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.
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.
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. Enjoy these pecan pie bars with Christmas drinks like slow cooker apple cider, Grinch punch and Christmas hot chocolate.
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.
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.
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!
Pecan Pie Bars Video
