• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peanut Blossom
  • Start Here
  • Family Recipes
  • Cooking with Kids
  • Book Club
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • FAMILY RECIPES
  • COOKING WITH KIDS
  • HOLIDAY IDEAS
  • ONLINE BOOK CLUB
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • FAMILY RECIPES
    • COOKING WITH KIDS
    • HOLIDAY IDEAS
    • ONLINE BOOK CLUB
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Brownies & Bars

    Shortbread Pecan Pie Bars

    Published: Sep 2, 2021 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

    • Share
    • Email Friend!
    Jump to Recipe - Pin Recipe

    Looking for an easy fall dessert to bake with the kids? These delicious shortbread pecan pie bars have a crispy cookie crust, a gooey caramel filling, and oodles of salty pecans on top. Bake the crust separately so it gets nice and firm and stands up to the mountain of yummy pecan pie filling on top.

    A stack of shortbread pecan pie bars on a cake plate for serving.

    Quick, you can only choose one: Is it pumpkin pie or pecan pie??

    I'm a pecan pie girl, hands down. I love that ooey-gooey filling with salty pecans topped with whipped cream for my Thanksgiving dessert because I'm all about the texture.

    Even though my kids are definitely Team Pumpkin Pie for the holiday, they've recently come around to the joys of pecan pie thanks to these delicious shortbread crust pecan bars.

    This easy recipe makes just enough dessert bars to enjoy as a family for a couple days without being too much. If you want to get your Thanksgiving treat fix scratched now, this is the baking idea you need!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • Easy Thanksgiving Treats
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    This easy bar recipe has a short list of ingredients, you likely have most of this in your pantry right now!

    The ingredients for pecan pie bars sits on a counter.
    • Flour
    • Sugar & Brown Sugar
    • Karo Syrup
    • Eggs
    • Butter
    • Vanilla
    • Pecan halves

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    First, assemble and bake the shortbread crust so that it has a nice crispy texture.

    Preheat the oven to 325°F and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

    Step by step photos show how to assemble the shortbread crust.

    Add the shortbread ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl: flour, melted butter, sugar, and vanilla.

    Stir them together until a thick dough forms. Make sure you haven't missed any dry pockets of flour.

    Add the dough to the baking pan and use your fingers to press it firmly into the bottom from corner to corner and side to side.

    It may take a little wrangling to keep the parchment in place while pressing the dough but this will help ensure you can get the bars neatly out of the pan for serving later.

    Bake the crust alone for 10 - 15 minutes or until it develops a lightly toasted color.

    The shortbread crust gets pre-baked in the oven and will now be filled with pecan filling.

    NOTE: I slightly under-baked my crust because I was in a rush. It's worth being patient, your crust should be just a little darker than what is shown in that photo.

    While the crust is baking, assemble the pecan pie filling:

    Step by step photos show how to make the pecan pie filling for the shortbread crust.

    Combine the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, and flour until smooth.

    Break the pecan halves into quarters by hand. I MUCH prefer to do this than chopping them with a chef's knife. Fresh pecans can tend to fall apart if you chop them and I love big chunks of crispy pecan crunch in each bite.

    Stir the pecans into the batter and pour over the baked crust. Use your spatula to spread the pecans out evenly over the crust.

    Raise the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 25 - 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is just set.

    A cake plate with a stack of pecan bars on top. Caption reads: Pecan Pie Bars with a shortbread crust"

    Variations

    This is an awesome southern-style classic pecan bar but you could definitely have a little fun with it:

    • Spicy Chocolate - Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper and ½ cup chocolate chips to the pecan pie filling
    • Maple Bourbon - Swap 2 tablespoon of the brown sugar for 2 tablespoon maple syrup and add 1 tablespoon of bourbon to the pie filling
    • Pumpkin Spice - Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the filling

    Storage

    The bars are best served fresh but you can store the shortbread pecan bars in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

    If you freeze the bars, don't cut them into squares before storing. Seal them in an airtight container and let thaw in a vented container in your fridge overnight.

    Top tip

    The pecan pie bars are delicious on their own, but I highly recommend serving them with a big dollop of whipped cream and a fork!

    Easy Thanksgiving Treats

    I love pie just as much as the next girl but sometimes a bar is easier to travel with when visiting friends and family for the holiday. Here are some fun twists on Thanksgiving desserts you will love:

    • The sliced pumpkin gooey butter cake bars are on a white plate. There's a dusting of powdered sugar over the top for garnish.
      Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Bars
    • A square of apple crumble bars is served on a white plate with a drizzle of caramel sauce over the top.
      Apple Crumble Bars
    • A batch of butterscotch brownies have been cut into squares on a piece of foil.
      Easy Butterscotch Brownies
    • Tiered cake plate serves squares of apple crisp bars with an oat crumble topping and butterscotch chips.
      Easy Apple Crisp Bars

    If you’ve tried these salted rosemary dinner rolls or any other recipe on PeanutBlossom.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
    FOLLOW along on Instagram @peanut.blossom as well as on  Pinterest and Facebook.

