Description
Homemade pecan pie bars with shortbread crust blend Southern comfort and sweet indulgence. Nutty pecans nestled in caramel-like filling atop a buttery crust will delight you with classic dessert charm.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (280 g) pecans halves or pieces
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (120 g) flour
- 1 stick (113 g/4 oz) salted butter
- 1 stick (113 g/4 oz) cold butter, cut into pieces
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- ⅓ cup corn syrup
- 2 tbsps whipping cream
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Position oven rack in middle, warm to 350°F and line 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring complete surface coverage.
- Shortbread Crust Creation: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor. Gradually add cold butter pieces, mixing until crumbly. Integrate vanilla extract with brief pulsing, then press mixture evenly across pan surface.
- Initial Baking: Bake shortbread crust 15-17 minutes until delicately golden-brown, maintaining consistent oven temperature.
- Pecan Topping Development: In medium saucepan, combine pecans, whipping cream, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Heat over medium flame, stirring periodically until mixture gently bubbles.
- Layering and Final Baking: Pour hot pecan mixture over warm shortbread base, spreading uniformly. Return to oven and bake additional 15 minutes to meld flavors and set topping.
- Cooling and Setting: Rest bars at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour to completely cool and solidify.
- Serving Preparation: Remove from refrigerator, lift bars using parchment edges. Slice into precise squares using water-warmed knife, ensuring clean cuts.
- Storage: Store in airtight container within refrigerator or freeze up to 4 months for extended preservation.
Notes
- Precise Parchment Placement: Line the pan meticulously, ensuring complete coverage to prevent sticking and easy bar removal.
- Butter Blending Technique: Use cold butter and pulse gradually in the food processor to achieve a perfect crumbly texture without overworking the dough.
- Topping Temperature Trick: Keep the shortbread base warm when adding the pecan mixture to help create a seamless integration and even distribution.
- Cutting Cleanliness: Warm your knife under hot water before slicing to create clean, crisp edges without crumbling the delicate shortbread crust.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg