These pecan pie bars are a brown sugar shortbread crust topped with plenty of gooey pecan filling. An alternative to the traditional pecan pie that’s perfect for feeding a crowd!
When I’m entertaining during the holidays, I serve a variety of seasonal dessert recipes including cake truffles , thumbprint cookies , pizzelles , pumpkin dump cake , apple cobbler and these decadent pecan pie bars.
Most of the time I am not a huge pie fan, I’m more of a cake lover. That being said, pecan pie is my weakness, I can never turn it down. These pecan pie bars have all the same great flavors of pecan pie in a hand held form. It’s a buttery crust topped with the BEST pecan caramel, and these pecan bars also happen to be super easy to make. If you’re a pecan pie lover, you must add these bars to your holiday menu!
Enjoy these pecan pie bars with Christmas drinks like slow cooker apple cider , Grinch punch and Christmas hot chocolate .
- Pecan Pie Bars Ingredients
- How Do You Make Pecan Pie Bars?
- Tips For The Perfect Dessert
- Quick Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Flavor Variations
- More Holiday Desserts
- Pecan Pie Bars Video
- Love This Recipe?
- Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
Pecan Pie Bars Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need unsalted butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, all purpose flour, water, light corn syrup, heavy cream and pecans.
- Pecans : Pecans are the heart of this dish. You can buy whole pecans and chop them yourself or buy pre-chopped pecans.
- Corn Syrup: The pie part of these pecan pie bars is made with light corn syrup for sweetness. Make sure to use light corn syrup, not dark corn syrup.
- Heavy Cream : The cream gives the bars a softer, creamier texture. Milk does not give the same results as heavy cream.
How Do You Make Pecan Pie Bars?
To make this pecan pie bars recipe, start by lining a baking pan with parchment paper, then coat it with cooking spray. Preheat your oven.
In a large bowl, beat together half of the butter with some brown sugar, then add vanilla extract, water and flour to make the dough for the crust. Place the dough into the pan, and press it into the pan in an even layer. Bake the crust until it is golden brown.
Melt the rest of the butter in a pan with the rest of the brown sugar and the corn syrup. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla. Add the pecans and stir to coat them in the sugar mixture. Pour the pecan mixture over the pie crust and spread it into an even layer.
Bake until the topping has set. Let the bars cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Dessert
- I chilled my bars to make them easier to slice. The pecan pie bars are great straight from the fridge or you can bring them to room temperature after you cut them.
- I use an stand mixer to make the dough. You can use any electric mixer to make the crust.
- The crust will look like coarse crumbs when you mix it together. This is normal, and the cookie crust will take shape as more of a dough once you start pressing it into the pan.
Quick Tip
It takes a little time to work the crust into the pan. I found that using an offset spatula coated with cooking spray really helped with the process.
Pecan pie filling is made with butter, pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla extract. It also may contain other ingredients such as heavy cream, eggs, bourbon or spices.
Pre-baking the crust is the key to making sure you don’t end up with soggy pecan pie bars. Once the crust is golden brown, it is firm and will not absorb the liquid from the filling.
Pecan pie bars will stay good in an airtight container in a refrigerator for 4 days. If you want to keep them longer, simply freeze the individually cut bars for up to 2 months. Make sure to thaw the frozen bars when you want to eat them.
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Flavor Variations
I love this pecan pie bars recipe exactly as it’s written, but you can add other ingredients to the mix to customize the bars to your tastes.
- Chocolate: Stir 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into the pecan topping.
- Spice: Add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice when you stir the pecans into the brown sugar mixture.
- Nuts: Try using other types of nuts such as walnuts or almonds for a different flavor.
- Whipped Cream: You can top a bar with whipped cream when you are ready to serve it.
- Salt: Sprinkle some sea salt over the pecan pie bars for a salted caramel like flavor.
- Caramel: Feel free to drizzle caramel sauce on top of your bars.
Once you try these delicious treats, you’ll find yourself making them every year during the holidays. I love that you can cut them as big or as small as you want, which means you can make bite sized squares and feed a large group. Try serving the bars with a scoop of ice cream on top, you’ll be glad you did!
More Holiday Desserts
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
1 hr
Pumpkin Spice Cake
50 mins
Caramel Apple Dip
6 mins
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
2 hrs 1 min
Pumpkin Meringue Pie
1 hr 50 mins
Pecan Pie Bars Video
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Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 cups unsalted butter softened, divided use
- ▢ 2 cups light brown sugar packed, divided use
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract divided use
- ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour
- ▢ 1 tablespoon water
- ▢ 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
- ▢ 1 pound raw pecans chopped
- ▢ cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper. Coat the pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl using a mixer, beat together 1 cup of the butter and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of water, then mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until coarse crumbs form.
- Scoop the dough into the pan. Use your fingertips to press the dough evenly into the pan. It helps to use an offset spatula coated with cooking spray to get an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until crust is lightly browned around the edges.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar and the corn syrup. Stir until well blended.
- Bring to a boil and stir frequently for 3 minutes. The mixture will get light and airy. Remove the pan from the heat and add the heavy cream and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
- Add the pecans and stir until they are completely coated.
- Pour the pecan mixture over the crust, and spread into an even layer.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the pecan topping is set (it will move slowly when you wiggle the pan).
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
- You can buy a bag of pre-chopped pecans to make prep time go a little faster.
- The crust will look like coarse crumbs when you mix it together. This is normal, and the crust will take shape as more of a dough once you start pressing it into the pan.
