.
The pecan topping is typically a mixture of chopped pecans, butter, sugar (often brown sugar), eggs, and sometimes vanilla, giving it a caramel-like flavor.
These bars are similar in taste to pecan pie but are easier to prepare and serve in bar form. They’re popular around the holidays, especially for gatherings, but can be enjoyed year-round as a decadent dessert.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar, divided
- Butter
- Salt
- Eggs, beaten
- Corn syrup
- Butter, melted
- Vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans
How to make Buttery Pecan Bars
Preheat oven to 350°, grease a 9×13 jelly roll pan.
Mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, butter and salt together until mixture resembles crumbs; set aside.
Press into a well greased jelly roll pan.
Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
Combine eggs, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, pecans and remaining sugar until well blended.
Pour over hot crust.
Return to oven for 25 additional minutes.
Cool and cut into bars.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- These are the tools I use when making this recipe!
- Pyrex glass mixing bowl – The Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl is handy to store in the fridge and freezer when you need to freeze contents or keep them fresh.
- Silicone Whisk– These whisks work great and they keep my pans scratch-free.
- Le Creuset Non-stick Metal Bakeware Sheet Pan – Not just for sheet cakes, the Sheet Pan is a kitchen essential for everything from baking cookies to roasting vegetables and making sheet pan meals.
Buttery Pecan Bars
Ingredients
- 3 c. all – purpose flour
- 2 c. sugar divided
- 1 c. butter
- 1/2 t. salt
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 – 1/2 c. corn syrup
- 3 T. butter melted
- 1 – 1/2 t. vanilla extract
- 2 – 1/2 c. chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°, grease a 9×13 jelly roll pan.
- Mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, butter and salt together until mixture resembles crumbs; set aside.
- Press into a well – greased jelly – roll pan.
- Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
- Combine eggs, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, pecans and remaining sugar until well blended.
- Pour over hot crust.
- Return to oven for 25 additional minutes.
- Cool and cut into bars.