    📖 Recipe

    A stack of shortbread pecan pie bars on a cake plate for serving.

    Shortbread Pecan Pie Bars

    5 from 38 votes
    These rich and chewy shortbread pecan pie bars have a crispy cookie crust, a gooey caramel center, and salty pecans all over the top. Slice up a square to share with friends for fall entertaining.
    TOTAL TIME 45 minutes minutes
    PREP TIME 15 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME 30 minutes minutes
    YIELD 9 servings
    PIN RECIPE FOR LATER PRINT RECIPE NOW

    Ingredients
      

    For the Shortbread Crust

    • 8 tablespoon (1 stick) butter melted
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour

    For the pecan pie filling

    • 2 whole eggs
    • ½ cup brown sugar packed
    • 1 cup light corn syrup
    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ cup pecans broken into quarters by hand

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Drape a piece of parchment paper over the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking dish.
    • In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add the flour and stir it in with a spatula. The mixture will get quite thick, be sure to mix until all the flour has been incorporated and there are no dry pockets.
    • Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Use your fingers to smooth it into an even layer, right up to each corner and all the sides.
    • Bake the crust for 10 - 15 minutes or until it is just barely toasted in color.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, and flour.
    • Break the pecans up by hand into quarters. This may take a couple more minutes than chopping with a knife but will the pecans will have a nicer shape and texture.
    • Remove the shortbread crust from the oven and pour the pecan filling over the top. Smooth out the pecans so they cover the top evenly.
    • Raise the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the pecan bars for 25 - 30 minutes. The top should be golden and crispy and the filling should be set.
    • Let the bars cool completely before you attempt to cut them, the filling needs a chance to firm up at room temperature.
    COURSEBrownies & Bars
    CUISINEAmerican
    AUTHORTiffany Dahle

    Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box

    Find this delicious recipe next time you visit by saving it to your very own recipe box on my site. All your favorites stored in one easy place!

    SAVE THIS RECIPESaved!

    More Brownie and Dessert Bar Recipes

    • Two churro cheesecake bars are stacked on a blue and white plate in front of the baking dish of treats.
      Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars
    • A cake plate has several squares of cereal bars in rainbow colors with mini marshmallows scattered about.
      Mini Trix Rice Krispie Treats
    • A round platter of a pile of chocolate brownies with a bite taken out of the one on top and a sprinkle of chocolate chips to the side.
      The Best Homemade Brownies for Kids
    • A tray of cookies and cream bars have OREOS sitting next to them.
      OREO Blondies

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for women.

    More about me →

    What's Trending Now

    • The photo collage shows several easy football party appetizers like raw veggies and dip, taco bites, buffalo chicken dip, and a bowl filled with meatballs and cocktail picks.
      35 Easy Football Party Appetizers
    • The photo collage shows several one pot dinner ideas using a skillet or dutch oven.
      55 One Pot Dinner Ideas for Busy Nights
    • A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey is in a photo collage next to 3 recipes it could be used in.
      20 Hot Honey Recipes You Have to Try
    • A blue baking dish filled with mac and cheese with bread crumb topping. A serving spoon has removed a portion to show the creamy elbow noodles.
      Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

    Popular

    • A freezer-friendly metal pan holds an 8x8-inch apple crisp with crumble topping.
      Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
    • A stack of the best books for book club in 2023
      Best Book Club Picks 2023
    • A taco salad made with mini frozen tacos.
      10-minute Trader Joe's Meals
    • A photo collage shows a table set with ground beef taco fillings and tortilla shells on a pan next to alternative taco tuesday recipes ideas.
      30 Taco Tuesday Recipes for a Family Fiesta
    • A collage of easy dinners for busy nights.
      30 Quick Family Dinners for Busy Nights
    • A wicker picnic basket with white flowers and a bottle of water with fresh fruit sits on a picnic blanket outside.
      What to Pack for a Picnic: 45 Easy Recipes
    • A meal train dinner kit featuring supplies for tacos sits in an aluminum tray for delivery.
      30 Clever Meal Train Ideas with Recipes
    • Harry Potter themed snacks are in a platter with a witch hat sitting next to an open copy of a Harry Potter book.
      21 Harry Potter Snacks for Movie Night

    Footer

    As Seen On

    The Taste of Home Logo
    The Pioneer Woman Logo
    The Country Living Logo
    The Buzzfeed logo
    The Good Housekeeping Logo

    About

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Contact
    Privacy Policy
    Disclaimer
    Terms of Service

    Favorites

    Bread Recipes
    Soup Recipes
    Quick Dinner Recipes
    Harry Potter Fan Club
    Reading with Kids

    Holidays

    Easter Recipes
    Catholic Celebrations
    Thanksgiving Recipes
    Christmas Recipes

    Recipes

    Appetizers
    Dinners
    Main Dishes
    Salads
    Side Dishes
    Desserts
    Brunch
    Homemade Pantry

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2023