Pecan Pie Bars
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With their buttery shortbread crust and rich caramel-pecan topping, these pecan pie bars are everything you love about pecan pie—only easier to make and perfect for sharing!
If you’re a fan of my pecan pie, bourbon pecan pie and candied pecans, you’ll love these pecan pie bars. With a buttery shortbread crust and a rich caramel-pecan topping, they’re an indulgent treat that’s perfect for the holidays—whether you’re bringing them to a potluck or giving them as a hostess gift. Best of all, they’re incredibly easy to make!
“The showstopper at Thanksgiving this year.”
What You’ll Need To Make Pecan Pie Bars
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the shortbread crust.
- Cornstarch: Blended with the flour, cornstarch gives the crust a crisper texture.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the crust and helps achieve a shortbread-like consistency.
- Unsalted Butter: Creates a flaky crust and adds richness to the filling.
- Light Brown Sugar: Sweetens the filling with a deep, molasses-like flavor. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Honey: Adds sweetness and a touch of warmth to the filling.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the caramel with its aromatic richness.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Adds creaminess and helps achieve the silky, smooth texture of the filling.
- Chopped Pecans: Provide crunch and a rich, nutty flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin with the crust. Combine the flour, cornstarch, confectioners sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. 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. The bars will keep nicely, covered and stored at room temperature, for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.
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Pecan Pie Bars
With their buttery shortbread crust and rich caramel-pecan topping, these pecan pie bars are everything you love about pecan pie—only easier to make and perfect for sharing!
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: The pecan squares will keep nicely covered and stored at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. They can also 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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Holy moly these are about the most delicious food I have ever eaten. I have made these thrice and it’s simple and unbelievably delicious. Thank you for this and all of your recipes!
Can you omit the whipping cream, for those who can have butter but not milk
Hi Elizabeth, I’ve never made these without the cream but I think they would still work. Please LMK how they turn out!
Could you replace the honey by maple syrup in this recipe?
Sure, that will work. Enjoy!
I want to do a 9×13 pan. You say to 1.5 ingredients.
Here’s my math. Please correct if needed.
3/4 plus 6 T on flour
1/4 plus 1/8 on cornstarch
3/4 powdered sugar
3/4 t salt
1 1/2 stick butter
Filling
2 sticks butter plus 3T butter
3/4 cup brown sugar plus 6 T
3 T honey plus 1 1/2 T
3/4 t vanilla
Huge pinch salt
3T HWC
4 1/2 cup pecans
*Small t teaspoons
Capital T tablespoons.
I can’t afford to screw this up so help please ❤
Your my go to girl for most recipes 😋
Hi, Your measurements look correct except for the cornstarch in the crust and the butter in the filling — you’ll need 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and for the butter, you’ll need 2 sticks + 2 tablespoons.
That said, math is not really my strong suit so I’d encourage you to double-check it! 🙂
how did your revised recipe work? and were Jenn’s corrections correct?
Wow! Love these as does everyone in my family! Easy and delicious! Would love to make the crust thicker because it’s so good!! I am going to try to double the crust, wonder what the chef/recipe creator would think or suggest????
Hi Sheila, so glad you like these! While I think it’s fine to make the crust thicker, I think doubling it may be overkill. I’d suggest making 1.5 times the crust. Hope you enjoy!
This has to be my favorite dessert. Just wondering if it’s possible to make gluten free with oat flour instead?
Hi Melissa, So glad you like it! You should be able to get away with using oat flour in the crust. It may change the texture just a bit; you could also use all-purpose gluten-free flour. Please, LMK how it turns out with one of these alternatives. 🙂
I made mine with gluten free flour and it worked fine
Hi! Would it work if you used toasted pecans?
Hi Samantha, I worry the pecans may overcook.
These pecan squares are sublime. Buttery, rich, nutty, and toothsome, they pack all the decadence of pecan pie into a convenient, hand-held treat. Limiting portions to 2″ squares might be difficult, but your sweet tooth will be satisfied with the suggested serving size. We will make these again soon.
I would like to try this recipe but no longer have a food processor. Can the crust be made in a mixer with a paddle? I make my scones using frozen butter & grate it on a box grater…would this work? Thankyou
Hi Betty, You can make this by hand. First, place the flour, cornstarch, 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! 🙂
Glorious! This is the best recipe I have made in my life! 50 years of baking and this is the most delicious recipe I have ever made! Ridiculously delicious and so easy! Make these for any event and you will be a rock star! Thank you for sharing! ❤️
These pecan bars are excellent, everyone has said they are delicious. Definitely do not overcook them.