Pecan Pie Bars

All the gooey pecan filling, none of the pastry anxiety.

Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time2 hr 10 mins
YieldMakes 16 bars
Pecan Pie Bars
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Before You Start

Pecan pie without the crimping: a press-in shortbread base, a stovetop filling of butter, brown sugar and syrup, and a top layer that is essentially pecan praline. Bars slice cleaner than pie, travel better, and nobody has ever noticed the missing fluted edge. Golden syrup or maple both work where corn syrup is hard to find.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 20 cm square tin with overhanging paper.

  2. 2

    Rub or blitz the flour, cold butter, powdered sugar and salt to fine crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into the tin base.

  3. 3

    Bake the base 18 to 20 minutes until pale gold at the edges.

  4. 4

    Meanwhile melt the filling butter with the brown sugar and syrup, and boil for a full minute, stirring. Off the heat, stir in the cream, vanilla and pecans.

  5. 5

    Pour the filling over the hot base and spread the pecans level.

  6. 6

    Bake 20 to 22 minutes until the filling bubbles across the whole surface, edges included. Cool fully, then chill 1 hour before lifting out and slicing into 16.

💡 Baker's tips

  • The filling must bubble in the centre, not just the edges, before it comes out. Under-bubbled filling never sets and slides off the base when cut.
  • Press the base with the bottom of a measuring cup for a dead-flat, compacted layer that will not crumble under the topping.

🔀 Make it your own

  • A tablespoon of bourbon in the filling with the vanilla, for the Kentucky version.
  • Drizzle the cut bars with melted dark chocolate.

📦 Storing & freezing

Airtight for 5 days at room temperature, a week in the fridge. They freeze for 3 months and are dangerously good eaten half-thawed.

❓ Frequently asked

What can I use instead of corn syrup in pecan pie?

Golden syrup is the best swap: same thickness, slightly toffee-ish. Maple syrup works too with a looser set and its own flavour. This recipe was written for either.

Why did my pecan bars not set?

The filling did not reach a full boil before baking, or left the oven before bubbling in the centre. Both stages need the sugar hot enough to set on cooling.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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