Name: Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1⅓ cups all purpose flour; 4½ tablespoons sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; 6 tablespoons melted butter; ½ + 1 tablespoon cup brown sugar; ⅓ cup corn syrup; 5 tablespoons melted butter; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¾ cup sweetened, flaked coconut; 3 cups whole pecans (toasted); ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt

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Inside: The easy two-part method for assembling pecan bar cookies and the chewy add-in that takes them next level.

Pecan bars are the bar cookie form of pecan pie and couldn’t be simpler to make. With a one-bowl shortbread crust, double-toasted whole pecans and a gooey brown sugar filling, these delicious pecan pie bars deliver a jolt of sweet-salty divinity straight to your tastebuds. Don’t wait for Thanksgiving for this incredible treat.

Sliced pecan bars on a piece of parchment.

I’m a self-proclaimed lazy baker. While I appreciate beautiful layer cakes and hand-decorated cutout cookies, I’m more of a bar cookie baker. I love the simplicity of baking everything at once instead of the tedium of endless batches and multiple sheet pans.

Some of my most popular bar cookie recipes include these outrageous Pink Grapefruit Dessert Bars, Fresh Peach Bars and Cinnamon Walnut Apple Bars.

But these pecan pie bars are among my all-time favorites. They remind me of my classic pecan pie with a chewy twist. They have a buttery shortbread crust and are crunchy, gooey, sweet, and salty. In other words, pure bliss.

The recipe is based on one from America’s Test Kitchen, and I’ve adapted it for a smaller yield (we have a small household) and to include my secret ingredient. I like it because the brown sugar filling is just enough to hold the nuts and coconut to the crust without the thick filling normally found in pecan pies.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

It’s quick, easy and foolproof.
There is no need for a food processor, pastry cutter, stand mixer or any other fancy equipment. It’s made in two bowls.
Instead of an overwhelming half-sheet pan, this recipe makes a smaller, more manageable amount of pecan bars (great for smaller families).
They last for 4-5 days at room temperature.
Bar cookies travel well.
My secret ingredient adds another level of chewy nirvana.
A sprinkle of flaky sea salt adds just the right contrast to the sweet pecan bars recipe.

Ingredients:

Whole Pecans–I get mine in bulk from Costco. You could also use pecan pieces or chopped pecans, but whole nuts make the presentation more impactful.
All Purpose Flour–I use unbleached flour from King Arthur’s.
Granulated Sugar–for the shortbread crust.
Iodized Salt–dissolves and blends more readily in the crust and filling. Don’t skip it; adding salt to a sweet dish will bring out the flavors.
Butter–I use unsalted butter because salt is included in every layer of this recipe.
Brown Sugar–for the filling to add a caramel flavor that pairs perfectly with the pecans.
Light Corn Syrup–I use Karo brand, which doesn’t have high fructose. This gives the pecan filling just the right gooeyness.
Sweetened Flaked Coconut–my secret ingredient to double down on the chewiness factor.
Flaky Sea Salt–I used Maldon sea salt. You don’t need a lot, just a sprinkle to garnish, but it makes a difference.

Step-by-step instructions:

Spread pecans onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 8-10 minutes or until they’re toasty and fragrant.

2. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until no dry bits are left and the mixture is clumpy and crumbly.

3. Line an 11×7″ baking pan with parchment paper, leaving ends draping over the pan’s sides (for easy removal). Press the shortbread crust into an even layer in the pan.

4. Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and salt in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.

5. Stir in the coconut and toasted pecans, mixing until the nuts are well coated with the wet ingredients.

Spread the pecan mixture over the shortbread and bake.

Spread the pecan mixture evenly over the shortbread, filling the pan from side to side. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F.

7. Sprinkle the pecan bars with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Let the bars cool to room temperature. Using the overhanging pieces of parchment, lift them out of the baking tin and transfer them to a cutting board. Slice into even squares.

Pro-Tips:

Pre-toasting gives them more crunch and flavor than baking them only once, so don’t skip that step.
If your oven has hot spots, spin the pecan bars 180° about halfway through baking to compensate for them. My oven tends to be hotter in the back than in the front, so rotating the pan halfway through makes up for it.
Be sure to sprinkle the bars with sea salt when they come out of the oven so the salt sticks. If the bars cool first, the flakes won’t adhere.

Variations:

Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or even coconut extract to add to the flavor profile.
Swap ¾ cup of mini chocolate chips for the coconut for a flavor akin to a chocolate pecan pie.
Serve the bars with ice cream or homemade maple whipped cream, which is made by whipping heavy cream to the soft peak stage and beating in a tablespoon of maple syrup.

Storage:

Store the pecan bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
If you need to stack the bars, separate the layers with a sheet of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking.

Freezing:

I’ve never frozen this pecan bars recipe (but that’s because we ate them). That said, there’s no reason you couldn’t. I would wrap them first individually in aluminum foil and then in an airtight container or zip-top storage bag for up to two to three months in the freezer. This will make it easy to grab a last-minute snack. Thaw to enjoy.

You will LOVE these pecan pie bars. Seriously. Everyone who has tasted them has moaned with pleasure at the first bite. (I’m not exaggerating).

Sweetened coconut flakes add a chewy component to the toasted pecans, and the buttery crust is sturdy enough to hold the cookies together without crumbling.

I realize there’s a fair amount of salt in the crust, the filling and on top, but I assure you, it’s not too salty—in fact, it’s a perfectly addictive blend of salt and sweet.

More bar cookies:

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4.70 from 10 votes