These Pecan Bars with Shortbread Crust are a wonderful alternative to Pecan Pie this Thanksgiving. You'll find they are easier to make and just as delicious! The soft buttery shortbread is the perfect match against the sweet chewy peans.
They also make a great food gift idea for the holidays as well! These are seriously addictive and one of my most favorite Holiday Recipes!
No Corn Syrup!
This is one of the reasons why I love this recipe so much! There's no need for corn syrup, you'll use a combination of butter, brown sugar, and honey instead.
Best of all you'll get the same kind of sticky, candy-like topping the corn syrup provides but without all the additives. This also makes it easier for my international readers who have a hard time finding corn syrup!
Watch My Video Demo On This Recipe Below!
Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and never miss a recipe!
STEP#1: Make the Shortbread Crust
The shortbread crust makes these pecan bars so delicious. It's buttery and chewy and just the perfect compliment to the sticky pecans. I like a thick crust to balance out the sweetness of the pecans, but for a thinner crust, you can cut the shortbread recipe in half and leave the pecan mixture as is.
It's also a much simpler dough to deal with than pie dough because you just press it into the tin. There's no need to refrigerate it first or roll it or shape it like pie dough! This is what makes it so much easier than Pecan Pie!
I also like to add orange zest to the shortbread crust because it provides an unexpected freshness against the sweetness of the pecans. Orange and pecan is a fantastic holiday flavor, for a delicious Christmas morning treat try my Orange Pecan Crumb Muffins.
Pecan Bars can get pretty sticky! To help you release them easily, I highly recommend a removable bottom brownie tin (this link goes to Amazon where I am compensated on products sold at no cost to the consumer)
A removable bottom tin allows you to push the pecan bars out of the tin after they are baked. This will also help you achieve nice clean edges that are easily sliced into bars for serving.
This is a handy pan to have in your baking arsenal, as it also works great for my Blueberry Crumb Cake recipe or my Easy Foccacia Bread Recipe.
This recipe bakes twice. You'll bake your shortbread crust first, allowing it to set and become golden brown. And then follow up by adding the pecan mixture and baking that along with the shortbread crust again. So essentially, you are just giving the crust a head start!
STEP#2: Make the Pecan Bar Filling
In a large saucepan, you'll combine the filling ingredients and then pour it over the pecans. Toss the mixture together until it's well coated.
At this stage, you could switch up the nuts if you prefer. Just maintain the same total quantity, and perhaps add:
- ⅓ pecans
- ⅓ walnuts
- ⅓ chopped almonds
Pouring the Pecan Filling
Then pour it out onto the baked shortbread crust. It's important to smooth it out with a spatula so that the pecans form a single even layer. This will help them set at the same rate and create bard with even height once they are baked.
Then your pecan bars are ready for the second baking which will bake the filling and allow it to set. It also roasts the nuts and allows them to develop their best flavor too!
Refrigerating the Bars is Key
Once the bars have baked and fully cooled, keep them in their tin, uncovered, in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours but really overnight is even better. The refrigeration will allow them to fully set and be easily cut into nice clean slices. This is important since cutting into nut bars and be difficult if they are not set, and they can crumble and fall apart. But I find once refrigerated they cut like a breeze!
Can you Freeze this Recipe?
Sure! Make the bars a week ahead of Thanksgiving and save yourself the hassle of making the meal and the dessert the day before or the day of!
- Cut them into bars, then place them in a freezer-safe container lined with wax paper, separating each layer with more wax paper.
- Place the lid on your container and freeze.
- The day before Thanksgiving defrost the pecan bars in your refrigerator.
- Remove the bars from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to come to room temperature.
Serving is a Breeze
I love the idea of Pecan Bars over pie because you can bring them to the table already sliced! They are also a smaller quantity than a full slice of pie, allowing your guests to try more of your desserts! You could even cut the bars into small squares, creating more of a Pecan Bar Bite for easy sampling!
More Thanksgiving Dessert ideas!
- Foolproof Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow Topping!
- Extra Moist Pumpkin Bread
- Pear Almond Tart
- No-Bake Pumpkin Mousse
Please Let me Know if you Enjoyed This Recipe!
Leaving a rating helps others discover and enjoy the recipe too!
Beth's Pecan Bar Recipe with Shortbread Crust
Easy Pecan Bars with shortbread crust. A great alternative to pecan pie at Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (360 g) of butter
- 1 cup (200g) white sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) salt
- 4 tsp (20 ml) orange zest
- 3 ⅓ (400g) cups of all-purpose flour
For the topping:
- ½ cup (120 g) of butter
- 1 cup (180g) light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) honey
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups (525 g) of raw pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350F (176C)
- To create the crust beat together the sugar and butter with an electric mixer. Once fluffy add the egg, and vanilla and beat to combine. Then add the salt and orange zest beat to combine, then add the flour in thirds, beating after each addition.
- Turn dough out and fit it into a 10 x 10 pan that has been sprayed with baking spray. Preferably a removable bottom pan, otherwise line a 10 x 10 brownie pan with parchment paper or foil (2 sheets going opposite directions) this will make it easier to remove the bars once they are done.
