Pecan Pie BarsErin ClarkeWell Plated by Erin
Pecan Pie Bars
Capital W-O-W, sky-high Pecan Pie Bars: Right here to impress, to win you buddies (and lovers), and to be the best illustration of the form of candy, buttery indulgence all of us deserve, particularly this time of 12 months.
These pecan pie bars soften in your mouth.
Each time I took a chew, I couldn’t imagine a dessert this seemingly wealthy and thick may dissolve on my tongue as if by magic.
The buttery shortbread crust is tender however sturdy sufficient to choose up together with your fingers. It tastes like a cross between my Darn Good Complete Wheat Pie Crust and probably the most glorious shortbread cookie.The filling is lush with maple and brown sugar and positively chock-a-bloc with deeply toasty, crunchy pecans.A ending sprinkle of flaky sea salt ties the entire shebang collectively and saves these pecan pie bars from many a traditional pecan pie’s biggest transgression: being cloyingly candy (a trick I additionally use in these decadent Darkish Chocolate Cookies).
Whereas with conventional Thanksgiving pecan pie, I discover myself barely with the ability to end a chew or two, these pecan pie bars are a real hazard in the very best manner.
This recipe yields a giant batch.
You’ll have sufficient to serve at a celebration, give them as presents, or in the event you discover them as simple to eat as I do, preserve your self in comfortable provide for so long as you’ll be able to resist them.
5 Star Evaluation
“I made these final evening and so they had been phenomenal”
— Adelyn —
The Pecan Pie Bars of My Goals
Let’s get this out proper now: this recipe has a whole lot of butter—greater than in any dessert recipe I’ve ever baked.
These pecan pie bars are WORTH IT.
I loosely based mostly this recipe on the well-known pecan pie bar recipes of Ina Garten and Pioneer Girl.
I wished to take what they created, put my very own stamp on it, and make the consummate pecan pie bars of my desires.
All I can say is, whoa.
The model of those bars I’m sharing at present is past buttery and indulgent but makes use of 3 sticks LESS than Ina’s recipe.The extent of sweetness is good. I skip the corn syrup and swap in maple syrup which pairs fantastically with the pecans. (As seen in my Pumpkin Pecan Pie.)I learn from a lot of Ina’s reviewers that the bars overflowed the pan, so I felt assured scaling the recipe down.This recipe bakes in a regular 9×13-inch pan, as a substitute of the extra specialty 8×12 that Ina makes use of.Ina’s model requires additional massive eggs; I modified this recipe to make use of massive eggs as a substitute.After which, after all, I needed to tinker with the vanilla extract and add that flourish of sea salt.
The top consequence: they’re tall, proud, and style magnificent to the purpose that (and I don’t say this calmly) I can’t think about them with any extra butter or sugar than they have already got.
They’re pure pecan pie bar perfection!
Tips on how to Make Pecan Pie Bars
These bars do take a while to make, however the finish result’s a pecan pie bar recipe made completely from scratch with easy elements you’ll be able to be ok with consuming.
Whereas I’d be exaggerating to name them wholesome pecan pie bars, not like many conventional pecan pie recipes, these pecan pie bars include no corn syrup.
This one doesn’t use recipe hacks like cake combine, pie crust, crescent rolls, or sweetened condensed milk both.
All you’ll discover listed below are healthful, on a regular basis elements…and loads of butter.
The Components
Butter. Simply do it. It’s value it right here! (It’s additionally a necessity in these sinfully wealthy Butter Tarts.) Sugar. I used a mixture of sugar and brown sugar for the precise texture, sweetness, and richness.Eggs. To bind the pecan pie bars’ shortbread crust recipe collectively.Vanilla. A necessity in all pecan pie recipes (together with this Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler).Flour. All-purpose flour helps create the right crust texture.Maple Syrup. These are pecan pie bars with out corn syrup, so I opted to make use of maple syrup as a substitute. The nice and cozy taste actually shines by means of and is a lovely pairing with pecans. (You gained’t discover any corn syrup in my Pecan Pie Cobbler both.)Lemon Zest. Unnoticeable by itself; it’s right here to make the filling pop and steadiness the sweetness.Heavy Cream. A necessity to make the filling wealthy, creamy, and caramel-like.
Pecan Halves. These bars are totally loaded for optimum pecan toastiness and crunch. (Additional pecans? Stir them right into a batch of this Cranberry Orange Relish!)Sea Salt. My star addition that takes the flavour to the following stage. A flaky sea salt like Maldon or fleur de sel works finest.
Taste Upgrades for Pecan Pie Bars
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, Choice 1. Add in chocolate chips earlier than pouring the batter into the crust.Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, Choice 2. Bake the recipe as directed, then drizzle the cooled bars with melted chocolate. Let the chocolate set, then slice as directed.Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars. Add 3 tablespoons of bourbon to the saucepan with the butter, syrup, sugar, and lemon zest. (Bourbon followers, these Bourbon Balls are one other fabulous vacation deal with!)
