I am a huge fan of any dessert that takes the beloved flavors of a classic pie and transforms them into an easy, shareable bar, and these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are my absolute favorite. They capture all the rich, gooey, nutty goodness of a traditional pecan pie, but with the added decadence of chocolate, all on top of a buttery shortbread crust. They are the perfect, fuss-free alternative to a holiday pie.
You are going to be completely obsessed with this recipe. It features a simple, melt-in-your-mouth brown sugar shortbread crust, which is the perfect base for the incredible topping. The filling is a rich, chewy, honey-caramel loaded with toasted pecans and melty chocolate chips. Finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, these bars are a perfect harmony of sweet, salty, and nutty flavors.
The Ingredients for Your Pecan Pie Bars
For The Crust
- ½ cup (113.5 g) salted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (73.33 g) brown sugar
- 1¼ cups (170 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
For The Chocolate Pecan Topping
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- ⅓ cup (73.33 g) brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1¼ cups (120 g) pecans
- ½ cup (90 g) chocolate chips
- flaked salt for topping
How to Create Your Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Step 1: Make and Bake the Crust
First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter and ⅓ cup of brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix until the mixture is crumbly. Press this crumbly dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Set the crust aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C).
Step 2: Prepare the Pecan Topping
In a medium saucepan, combine the 4 tablespoons of butter, the other ⅓ cup of brown sugar, the honey, heavy cream, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir this mixture over medium heat until it begins to gently boil. Let it simmer for just 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Step 3: Combine and Bake Again
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and the pecans until they are fully coated in the caramel mixture. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Pour this glorious pecan topping evenly over your cooled shortbread crust.
Step 4: Final Bake and Cool
Bake the bars at 325°F (163°C) for 15-18 minutes. The filling should be bubbly around the edges. As soon as you remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt. Now for the hardest part: you must let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting them. This allows the caramel filling to set up properly.
My Best Tips for These Pecan Pie Bars
My Secret for the Perfect Filling
The key to a perfectly chewy, not-too-hard caramel filling is to only let it simmer for one minute. If you boil it for too long, the sugar will cook to a higher temperature, and your filling can become hard and difficult to chew once it cools.
The Parchment Paper Sling
Lining your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to create “handles,” is a simple trick that makes a huge difference. Once the bars are completely cool, you can easily lift the entire slab out of the pan, which makes for much cleaner, neater slicing.
Don’t Cut Them Warm!
I know it’s tempting to dig in right away, but it is absolutely essential to let these bars cool completely to room temperature before you attempt to slice them. The gooey caramel filling needs time to cool and set. If you try to cut them while they’re still warm, you’ll have a delicious, but very messy, puddle.
Delicious Variations to Try
These Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are wonderfully versatile. For a different flavor profile, you could toast the pecans before adding them to the filling to enhance their nutty flavor. You can also experiment with different types of chocolate; dark chocolate chunks would provide a lovely contrast to the sweet caramel, or milk chocolate would make them even more sweet and decadent. For a touch of warm spice, a ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon in the crust would be a delicious addition.
FAQs
Can I make these without corn syrup?
Yes! This recipe is a fantastic corn syrup-free alternative to traditional pecan pie. The honey and heavy cream create a rich, chewy caramel filling without the need for corn syrup.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. You can easily double the ingredients and bake these in a 9×13-inch pan. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking times, so just keep an eye on them.
How do I store these bars?
Store the cooled and sliced bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also refrigerate them for a firmer, chewier texture.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Description
These Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars capture all the rich, gooey, nutty goodness of a traditional pecan pie, but with the added decadence of chocolate, all on top of a buttery shortbread crust. The filling is a rich, chewy, honey-caramel loaded with toasted pecans and melty chocolate chips. Finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, these bars are a perfect harmony of sweet, salty, and nutty flavors, making them a fuss-free alternative to a holiday pie.
Ingredients
For The Crust
½ cup (113.5 g) salted butter, room temperature
⅓ cup (73.33 g) brown sugar
1¼ cups (170 g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
For The Chocolate Pecan Topping
4 tablespoon salted butter
⅓ cup (73.33 g) brown sugar
3 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon heavy cream
¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cups (120 g) pecans
½ cup (90 g) chocolate chips
flaked salt for topping
Instructions
Make and Bake the Crust:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. In a mixer, beat the butter and ⅓ cup of brown sugar until fluffy. Add the flour and salt and mix until crumbly. Press the dough firmly into the bottom of the pan and bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside and lower the oven to 325°F (163°C).
Prepare the Pecan Topping:
In a medium saucepan, combine 4 tablespoons of butter, ⅓ cup of brown sugar, honey, heavy cream, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir over medium heat until it gently boils, then simmer for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Combine and Bake Again:
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and pecans, followed by the chocolate chips. Pour the topping evenly over the cooled crust.
Final Bake and Cool:
Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 15-18 minutes, until the filling is bubbly around the edges. As soon as it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting.
Notes
Don’t Cut When Warm:
It is essential to let the bars cool completely to room temperature before slicing. The gooey caramel filling needs time to set, and cutting them warm will result in a delicious but messy puddle.
Use a Parchment Sling:
Line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides as “handles.” This allows you to easily lift the entire slab out of the pan for much cleaner slicing.
Double the Recipe:
You can easily double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking times, so just keep an eye on it.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dessert, Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 311
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: chocolate pecan pie bars, pecan pie bars, shortbread crust, gooey caramel, holiday dessert, easy bars
