Pecan Squares
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With a buttery shortbread crust and rich caramel-pecan topping, these pecan squares make a wonderful potluck dessert for the holidays.
If you’re a fan of my bourbon pecan pie and candied pecans, you’re going to love these pecan squares. A buttery shortbread crust and rich caramel-pecan topping make them truly over the top—the perfect hostess gift, treat for your co-workers, or potluck dessert for the holidays. Bonus: they’re easy to make.
What you’ll need to make pecan squares
Step-by-step instructions
Begin with the shortbread crust (which, by the way, is much easier than making a homemade pie crust). Combine the flour, cornstarch, confectioners sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until combined.
Toss in the pieces of butter.
Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size clumps of butter within.
Dump the mixture into a foil-lined pan.
Then press firmly with your fingers into an even layer.
Bake until set but not browned, about 17 minutes.
In the meantime, make the topping. Combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt in a saucepan.
Boil gently for a few minutes.
Then stir in the heavy cream and chopped pecans.
Spread the pecan mixture onto the baked crust.
Bake until bubbling and caramel-colored.
Cool completely, then transfer baked bar to cutting board.
Cut into squares with a sharp knife.
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Pecan Shortbread Squares
With a buttery shortbread crust and rich caramel-pecan topping, these pecan squares make a wonderful potluck dessert for the holidays.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup Confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the Filling
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Generous pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
For the Crust
- Cover a 9-inch square baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Push foil neatly into corners and up sides of the pan, using two pieces if necessary to ensure it overlaps all edges (the overhang will help removal from pan). Spray foiled pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the flour, cornstarch, confectioners sugar and salt in a bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size clumps of butter within. It will seem dry; that's okay. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the bottom. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. While the crust is in the refrigerator, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the crust until crust is set but not browned, about 17 minutes. Set on rack to cool. Leave oven on.
For the Filling
- In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and boil gently for 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and chopped pecans.
To Assemble and Bake
- Pour pecan mixture over crust (it's fine if the crust is still warm). Bake until filling is bubbling and caramel in color, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on rack. To cut, use the foil overhang to lift baked square out of pan and onto cutting board. Loosen the foil from the edges, then cut with a sharp knife into 2-inch squares. Store finished pecan squares in air-tight container and serve at room temperature.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: These can be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, double-wrap them securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap with the layers separated by wax or parchment paper. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Calories: 357
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Sugar: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 88 mg
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These are amazing! Portable pecan pie – only better – more caramelly.
Love this recipe! I make them every Thanksgiving – so much better than a pecan pie! They’re so buttery & everyone can just walk by the dessert table & pop one (or six!) in their mouth – no plate or fork needed!!
Could I just use sugar instead of confectioners? I don’t have it on hand
Hi Bekka, I’d recommend sticking with the Confectioners’ sugar here. Sorry!
Can you make these ahead and freeze them?
Yep — see the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions. Hope you enjoy!
SO easy and SO delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Hi Jenn,
I love this recipe but I would like to make for a party of 30 people. Do I just double up on the ingredients? Or make two trays? Please advise.
Hi Lucy, Glad you like it! I would make it in two separate pans. 🙂
Can I substitute arrowroot for the cornstarch?
Hi Janet, I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it comes out if you try it!
Hi Jenn, what temperature would you use for a convection oven and how much time should I reduce the baking time? My baking setting on the oven does not work properly so I just use the normal convection setting. Also, should I leave them on the lowest level of the oven rack or move them up a notch? Can’t wait to make these, thank you!!!
Hi Cathy, When using the convection setting, the rule of thumb is to reduce the temp by 25°F. I think with the reduction in temperature, the timing will be about the same but keep a close eye on them. And I’d still put the rack in the center position in your oven. Hope you enjoy!
Hello! Will the filling recipe work with Pate Sablee? If so, any tips on how to go about it? 🙂
Yes, while I think it would work, the crust in this recipe is easier and more tender than a pate Sablée. If you do choose to go that route, I would blind bake it before adding the filling. Hope that helps!
Hi
Can I use this base of the pecan bar recipe and filled with your apple crisp recipe and bake?
Would this work? If so how long would I bake it for – 45 mins?
Hi Sara, not having tried it, I can’t say for sure how it will come out but I think it should work. Keep in mind that the crust may not stay quite as crispy as it does with the pecan squares. And, yes, I’d guesstimate that you’d need to bake it for about 45 minutes. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I just made these for a Celebration of Life reception for a friend who loved pecan pie. Followed the suggestion for 1 1/2 x the recipe in a 9×13 pan and they turned out great. I’m so happy I found your recipe so we could share our friends love of pecan pie in a shortbread form
Thank you!
