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Pecan Pie Bars

These Maple Pecan Bars are the perfect holiday treat and taste just like pecan pie! They’re easy to make and easy to serve, making them ideal for parties, potlucks, picnics, gatherings, holiday treat plates — the options with this tasty treat are endless! 

 

Main image for recipe of Pecan Pie Bars.

 

I especially love dessert recipes that you can serve as a bar because they’re so easy to share. You don’t have to spend time alternating baking sheets full of cookies in the oven, you just bake a pan of these yummy pecan pie bars and serve them up! 

And if you thought this recipe description couldn’t get any better, just you wait — these pecan pie bars are also freezer friendly! That means you can make them ahead, save the leftovers, or share with last-minute visitors or family. There’s so much to LOVE about these pecan pie bars! 

 

crumbled crust in a bowl, ready to pat out in a pan.

 

What ingredients are in pecan pie bars?

Pecan bars are easy to make and the ingredients list is simpler than you might imagine. So rich and sweet, you’re bound to love this recipe! To get started you’ll need the following ingredients: 

  • All-purpose flour – one of my favorite things about this pecan pie bars recipe is the pie-crust-meets-sugar-cookie crust! So delicious and easy to make! 
  • Brown sugar – brown sugar has a much richer flavor than regular sugar, and it pairs so perfectly with maple! 
  • Salt – a little flavor enhancing salt goes a long way. 
  • Butter – you’ll want the butter for the crust to be cold and cut into small pieces so you can make the perfect crust for your maple pecan bars. 
  • Maple syrup – I’m not talking about the fake stuff … you want PURE maple syrup for this recipe. Nothing else will do! 
  • Brown sugar – again, brown sugar and maple go together so perfectly, it’s like a match made in heaven. Taste bud heaven. 
  • Heavy cream – cream adds richness and a slight creamy texture to your pecan bars. 
  • Pecans – they wouldn’t be pecan pie bars without the pecans, right?! You’ll want these roughly chopped. 
  • Oats – use the quick cooking variety for these maple pecan oatmeal bars. 

 

crust spread out and pressed down into a pan.

 

How to make pecan pie bars?

  1. Blend the crust ingredients together. 
  2. Line a baking dish with parchment paper. 
  3. Press the crust mixture into the baking dish and bake. 
  4. Combine filling ingredients in a saucepan. 
  5. Boil, then add the rest of the filling ingredients. 
  6. Pour into the crust and bake. 
  7. Allow the pecan pie bars to cool before cutting and serving. 

 

butter and brown sugar in a pan, ready to melt.

 

When to cut pecan pie bars?

One lesson I learned the hard way when it comes to both pecan pie and this pecan bars recipe is the importance of letting the pie/bars cool before cutting them. 

In order for the bars to fully set and NOT be a dish of molten sugar, they need to cool for at least 1 ½ hours — preferably entirely cooled — before serving. 

 

heavy cream added to brown sugar mixture.

 

How long do pecan bars last?

Depending on how they’re stored, pecan bars can last a little or a long time (assuming they aren’t completely devoured before it comes time to store them). 

In an airtight container at room temperature, they can be stored up to 3 days before the quality and texture will start to noticeably decline. 

 

Pecans and oats added to brown sugar mixture.

 

How to store pecan pie bars?

As mentioned above, you’ll want to store your pecan pie bars in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days at room temperature. 

Do pecan pie bars have to be refrigerated?

You can also store an airtight container or bag with pecan pie bars in the fridge for up to 5 days. Because this recipe does not contain eggs, you do not NEED to store it in the fridge unless you prefer to. 

 

baked crust straight from the oven.

 

Can I make pecan pie bars ahead of time?

Absolutely! That’s one of my favorite things about these tasty treats — you can make them ahead of time and either store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or you can freeze them for up to 6 months. 

 

Pecan mixture poured over crust

 

Can I freeze pecan pie bars?

In the section above, I mentioned that you can freeze these maple pecan bars for up to 6 months. To do so, you’ll want to fully prepare the bars and then cut them into single-serving-size pieces.

I recommend pre-freezing the single servings on a parchment lined baking sheet, then transferring the frozen bars to an airtight zipper bag for storage. 

When you’re ready to eat or share the maple pecan bars, simply remove them from the freezer and allow them to sit at room temperature until they’re soft enough to eat! 

The ability to freeze these treats make it especially easy to share on holiday goody plates or during last minute friends or family visits. 

 

Baked Bars, laid out and cut

 

Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?

Walnuts and pecans are fairly interchangeable, though they do have different flavors. Walnuts have a more buttery flavor and texture while pecans are a bit sweeter. 

That being said, either nut will work well in this recipe! Use your favorite (though I personally have to recommend pecans as they are MY preference and make these tasty bars taste just like pecan pie).  

 

3 cut bars on a plate, stacked up on each other.

 

If you are a fan of pecan pie, you’re bound to LOVE these maple pecan pie bars. They’re the perfect blend of sweet, caramelly maple flavor and nutty crunch — and the shortbread crust is divine! Make and freeze a pan to enjoy during any season or add this tasty recipe to your holiday goody plate rotation; your friends and family will love it too! 

 

Yield: 16 Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

close up of 3 bars stacked on top of a plate.

These Pecan Pie Bars are the perfect holiday treat and taste just like pecan pie! They’re easy to make and easy to serve, making them ideal for parties, potlucks, picnics, gatherings, holiday treat plates -- the options with this tasty treat are endless! 

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Inactive Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold butter cut into 3/4 inch pieces
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350* F
  2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and salt.
  3. Add the 1/2 cup cold butter and using a pastry blender, mix butter into flour mixture until small crumbs form.
  4. Line 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil, letting it extend up the sides of pan.
  5. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  6. Bake the crust until the edges are lightly browned and the top feels firm when lightly touched, 12 - 17 minutes.
  7. Set aside.
  8. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 6 Tablespoons butter, maple syrup, and 2/3 cup brown sugar and stir together until the butter melts and the brown sugar dissolves.
  9. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
  10. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the heavy cream.
  11. Then stir in the pecans and oatmeal.
  12. Pour the hot filling over the partially baked crust, spreading it to the edges.
  13. Bake at 350F until the filling is set when you give the pan a gentle shake, 22-25 minutes.
  14. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
  15. Using the ends of the paper or foil liner, carefully lift the pecan pie bars in its liner from the baking pan.
  16. Loosen the paper or foil from the edges and cut into 16 small squares.

Notes

During baking, the filling will bubble vigorously, then the bubbles will subside and become smaller toward the end of baking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 349Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 3g
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking Cookbook

Originally Posted: November 19, 2013

Photos & Text Updated: October 26, 2021

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Evelyn

Friday 17th of February 2023

Loved all your recipes! Do you have a book?

Janelle

Sunday 19th of February 2023

I have an ebook. You can find it here: https://numstheword.com/leftovers-reinvented/ Thanks for asking.

Noelle

Friday 6th of December 2019

They were so delicious! I will be having this and making this for Christmas too!

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