Nutrition
These thumbprint cookies are soft vanilla cookies filled with fruit jam and baked until golden brown. An easy and classic cookie recipe that’s perfect for parties, after school snacks and special occasions.
When the holidays roll around, I find myself in the kitchen whipping up plenty of festive Christmas recipes including Italian cookies , Oreo stuffed cookies , eggnog cookies , Nutella cookies and these beautiful little thumbprint cookies.
Thumbprint cookies are a classic for good reason – they’re simple yet look so impressive, and they couldn’t be any easier to make! You can customize your cookies by adding any number of fillings and coatings for a sweet treat that’s delicious any time of the year.
- Thumbprint Cookies Ingredients
- How Do You Make Thumbprint Cookies?
- Tips For Perfect Cookies
- Quick Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Flavor Variations
- More Great Cookie Recipes
- Love This Recipe?
- Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Thumbprint Cookies Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, a large egg, vanilla extract, all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and jam.
How Do You Make Thumbprint Cookies?
Thumbprint cookies are all about the perfect dough that bakes up crisp on the outside, yet soft on the inside. Make this dough by beating sugar, brown sugar and butter together. Mix in an egg, some vanilla, flour and baking soda and the dough is ready to go. Chill the dough in the fridge and roll it into balls. Dip the dough balls in sugar, then place them on a baking sheet. Press wells into the cookies with a spoon. Fill the cookies with a little jam, you can use any flavor of your choice. Bake until light golden brown, then cool and enjoy.
Tips For Perfect Cookies
- Keep the dough cold when you roll it into balls. If the dough warms up, it can get sticky and the balls can become rough instead of smooth. You can place sticky dough in the fridge or freezer to chill if needed.
- After you put the jam in the cookies, place the sheet pan of cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes before baking. Chilling the dough prevents the dough from spreading too much as it bakes.
- Some dark jams and jellies can “stain” the dough of the cookies. If you are worried about staining, avoid using blackberry or grape jams or jellies. I typically use raspberry, strawberry or apricot jam.
- Make sure you don’t overfill the cookies or the jam may bubble over and run down the sides of the cookies.
- If your balls of dough crack as you make the indentations in the middle, your dough may be overly cold and stiff. You can simply patch any cracks with your fingers .
Quick Tip
If you have trouble shaping the dough into balls, try putting a little cooking spray on your hands.
You can freeze baked thumbprint cookies. Just place them in an airtight container in a single layer. If you want to stack cookies, put a piece of waxed paper, plastic wrap or parchment paper between the layers. The frozen cookies stay fresh for about a month. When you are ready to eat the cookies remove them from the container and let them thaw on the counter.
There is no need to refrigerate thumbprint cookies, and they will stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for 5 days.
It’s very important to chill your cookie dough before you bake it. This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
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Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as written, you can easily customize the flavors to suit your tastes.
- Coatings: Try rolling your balls of cookie dough in coatings such as sprinkles, coconut, finely minced almonds, pecans, walnuts or cinnamon sugar.
- Fillings: The filling possibilities are endless and include ingredients such as Nutella, lemon curd, chocolate ganache, marshmallow cream or caramel sauce.
This thumbprint cookie recipe is so fun to make because you can fill the cookies with all different kinds of flavors. This is a holiday classic that never goes out of style!
More Great Cookie Recipes
S’mores Cookies
27 mins
Monster Cookies
25 mins
Cake Mix Cookies
20 mins
Snowball Cookies
50 mins
Chocolate Spritz Cookies
20 mins
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Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling the cookies
- ▢ 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- ▢ 1 egg
- ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ▢ 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/2 cup jam
Instructions
- Place the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat for 1-2 minutes or until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the bowl. Beat until just blended.
- Place the dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a disk. Cover the dough completely with the plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 3 days.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before you plan to use it.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, then coat each ball in granulated sugar.
- Place the balls of dough 3 inches apart on 2 sheets pan lined with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
- Use your thumb, the back of a teaspoon, or the round end of a pestle to make an indentation in each cookie. Be gentle as you make each indentation so that the cookies don’t crack.
- Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
- Place the trays of cookies in the freezer. Chill for 10-15 minutes or until cookies are firm.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
Notes
- Keep the dough cold when you roll it into balls. If the dough warms up, it can get sticky and the balls can become rough instead of smooth. You can place sticky dough in the fridge or freezer to chill if needed.
- If you have trouble shaping the dough into balls, try putting a little cooking spray on your hands.
Nutrition
Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened, divided use
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed, divided use
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract divided use
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound raw pecans chopped
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper. Coat the pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl using a mixer, beat together 1 cup of the butter and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of water, then mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until coarse crumbs form.
- Scoop the dough into the pan. Use your fingertips to press the dough evenly into the pan. It helps to use an offset spatula coated with cooking spray to get an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until crust is lightly browned around the edges.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar and the corn syrup. Stir until well blended.
- Bring to a boil and stir frequently for 3 minutes. The mixture will get light and airy. Remove the pan from the heat and add the heavy cream and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
- Add the pecans and stir until they are completely coated.
- Pour the pecan mixture over the crust, and spread into an even layer.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the pecan topping is set (it will move slowly when you wiggle the pan).
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
- You can buy a bag of pre-chopped pecans to make prep time go a little faster.
- The crust will look like coarse crumbs when you mix it together. This is normal, and the crust will take shape as more of a dough once you start pressing it into the pan.
