Maple Pecan Pie Bars: Crunchy brown sugar pecans float on gooey, silky maple filling, and all that maple goodness rests on a buttery pecan shortbread crust.
Let me tell you a story
I don’t have words for stories today, only for Maple Pecan Pie Bars. This might also be a symptom of Too Much Turkey Syndrome. Not sure. Doesn’t matter. Moving on.
These bars have everything you love about pecan pie with the addition of maple sugar and a pecan shortbread crust.
Buttery shortbread pairs perfectly with the nutty toasted pecans to create a pecan lovers dream!
And then there is the maple. I love me some maple syrup. Only Organic Grade B syrup made in the USofA for me. It packs the most flavor and that’s what this is all about, right?
Retorhical question. I know you’re here for flavor. And flavor is what you’ll get!
Each bite has sweet brown sugar maple filling, crunchy toasted pecans and buttery, soft pecan shortbread.
Last time I was in D.C. visiting my grandparents, Nana gave me this fork (three, of these forks to be precise) along with my all time favorite fork. I challenge you to find me a prettier fork.
Isn’t this awesome? Where else can I talk about beautiful forks and sweet, buttery maple pecan pie bars all in one fail swoop? Sigh, blogging. Fab.
Now, I do cook this pie filling in a double boiler while the shortbread pre-bakes. I know that is more complicated than some other recipes, but you have to wait until the crust bakes anyways, so why not start pre-cooking the filling while you do it?
Bring these bars to your next holiday party or just anywhere, and you’ll be more popular than Zack on Saved by the Bell. (That 90’s reference just happened…)
Forgive me.
But, seriously, Zack was my favorite.
Much like these maple pecan pie bars.
Easier than pie. #fact
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Maple Pecan Pie Bars with Pecan Shortbread Crust
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Description
Crunchy brown sugar pecans float on gooey, silky maple filling. All that maple goodness rests on a buttery pecan shortbread crust. These bars really are easier than pie!
Ingredients
For the Pecan Shortbread Crust:
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup finely chopped toasted pecans* (toast before chopping)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
For the Filling:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup [The real deal. I use Grade B.]
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups toasted pecans, coarsely chopped*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line an 8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a large saucepot (or you can use an actual double boiler if you want).
- Place a medium bowl over the simmering water in the saucepot. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water. Melt butter in the medium bowl.
- Remove from heat and add sugar and salt, stirring until completely combined. Add eggs, maple syrup, corn syrup and vanilla; stirring until smooth.
- Place bowl back on saucepot and let cook, stirring occasionally, until your crust is ready.
- Make the Crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pecans, cornstarch, and salt. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with a pastry fork or with two knives. You could also do this in the food processor but it is so easy, it seems a shame to dirty it.
- Press into lined baking dish and bake 10-15 minutes, or until it has browned slightly.
- Add pecans to your filling mixture, stir, and pour onto the hot shortbread crust.
- Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until the filling looks set but yields like Jell-O when gently pressed with the back of a spoon.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack. Several times during the cooling process I cut around the edges to facilitate removal of the bars. If you lined your pan with parchment, you can skip this step and give yourself a pat on the back.
- Cut into squares when cool.
Notes
It’s a long story but a parchment lined baking dish wasn’t possible for me, and I regretted it even though I buttered my dish. If you don’t have parchment or don’t have the patience to line a pan with it, then generously butter a baking dish. Several times while the filling is cooling, cut around the edges to make sure the sticky pie filling doesn’t permanently adhere to your baking dish.
*Toast whole Pecans on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer for 10 minutes in a preheated 350° oven, or until you can smell them and the light parts of the pecans have turned a light golden brown. Coarsely chopped pecans will toast faster!
Total time does not include cooling time.
You may also love these treats!
Who are we kidding? I know you’ll love them!
