Pecan Pie Bars

This recipe for pecan pie bars is a huge crowd pleaser. They’re deliciously sweet & salty with an easy shortbread crust. Plus NO Corn Syrup!

Pecan pie is one of the most popular pies in North America. It has a buttery crust and rich, gooey filling with pecans baked into every bite. These pecan pie bars are easier to make than pie because they’re made with an easy shortbread crust.

If you love pecan pie but don’t want to deal with the hassle of making a pie crust? These easy Pecan Pie Bars are perfect for those times when you just need a quick fix. They’re great for tailgating, potluck parties or even thanksgiving dinner.

This version is made without corn syrup, instead we use sugar and honey to sweeten the pecan filling and give it that amazing gooey texture you expect from pecan pie with plenty of crunchy pecans. Go ahead and try it, I bet it becomes your new favorite pecan pie recipe!

For a more decadent dessert, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store and Freeze Pecan Pie Bars

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in aluminium foil or plastic wrap. Keeps for up to 5 days.
• Refrigerator: Also keeps up to 5 days if you prefer chilling them, especially in warmer kitchens.
• To Freeze: Cool completely before freezing. Wrap tightly in foil or freezer-safe plastic wrap, and separate layers with parchment or wax paper if stacking. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• To Thaw: Thaw overnight at room temperature. Do not refreeze once thawed.

Tips for the BEST Pecan Bars!

• Measure your ingredients carefully, because baking is more science than art.
• Please read the notes about the ingredients below.
• You absolutely need to allow the syrup to cool enough that it cooks the eggs without scrambling them. It helps if your eggs are already room temperature. Add them slowly and whisk briskly to avoid this situation.
• Let your bars cool and completely set on the counter, should take about 2 hours. I would avoid the refrigerator as the moisture could keep it from setting properly.
• You can place your pecan pie bars on a baking sheet to catch and collect any filling juices that might bubble over during baking.
• As always, read the whole recipe once or twice before getting started.

About the Ingredients for Pecan Pie Bars

• Flour – Be sure to spoon and level your flour so that your crust is nice and light and buttery instead of dense and heavy.
• Sugar – Plain old white sugar.
• Salt – Balances out all the flavours. If you like sweet and salty, you can adjust the amount in the filling. I accidentally added too much salt to the filling once and it was actually really yummy.
• Butter – We start with cold butter for the crust because we want a light flaky texture to the shortbread. The temperature of the butter for the filling doesn’t matter since it will get melted.
• Sugar – We are using brown sugar because it is more moist and has a deeper flavour than white.
• Honey – I chose to use honey instead of corn syrup and it was really the perfect choice. Can also use pure maple syrup, or if you really want to light corn syrup or dark corn syrup. I promise you though, honey is perfect.
• Eggs – The Eggs NEED to be room temperature!
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is best but you can use artificial instead.
• Pecans – Chopped pecans. You can chop them smaller than they come, or even buy extra pecan halves and set them on top if you want the bars more nutty than sweet.

Looking for More of the BEST Fall Desserts?

Check out some of my favourite fall dessert recipes:

These Old Fashioned Apple Fritters are made with a cakey batter incorporated with juicy apples and glazed. They’re an easy-to-make fall treat.

A delicious apple dump cake recipe that is easy to prepare and makes a great fall dessert served warm with ice cream and caramel sauce!

Classic German apple cake, Apfelkuchen, is moist and buttery. It’s a simple and rustic cake made with fresh apples – a perfect fall dessert.

How to Make Pecan Pie Bars

Yield: 16 squares | Prep time: 15 Mins | Cook time: 50 Mins

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

For the Topping

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper. Set your prepared pan aside.
3. Mix together the crust ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

1. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan in an even layer, then bake for 15 minutes.

1. While the crust is baking, heat butter, sugar, and honey together in a saucepan, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

1. Allow mixture to cool about 5 minutes, then whisk in salt, eggs, and vanilla.

1. Mix in Pecans.

1. Remove crust from the oven when ready and pour filling evenly over the crust.

1. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the filling is set.
2. Allow to fully cool in the pan.
3. Slice into bars and serve.