The Best Chewy Pecan Bars are an easy way to get a pecan pie fix and perfect for a crowd. Thick gooey caramel pecan filling lays on top of a flaky cookie crust, and will soon be your new favorite!
There is something special about these Chewy Pecan Bars. They are so simple in flavor, but they give the warm fuzzies that the holidays bring around when you dig into a slice of pecan pie. These chewy pecan bars can be eaten with your hands, enjoyed all year, and are so easy to serve a crowd with!
If you're looking for a gooey pecan treat that's a little easier to grab than the Deep Dish Pecan Tart, you've found the right recipe! They will be a tasty addition to your Thanksgiving table, or just a great fix when you have a hankering for pecan pie.
Ingredients
- Butter- Unsalted and at room temperature
- Sugar- Both light brown and granulated
- Honey- To contribute to the gooey, chewiness of the filing
- Cream- Heavy cream will make the filling richer
- Pecans- Broken into smaller and bigger pieces
Directions
- To make the crust first, cream the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment
- Slowly add the flour and salt and mix until combined
- Remove the dough from the bowl and evenly spread onto the baking sheet, press it down to make it cover the whole sheet
- Prebake the crust for 10 minutes, then allow to cool while preparing the filling
- In a medium saucepan combine the butter, sugars, honey, and heavy cream
- Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, and bring to a boil until it reaches 248 degrees F on a candy thermometer
- Remove from the heat, stir in the pecan pieces, and pour over the cookie crust
- Bake the bars for 30 minutes; they will be golden brown and bubbling
- Allow to cool completely (about 1 hour) before cutting into bars
Tips and FAQs for Chewy Pecan Bars
- You'll need a candy thermometer to make sure the filling reaches the correct temperature when boiling.
- Placing a sheet of parchment paper on top of the crust can make it easier to press it into the baking sheet (just make sure you remove it before baking)
- These bars are great for making ahead! They can be stored in an airtight container or refrigerated until ready to use.
- I prefer to make my pecan bars the day before an event so that they have enough time to cool and when they are fully set they are much easier to cut! If you don't have time to wait, once the pecan bars are out of the oven, put them in the refrigerator for an hour before cutting.
These chewy pecan bars can be enjoyed for a week or frozen to last longer!
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The Best Chewy Pecan Bars
Ingredients
Cookie Crust:
- 1 ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter Room Temperature
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
Pecan Filling:
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Honey
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
- 3 ¾ Cup Pecan Pieces
Instructions
Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a ¼ sheet pan (9x13 inch) lined with parchment paper
- In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, cream together the butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy; scrape the sides of the bowl in between mixing
- Slowly add in the all purpose flour and salt and mix until combined and dough starts to come together
- Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and evenly distribute the dough onto the prepared sheet pan
- Press the dough evenly to cover the bottom and sides of the sheet pan and remove any extra dough that is hanging off the sides (you can also press another sheet of parchment to the top of the dough to make it easier to press into the pan)
- Pre bake the cookie crust for 10 minutes
- Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool while preparing the pecan filling
Pecan Filling
- In a medium saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey and heavy cream
- Stir continuously until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved and bring the caramel to a boil until it reaches 248 degrees F on a candy thermometer
- Once it reaches 248 degrees F, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir the pecan pieces in
- Once the pecans are fully coated in the caramel, pour the pecan filling over the pre baked cookie crust
- Bake the Pecan Bars for 30 minutes; they will be golden brown and bubbling
- Remove the pecan bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely before cutting; approximately 1 hour
- Once the Pecan Bars are cooled and the caramel is set, cut the bars into the desired shape and size
Nutrition
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