The Instructions
Make the shortbread crust batter.
Press right into a parchment pan and bake for quarter-hour at 350 levels F.
In the meantime, add the butter, maple syrup, and sugar to a saucepan.
Simmer to create a yummy caramel.
Add the pecans. Pour the filling over the crust and bake the pecan bars for 25 to half-hour. Let cool fully, then cowl, and let chill for no less than 6 hours. Slice as desired. Serve at room temperature or barely warmed within the microwave (attempt with a scoop of vanilla ice cream). ENJOY!
Tips on how to Minimize the Pecan Pie Bars
Heads up! These bars do should be chilled fully earlier than they’re reduce. Embrace them as a stellar make-ahead dessert.
First, use a big, sharp knife to loosen the bars all the best way across the edges of the pan. Then, raise the bars out of the pan utilizing the parchment paper that’s hanging over the perimeters.The bars can be thick and heavy, so in case your paper begins to tear, reduce the entire pan of bars in half or quarters first, then with a spatula, raise it onto a chopping board in sections.These bars are wealthy, so I like to chop them into smaller items (despite the fact that I normally find yourself taking multiple!).
Storage Ideas
To Retailer. You don’t want to refrigerate pecan pie bars if you’ll be having fun with them inside a day or two. These preserve properly at room temperature for as much as two days and within the fridge for as much as 5 days.To Freeze. Lay totally cooled bars onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place within the freezer till frozen strong. Then, place the frozen bars right into a freezer-safe ziptop bag or storage container and retailer them within the freezer. Three months is how lengthy you’ll be able to freeze pecan bars. To Serve After Freezing. If the bars are frozen, allow them to thaw in a single day within the fridge. Allow them to come to room temperature previous to serving or heat them up somewhat within the microwave. When you don’t have a microwave, you’ll be able to attempt warming them in a low oven. Tent the pan with foil to maintain the highest from over-browning.
Meal Prep Tip
As much as 1 week prematurely, chop the pecans and retailer them in an hermetic storage container at room temperature. As much as 1 day prematurely, put together the dough for the crust, press it into the baking dish, and par-bake as directed. Cowl and refrigerate it till you’re prepared to complete the recipe.
Advisable Instruments to Make this Recipe
Baking Dish. Easy and all you want. This one comes with a lid. This set of dishes (with lids) is a superb deal.Parchment Paper. DO NOT SKIP THIS to verify the bars don’t stick. I’m obsessive about these time-saving precut parchment paper sheets.Non-Slip Reducing Board. This chopping board gained’t slip out from underneath you when you’re chopping pecans for these simple pecan pie bars.
The Greatest Glass Baking Dish
This easy glass baking dish is ideal for baking these pecan pie bars. Plus, it really works properly for casseroles too!
These southern pecan pie bars are good to the final crumb.
Continuously Requested Questions
When the bars are carried out, the pecan pie filling ought to nonetheless wobble a bit within the center however not be too liquidy. It should proceed to set because it cools at room temperature and within the fridge. As soon as the bars are prepared, the filling ought to be a golden brown, and the pecans ought to look toasted.
For gluten free pecan pie bars, swap a gluten free 1:1 flour like this one for the all-purpose flour.
In case your bars are runny, it’s probably as a result of they weren’t baked lengthy sufficient or the oven temperature wasn’t sizzling sufficient. You want to make sure that the bars are within the oven lengthy sufficient (on the proper temperature) to permit the filling to arrange correctly.
Pecan Pie Bars
Components
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature (3 sticks)1/2 cup granulated sugar2 massive eggs at room temperature1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract3 cups all-purpose flour1/4 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE FILLING:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter2/3 cup pure maple syrup2 1/4 cups gentle brown sugar or darkish brown sugar1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest about ½ medium lemon3 tablespoons heavy cream1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 1/4 kilos 20 ounces pecan halves, coarsely choppedFlaky sea salt akin to Maldon or fleur de sel (optionally available)
Directions
Video
Notes
TO FREEZE: Lay totally cooled bars onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place within the freezer till frozen strong. Then, place the frozen bars right into a freezer-safe ziptop bag or hermetic container and retailer within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
TO SERVE AFTER FREEZING: If the bars are frozen, allow them to thaw in a single day within the fridge. Allow them to come to room temperature previous to serving or heat them up somewhat within the microwave. When you don’t have a microwave, you’ll be able to attempt warming them in a low oven. Tent the pan with foil to maintain the highest from over browning.
Vitamin
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READ: Pecan Pie Bars
Effectively Plated by Erin