Crunchy, toasted pecans in a thick and creamy caramel-like filling on top of a shortbread crust coated in dark chocolate, these chocolate pecan pie bars are a simpler, faster way to enjoy all the flavors of pecan pie.
Looking to try more pecan recipes? Try these Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies, Apple Cinnamon Coffeecake, Apple Butter Rugelach Cookies and Banana Scones with Espresso Glaze.
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Why You Will Love This Bar Recipe
- These bars take less time to bake than pecan pie. This is also an egg-free recipe.
- The shortbread crust is buttery and crumbly, but sturdy enough to hold the pecan pie filling.
- This pecan pie filling is super quick, requiring less than 5 minutes to make.
- The filling is sweet, creamy and caramel-like, with pockets of melty chocolate and crunchy pecans
- Make ahead and freezer friendly.
- Easy to follow recipe with step by step photo instructions.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card for a full list of ingredients and amounts.)
Brown sugar - light or dark is fine
Bittersweet chocolate - Semi-sweet or milk chocolate can be used in place of bittersweet chocolate.
Light corn syrup - Thickens and sweetens the filling, and helps prevent crystallization while baking.
Pecans - coarsely chopped
Heavy cream - Helps to thicken the filling and adds a creamy and rich texture to the pecan filling.
Vanilla, or Bourbon - Bourbon adds additional flavor and helps to break up the sweetness. You can use vanilla extract if you don't wish to use bourbon.
Recipe Instructions
Before beginning the recipe, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Line a 8x8 square pan with foil. Full detailed recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Toast the pecans by baking them for 7-10 minutes until browned and fragrant.
- Pulse together the flour, brown sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse in the cold butter until the mixture starts to form clumps but is still sandy.
- Press the crust into the foil lined pan.
- Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Scatter the chocolate over the hot crust.
- Bring to a simmer the brown sugar, light corn syrup, heavy cream, and unsalted butter in a medium saucepan.
- Stir in the pecans and bourbon/or vanilla.
- Pour the filling over the crust.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the filling starts to bubble. Cool for 30 minutes before cutting into squares.
Baking Tips
- Do not overbake the crust. Because the shortbread crust is essentially baked twice, be careful not to over bake it on the first bake. The crust is done when the edges are golden brown and the center is set.
- Do not over bake. Be careful not to over bake the bars or they will turn out dry. For the best chewy gooey texture, bake until the edges are just set and the bars are bubbling just a bit around the edges.
- Add a pinch of flaky sea salt. You certainly don't have to add salt, but the salt breaks up the sweetness and balances the flavors. Sweet and salty can't be beat.
- For the cleanest cuts, use a sharp knife, like a chef’s knife, not serrated. Slice into the bars downwards, then carefully pull the knife out. Wipe the knife off on a hot, damp towel between slices for the neatest cuts.
Storage
These chocolate pecan bars can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I think that the flavor is even better on day 2.
They can also be made in advance and/or frozen. Let the bars cool, wrap them in plastic wrap and slide them into a freezer zip top bag and freeze. Defrost the bars over night before cutting into squares and serving.
They can also be cut into squares and stored in the freezer the same way as the uncut bars. When needed or when a craving hits, let the bars defrost to room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can double these and bake them in a 9x13 pan.
I have not tested either maple syrup or honey in place of corn syrup. If you try substituting, maple or honey, note that the flavor and sweetness will different.
You can swap out the flour in the recipe for a 1 to 1 swap of your favorite gluten free flour blend. I like Cup4Cup and King Arthur Baking brands.
Sure! Walnuts or cashews would be amazing in these bars.
Did you make this recipe? Share it with us! Tag @littlevintagebaking on Instagram and leave a star rating below if you LOVED this recipe. For more baking and decorating ideas follow me on Pinterest.
More Pecan Recipes to Try
Recipe
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups pecans, coarsely chopped
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Pecan Pie Filling
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons bourbon (or vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Line a 8x8 square pan with foil.
- Spread the pecans into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes until fragrant and browned.
Shortbread Crust
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Pulse to combine.1 cup all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Scatter in the cubed butter and pulse to combine. The dough should start to form clumps with no pockets of dry flour remaining.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- Evenly press the crust into the foil lined pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the center looks set and the edges start to turn golden brown.
- Let the crust cool while preparing the filling.
Pecan Pie Filling
- In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the light brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream and unsalted butter.⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed, ¼ cup light corn syrup, ¼ cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Once the butter has melted, cook the mixture until simmering. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the pecans and bourbon.1 ¾ cups pecans, coarsely chopped, 2 teaspoons bourbon (or vanilla extract)
- Pour the pecan filling evenly over the crust. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges start to bubble and the filling looks just set. It's ok if the center jiggles a bit.
- Cool the bars for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
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