Maple Pecan Caramel Brown Butter Blondies
28 Comments
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
November 29, 2014 at 2:13 pm1-that fork is crazy pretty
2-these bars are insanely gooey and look SO delicious!!!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:53 amThanks, Kayle! I knew you would appreciate the beauty of The Fork!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
November 29, 2014 at 3:31 pmI definitely ate too much turkey this weekend, but I think I have room for these pecan pie bars! I love the shortbread crust, Lindsey! Such a creative twist, and the maple flavor sounds fantastic. These definitely sound easier than making a pie. Pinned!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:53 amHaha! I think that is kind of par for the course! Thanks for the pin!
Alessandra // the foodie teen
November 29, 2014 at 3:36 pmAbsolutely easier than pie! I made something super similar a few weeks ago gluten-free/diary-free/refined-sugar free too 🙂
Marcie
November 29, 2014 at 10:36 pmYou can’t get enough of a good thing, so I love that you put pecans in the crust too, Lindsey! These bars look amazing — pinned!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:52 amNever enough!!! Thanks, Marcie!
David @ Spiced
November 30, 2014 at 10:29 amDude, these bars would totally disappear in my house. The maple addition? Insanely awesome! I might eat an entire batch by myself…sorry. 🙂 I love the Zack reference…even though Kelly was totally my favorite. Although I’d give anything to have Zach’s cell phone now. Haha. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe…oh, and that is indeed the prettiest fork I’ve ever seen. #IGetIt
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:51 amI would be kinda worried if Zack were your favorite! Kelly was by far the prettiest girl and the one I wanted to be like! I’d let you borrow my fork. Shhh don’t tell anyone…they’d get jealous! #gladsomeonegetsit
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen
November 30, 2014 at 5:19 pmYou had me at buttery pecan shortbread crust. No need to read further, after that I was sure I would love these! Plus pure maple syrup in the filling? Totally pinning these! And, of course, Zack was my favorite too! 🙂
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:50 amThanks for the pin, Kristine! Zack was the cutest even though all my friends liked Slater. 🙂 We would clearly have been BFF, you and I!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
November 30, 2014 at 8:52 pmHow much do I love that you used maple syrup in the filling? OMG. And the crust. PINNED!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:49 amI am guessing about as much as I do! Love me some maple syrup! Thanks for the pin!
Manali @ CookWithManali
November 30, 2014 at 8:56 pmThe crust sounds absolutely incredible Lindsey! Pinned!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:48 amThanks, Manali! I think the crust was my favorite part!
Jessica @ Sweet Menu
November 30, 2014 at 10:49 pmThese bars are OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD! Talk about ooey gooey goodness! Love it!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:48 amThanks, Jessica! Gooey lovers unite!
Annie+@+ciaochowbambina
December 1, 2014 at 2:26 pmAhhh! That pecan shortbread crust sounds delicious! Pinned!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 8:48 amThanks for the pin, Annie!
Lelia
December 1, 2014 at 10:22 pmLove the fork!….oh, and the bars look awesome too! love pecans!
Lindsey
December 2, 2014 at 1:08 amThanks, mom!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter
December 2, 2014 at 4:14 amOh my gosh, these bars look amazing! I love pecan pie but don’t always feel like making and rolling out the dough! These bars are the perfect solution and adding maple syrup to the filling is such a great idea!
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com
December 4, 2014 at 10:14 pmLove, love these pecan pie bars! So gooey, with all that maple syrup and pecan shortbread crust! Perfect recipe for the holidays!
Lindsey
December 7, 2014 at 9:30 amThanks, Julia!!! Maple gets me every time 🙂
Hilary
December 27, 2014 at 12:51 pmWow, I was so excited to try these, but for some reason my crust turned out really soggy 🙁 They all fell apart.
Lindsey
December 28, 2014 at 12:35 amHi Hilary, I’m sorry to hear that. It is a shortbread crust, so as long as you pre-cooked it long enough, it shouldn’t have been soggy. It’s more likely to have it too dry and crumbly. Mine wasn’t soggy even after several days at room temperature.
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