It’s hard to go wrong with a dessert whose main ingredients are pecans, toffee, butter and sugar, and these pecan pie bars feature all of the above. These sweet bars take inspiration from the classic Thanksgiving pecan pie, then add a little twist to it.
Pecan pie bars have a shortbread crust as the base, and they feature a gooey, sink-your-teeth-into filling that’s studded with bits of pecans and milk chocolate English toffee. Best of all, their hand-held nature makes them great for parties and larger get-togethers. When you take all that and add their southern roots to the mix, you’ve got one perfect Kentucky Derby dessert!
Ingredients for Pecan Pie Bars
- Butter: Butter plays a big role in our pecan pie bars recipe, so grab one of the best butter brands from the store.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and creaminess to the filling without the need for you to dissolve any hard, grainy sugar crystals.
- Toffee bits: We love how the chocolate and caramel flavors of toffee enhance the sugary, pecan flavor of these bars.
- Pecans: You can purchase prechopped pecans, or buy whole pecans and chop them yourself. If you’re chopping them at home, place a damp paper towel under your cutting board to keep it from slipping around on the countertop.
Directions
Step 1: Assemble the crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Editor’s Tip: If you don’t have a butter-cutting tool, use two forks to cut the butter into the flour and sugar mixture.
Step 2: Parbake the crust
Press the shortbread crust mixture firmly into the bottom of a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Create the filling
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the sweetened condensed milk, egg, vanilla and salt together until smooth. Stir in the toffee bits and pecans, and spread the filling evenly over the baked crust.
Editor’s Tip: Use a mini offset spatula, butter knife or the back of a spoon to really get into the corners of the baking dish.
Step 4: Bake the bars
Bake the bars until they’re lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Cool the bars to room temperature. Cover the pan, and chill the bars. Cut into bars, end enjoy. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, and avoid keeping the bars out of the fridge for longer than two hours.
Recipe Variations
- Omit the toffee: Not everyone is into toffee—we get it! Omit the toffee, and make up for them with more chopped pecans.
- Add the finishing touch: Why not add a homemade salted caramel sauce drizzle on top of these bars? Balance out the sweetness with a sprinkling of flaky salt, or lean into the sweetness with a whipped cream dollop on each bar.
- Try a Kentucky bourbon pie spin-off: Sub out the toffee bits for chocolate chips, and add a splash of bourbon to the filling. It’s a fun take on our Kentucky-inspired bourbon chocolate pecan pie!
- Prep them for a dessert table: These pecan pie bars are pretty rich. If they’re for a potluck (maybe served with other Kentucky Derby recipes), slice them into smaller rectangles or squares.
Can you make pecan pie bars in advance?
Yes, you can make these pecan pie bars in advance, and they’re the perfect thing to do so! Bake the bars the day before you’re serving, then let them hang out in the fridge in their pan uncut. Doing this will let the flavors meld, plus the bars will be perfectly set for you to cut them the next day. The hardest part about this recipe is not immediately digging in when the bars are out of the oven—they need time to let the filling set!
Can you store pecan pie bars?
You need to refrigerate these pecan pie bars since they include an egg in the filling.
To store, allow them to cool completely to room temperature, then wrap the top of the pan in storage wrap, or place the slices in an airtight container. These bars can last in the fridge for up to five days.
Can you freeze pecan pie bars?
Yes, you can freeze pecan pie bars. Allow the freshly baked bars to cool completely to room temperature, then cut them into slices, and store them in a freezer-safe container. Keep the bars in the freezer for up to three months, then thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Pecan Pie Bars Tips
How can I tell when the pecan pie bars are done baking?
The bars are done baking when the edges are golden brown and completely set and the center jiggles slightly when shaken.
How do I keep pecan pie bars from getting soggy?
The trick to making sure your pecan pie bars don’t get soggy is by parbaking the crust. However, we already do that in our pecan pie bars recipe, so there is no need to worry about soggy-bottomed bars here!
