Pecan Pie Bars
Pecan Pie Bars – all the gooey, nutty goodness of pecan pie but easier and no rolling pin in sight! These pecan pie bars are rich, buttery, and perfect for sharing.
Servings: 16
Equipment
Ingredients
For the shortcrust base
- 1 ⅔ cups (200g) flour , all-purpose / plain
- ⅓ cup (100g) sugar , granulated or superfine / caster
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter cold and cubed
For the filling
- 4 large eggs , room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅔ cup (250g) corn syrup or golden syrup
- 1 ½ cups (200g) chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or 320°F (160°C) if you are using a fan-forced oven. . Mist an 8-inch square baking pan with cake release and line with parchment paper, letting the edges overhang slightly.
- Make the shortbread base – Place flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse a couple of times, until you have a crumbly, sandy texture.1 ⅔ cups (200g) flour, ⅓ cup (100g) sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, ¼ tsp salt, ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter
- Tip the crust mixture into the prepared pan and press down to an even layer. Dock with a fork to prevent the base from puffing up during baking. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and set aside.
- Prepare the pecan pie filling – Place the eggs, brown sugar, syrup, cinnamon or vanilla extract and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in chopped pecans.4 large eggs, ½ cup (120g) brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, ⅔ cup (250g) corn syrup, 1 ½ cups (200g) chopped pecans
- Pour the filling over the warm base and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is set and feels mostly firm to the touch with a very small give.
- Cool in the tin and chill in the fridge to firm up the filling (don’t cut them while hot, they’ll fall apart). Lift out of the pan using the paper and slice into squares. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you're feeling extra ;)
Video
Notes
- Corn syrup or golden syrup are the perfect ingredients for the filling. Some bakers recommend maple syrup or honey as substitutions but I can't say whether these are suitable as I haven't tested the recipe using them.
- For a variation, use chopped walnuts instead of pecans. Other nuts, such as cashews or macadamias are worth a try but you won't get that iconic pecan pie flavor!
- You can also bake in an air fryer – preheat to 320°F (160°C) and bake following the oven method.
