Pecan Squares Recipe

Name: Pecan Pie Bars
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 18 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature); 3/4 cup light-brown sugar (firmly packed); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick); 1/2 cup light-brown sugar (firmly packed); 6 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons heavy cream; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 cups pecan halves (8 ounces); 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe

This is a must try recipe if you’re a pecan lover. Pecan Pie Bars offer you all of the goodness of a pecan pie without all the mess. They are quick to make and you can eat them with your hands!

I love this dessert for the holidays but don’t let that limit you. Pecan pie bars can be made year round. It features a shortbread crust with a delicious filling and then it is topped with pecans. Yum!

Pecan Pie Bars

The pecan squares are a delightful mix of pecan pie and cookie. The pecans are baked in a luscious caramel filling atop a crisp brown sugar crust. These pie bars are the easy, less complicated version of the pecan pie. They are a great addition to your holiday meal or a cookie plate to gift to neighbors.

The shortbread crust is the real MVP of this recipe. It is buttery and will melt in your mouth. Picture it like eating a shortbread cookie with pecan deliciousness on top.

These lovely bars are great to make ahead of time. I like to prepare them the day before and then refrigerate them until I am ready to cut and serve. Easy Peasy.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter
Brown sugar
Flour
Honey
Granulated sugar
Heavy cream
Pecan halves
Vanilla

Recipe Instructions

To make the crust: Mix butter and brown sugar. Add salt, and mix to combine. Add flour 1 cup at a time.
Press dough into baking pan. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown.
To make the filling: Place butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
Pour filling onto the cooled crust and then Bake. Cut into 1×3 inch bars. Enjoy!

close up of pecan pie bar but into squares

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know when pecan pie bars are done?

Pecan pie bars are cooked when the center of the bars is set and not jiggly. You also want to watch for the edges to crisp up a bit.

Should I refrigerate pecan pie bars?

I tend to like them refrigerated because it makes them so much easier to cut into nice, uniform squares. You can either serve them chilled or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Can you freeze pecan pie bars?

How do you know when pecan pie bars are done? Pecan pie bars are cooked when the center of the bars is set and not jiggly. You also want to watch for the edges to crisp up a bit.

Where do the majority of pecans come from?

Pecan trees are native only to North America. 75% of the world’s pecan crop is grown in the sunbelt region of the U.S. (Southern/Southwest States).

More Recipes

If you’ve tried Pecan Pie Bars or any other recipe on Barbara Bakes, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars offer you all of the goodness of a pecan pie in a cookie bar form. They are quick to make and you can eat them with your hands!

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time40 mins

Course: Bar Cookies, Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Dessert

Servings: bars

Calories: 233kcal

Author: Melissa Griffiths

Ingredients

Crust

18 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
¾ cup light-brown sugar firmly packed
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
½ cup light-brown sugar firmly packed
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves 8 ounces
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Place rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
To make the crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add salt, and mix to combine. Add flour 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.
Press dough about ¼-inch thick into a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan.
Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
To make the filling: Place butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
Pour filling onto the cooled crust. Bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Run a paring knife around edges of the pan, and invert onto cooling rack, leaving the pastry on the rack. Invert rack with pastry onto a cutting board, leaving the pastry on the board, filling side up.
Use a sharp knife to cut into 1-by-3-inch bars. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Nutrition

pin image of pecan pie bars with bite taken out of one

After making these simple yet delicious Pecan Pie Bars you might not make the traditional pie version ever again. These bars taste so delicious and are way less work. Enjoy!

Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients

Recipe Instructions