Can I use corn syrup in place of the honey?
Sure, that should work. Enjoy!
Made these for a family bbq. They turned out perfect – so delicious. Great recipe.
Sent half a pan for my mother in law’s 86th birthday; she loves pecans and these are really special. They mailed well from TX to WA. Took 4 to the office. Took the rest to book club after freezing a few days. As usual, received rave reviews and I shared the recipe (and website) with all. Thanks Jenn
The pecan filling was good, but my crust was still mushy by the end of the last 20 min bake. I followed the recipe so I’m not quite sure where I went wrong.
Hi Mel, sorry you had a problem with the crust! Did you refrigerate it before putting it in the oven? After removing it from the oven, did you let it cool?
I absolutely love pecan pie and wanted to find an easier way to achieve that flavor without spending all day in the kitchen. This is the way! Hands down the best pecan squares I have ever had. The crust is absolutely stunning. Reminded me of shortbread I haven’t had since I was a little girl. My husband has eaten almost all of them and says they are the best dessert he has ever had. Thank you!
Followed the recipe exactly and it was so easy. Squares lifted out easily and cut very nicely which is always important! Delicious!!! Definitely a keeper. thank you!
Wow, these were amazing!
Hi Jenn, made these yesterday (with all the pecans – walnuts are just as expensive) and they were really good! Left them to cool overnight and they turned out perfectly. Thank you!
Hi Jenn, would like to try this recipe. Pecans are quite expensive here in Holland (3 euro’s for 100 gram). Could I use less? Thanks!
Hi Ellen, I wouldn’t recommend cutting back on the pecans as that would impact the ratios for the other ingredients in the filling. If walnuts are more affordable, they would also work nicely here. Hope that helps!
Thanks Jenn!
Can I replace cornstarch with flour? Or would that make it too dense? I dont have cornstarch but need to make this for tomorrow’s mother’s day…
Hi Sid, I’m obviously weighing in too late to help – sorry! The cornstarch helps to make the crust tender, but you can get away with using flour instead.
Jen, the recipe looks amazing. Can you please tell me why there is whipping cream in the recipe. Thank you.
Hi Linda, The cream helps bind the filling together. Hope you enjoy if you make them!
Mine came out pretty sticky – like toffee. I think the 3 minute stir/boil might have been too long for my mixture and I ended up with caramel. Still delicious but very sticky on the teeth.
This Pecan Square recipe was exactly what I was after. It’s rich, balanced, and beats our local bakery’s rendition! We’ll be enjoying this dessert forever!! (Especially incredible while warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!)
I made these again yesterday (I’ve baked them at least 20 times so far). Recipe is foolproof and the result is fabulous. They are like mini pecan pie squares, but sooo much better since they’re not cloyingly sweet. They last for a long time too. In short, the perfect dessert bar! 🙂
These look delicious! I can’t wait to give them a try. I don’t have a food processor, is there something else you would suggest I use? Thanks so much.
Hi Elisha, You can make this by hand. Place the flour, corn starch, confectioners sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to “cut” the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size clumps of butter. Proceed with recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
These are outstanding and quite easy to make. They also freeze extremely well. These were such a hit we added them to the cookies we give friends each year during the holidays.
We all love pecan pie here, but don’t do well making them. I like to try baking during the winter months, and this one looked good, but was a fantastic find! Easy, quick, delicious! Nothing else to say, except for maybe doubling the recipe so they’ll last a couple of days! Thanks for the great recipe!
I made these at Christmas to give away to friends and neighbors. They held up perfectly. I packaged them in a box, and they were a huge hit. This one will be on my Christmas rotation.
This has become my favorite bar cookie. Every time I serve them they gets great reviews. I have drizzled dark chocolate on them to dress them up a bit. The shortbread crust makes them special.
Best pecan bars ever. I’ve made these with pecans, walnuts, and mixed nuts. Always fabulous.
These are off the hook delicious! They were so delicious I included these cookies in my Holiday baking, cutting them just a bit smaller. I made up 40 lovely cellophane cookie bags for all my coworkers (It was a bit of love to my co-workers during this crummy Pandemic) Everyone loved these. Thank-you for sharing!
Delicious! Like a pecan pie without making a pie crust. Easy to store, to cut and share with friends (which I did). I will definitely be making this again. Everyone loved it.
Was looking for an easy dessert to prepare. This recipe is wonderful. Brought back sweet memories of pastry I would enjoy from a bakery that is no longer in business. It was the perfect buddy recipe (doing it with my baking buddy experimenting with new recipes). They are delicious, and so perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. I brought them into work, and noticed how the workers were wrapping them to take home. after first samplings. Great for potluck (just remember to bring copies of the recipe to share. These also froze great. For a warm just out of the oven texture, I microwaved them for about 10 seconds.
I made these pecan squares over the holidays and gave them as gifts to my family and friends. They absolutely loved them!!! The recipe is so easy to follow and comes together in no time. I added 1 1/2 tablespoons of bourbon to the pecan filling ,which in my opinion , put these squares over the top. Thanks Jen for another great recipe!
Did you substitute the bourbon for the vanilla? or did you use both?
These were a huge hit at Thanksgiving. My son in law said they were the best thing he ever ate! Easy and delicious, what more could you want?
Hi Jenn! Oh my goodness! I made these Pecan Bars for Christmas and honestly, they were just the best!!! They were loaded with buttery pecans and a delicious shortbread bottom; two of my favs!!! They were moist and extremely flavorful! They have a wonderful shelf life also. I did not refrigerate them and kept them on my kitchen table the whole time and they never went bad. They were more delicious even as they sat. I tried to make them last a little while to savor the experience! These are definitely another of your delicious recipes that I’ll be making more of. We loved them!!!
My husband is a huge fan of pecan pie but me, not so much. The pecan part is terrific, but I don’t care for the gooey part. These bars are pure sweet pecan and a tender base. I consider them more decadent than most other cookies and bars because of the nut/fat content so I don’t make them TOO regularly. Thta’s part of what makes them special and me adored, lol. My husband has declared it’s his new favorite holiday treat.
I make this for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner every year since I found this recipe. So easy and so delicious! Everyone flocks around this and it disappears quickly. So good!
I have made these pecan squares many times. This is my go to on the holidays and picnics. I use to many pecan pies, but sometimes only half the pie eaten, not these! They are so buttery, not runny or gooey, and the freeze well. My friends and family always ask for them.🙂
These are seriously terrific! Less of a sugar bomb than a slice of pecan pie with all the pecan-loveliness. My daughter-in-law is just getting her baking wheels. Her comment was ‘this is the first time I’ve felt proud to serve my baking.’ While it’s perfect as is, I’ve also tried a batch with the zest of half an orange to the recipe for a twist.
This sure satisfies that sweet craving and is a great option to serve with the lemon bars.
These are awesome!
It is portable pie! Can’t go wrong with that!
Great recipe ❤
made these last week they were the best I have ever made and I have made a lot!! most were either too hard, too sweet, or too sloppy. the crust melted in your mouth and the pecan filling was just the right consistency. the only change – I made I didn’t have honey so I used pure maple syrup, they did not last long at all. Can’t wait to try the lemon bars. I noticed they have the same crust ingredients. I know they will be delish!!! Thanks
This is the best recipe I have ever made. I am not a baker….love to cook but hate to measure. I rarely make anything sweet but have had to make 3 batches of this in 3 weeks because my husband, friends and family love it! Simple to make and elegant with a cup of tea. Thank you Once Upon a Chef!!
These squares were delicious. By far the favorite of the Christmas baking I did this year. I didn’t have a 9 x 9 pans so the filling was a bit thick, I’ll buy the proper size pan before I make them again.
These are so perfect! I’m never making my tried and true pecan pie recipe again. This was so much easier and tastes delicious. Another great recipe. Thanks Jen!
I don’t have 9-inch pan can I use 8×8?
Sure, Shirley, that should work. Enjoy!
I make several kinds of candy and cookies to plate up as gifts to neighbors, and this year added these pecan squares to the mix. Everyone loved them. One neighbor cracked me up when he offered the suggestion that I should tell people to eat the pecan squares last, because otherwise they made all the other items seem “just ok”. They totally upstaged everything else on the plate! Next year I’ll just make these! Lol!
These are outstanding – I agree with some that they’re better than pecan pie. I noticed some complaints from other reviews of the bars not “holding together,” and if it’s what happened to a small section of my last batch, it’s because you need to make sure the pecan mixture is equally enveloped in the caramel over the entire surface. Some of the liquid distributed thinner on one end of my pan so when I cut the squares, the topping on that side didn’t stick to the shortbread and separated easily – but still just as delicious!!
Hi Jenn – to get the best of both worlds 🙂 How much bourbon (like your pie) would you add to this recipe and when? Thanks!
Hi Rita, I’d just replace the vanilla extract with bourbon. Please LMK how they turn out!
Better tasting and easier than pecan pie. I thought this would not be enough for a crowd and debated doubling, but found a little goes a long way from the party I brought them too. Lots of compliments. Can’t wait to make again!!
Delicious recipe! My family loved it. I did reduce sugar in the filling and it was still delicious. This will become a family favorite! Thank you!