- Bake crust for 25-30 minutes or until fully set and golden brown.
- Meanwhile prepare the pecan bar filling.
- In a large sauce pot combine butter, brown sugar, honey and salt. Set over medium heat, whisking while the mixture melts and combines. Remove from the heat. Whisk in heavy cream and vanilla.
- In a large bowl place the pecan halves, pour filling mixture over pecans and toss to combine so that all the nuts are well-coated.
- Once crust has baked and is slightly cooled. Pour the pecan mixture on top, spreading it out with a spatula to form an even layer, making sure all corners of the crust are covered with the pecans.
- Place back in oven, placing a baking sheet lined with foil, under the pan to catch any drippings.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until filling is set. It will still look a little wet, but that’s OK it will set up as it cools.
- Allow to cool completely at room temperature. Then place uncovered in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight is even better to fully set. They will be easier to cut if you allow to stay refrigerated overnight.
- Remove from pan, slice the pecan bars into 9 squares, and then cut each square in half to create a bar. Keep the pecan bars in the fridge until ready to serve. Lightly covered.
- 30 minutes before serving bring the bars to room temperature. Place on a cake stand and serve! Enjoy!
Notes
These bars are sticky! For easy release, I highly recommend a removable bottom brownie tin (this link goes to Amazon where I am compensated on products sold at no cost to the consumer)
You can definitely make these a week ahead of Thanksgiving. Cut them into bars, then place them in a freezer-safe container lined with wax paper, separating each layer with more wax paper. Place the lid on your container and freeze. Then thaw out in the fridge the night before Thanksgiving!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 49Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
rivka says
What can I replace the heavy cream with? Peanut butter will work?
Beth Le Manach says
Hmm that might work? The heavy cream softens the caramel and makes them pliable and easier to chew but come to think of it the peanut butter might just do the same thing? I haven't tried it before so I don't know for sure, but I'd say it's worth a try! Let me know how it turns out!
Charlotte says
Can the crust be made ahead & refrigerated until I'm ready to make? I have other cookie doughs to make to bake everything a day or two before party.
Beth Le Manach says
Yes of course! No problem you can make the crust at least 3 days ahead of time and keep refrigerated. I hope you enjoy!
Erma Susilowati says
Thx U.... i'm far away from indonesia and really like ur recipe. i made them just exactly ur recipe and found them soooooo delicious. Thanks so much for ur sharing with us
Beth Le Manach says
I'm so glad they were such a hit! They are my favorites too! YAY!
Lori says
I made this last year and they were a huge hit -- better than pecan pie. I'm making them again today for a party tomorrow and just pulled them out of the oven. I bought the pan with the removable bottom and it's very handy. I want to make them in a 9 x 12 pan as well. I might leave the crust as is and make extra filling.
John Drew says
Beth,
Your recipes are insanely scrumptious. Several nights a week, I try something new, and I collect almost every recipe you post. Thank you so much for sharing your practical knowledge. I've been collecting recipes—and even wrote a cookbook for my family—for years, from places like Mallorca, Athens, Greece, Paris, Siena, Italy, and my late mother's kitchen.
I was raised in a pecan orchard in Georgia. While many Southerners pronounce the word pecan as "pee-can," my family, which was an old, gentile Southern family, preferred the softer pronunciation puh-cahn'. The "puh" was softly enunciated as if making the sound of the consonant P, and the emphasis was on the "cahn." Who knows if we were correct, but I was immersed in pecans for the first twelve years of my life.
Again, thanks so much for sharing your recipes, including your shortbread pecan bars, which I intend to make in the next few days before Thanksgiving.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Best regards,
John Drew
Beth Le Manach says
Oh course! My pleasure! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! These are a popular family favorite at Thanksgiving! Growing up on a pecan orchard sounds just lovely! I hope you approve of the bars! Ha!
Gayle says
Can you use an already made crust?
Beth Le Manach says
Oh sure you could if you needed to, but the homemade crust if you can spare the ingredients 🙂 is so much better!
DAVID says
Hi,
Instead of homey could I substitute dark corn syrup?
Thank you
Beth Le Manach says
Oh sure that would work too 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Lori says
I made these last year -- they were delicious! Was thinking about them again and planning to make them again this year for Thanksgiving. Thank you for delicious recipe. They are better than pecan pie.
Lisa Peters Bailey says
Hi Beth. I made these bars yesterday and they’re delicious. I was wondering if you’ve ever made them in a larger pan so that the crust is not quite as thick. If I tried that I may need to make more topping. What do you think. Everything I’ve made from your recipes has been so good! Trying the Tarte du Soleil for Thanksgiving.
entertainingwithbeth says
Oh sure you could make them in a larger pan and maybe just double the filling, OR cut the crust recipe in half 🙂 . That would work too! So glad the recipe have been a hit! You'll love the Tarte au Soleil guests are always so impressed by that one! Ha! 🙂 Enjoy!