Retire And Journey uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no cost to you.
Sometimes I get the craving for a pecan pie, but I’m not always up for making a pie crust. This simple recipe for Pecan Pie Bars are one parts bar, one part cookie, one part pie and can be baked up oh so easily. These guys are rich and nutty and decadent. None of that “too much filling and not enough pecans” syndrome that some pecan pies can suffer from.
But what’s best about this recipe? We use natural sweeteners like maple syrup and honey in place of corn syrup, a common ingredient in most traditional pecan pie style recipes that you might be looking to avoid.
So, if you like pecan pies that are more about the pecans than the filling and you prefer to use natural sweeteners like maple syrup and honey rather than corn syrup, give these bars a try. I think you’ll love them as much as I do.
Just a warning! While baking these bars, your house will smell like pecan heaven!
Note: I noticed these Maple Pecan Pie Bars tasted even better a day or two after they were baked. Pure pecan perfection!
Serves: 12-16 (depends on the size of your bars)
Ingredients
Crust
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectionary sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup half & half
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon Bourbon (optional, why not?)
2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
Directions
Begin by preheating oven to 350 degrees and greasing a 9×9 inch pan with butter.
Making the crust: In a large bowl mix flour, confectioners sugar and salt. Then cut in the cold butter until it is blended into the flour mixture making uniform crumbs. Cutting in the butter can easily be done using a food processor. Just place the cold butter and flour in the food processor and pulse a few times until the flour and butter are completely combined and your crumbs are just about all the same size. Watch the instructional video below for two other methods of “cutting butter.”
Pat crumbs evenly into the bottom of a 9×9 inch pan (for thinner bars use a 9×13 inch pan) and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly browned along the edges. Remove from oven. If using the 9×9 pan and the crust has puffed up a little, use a flat spatula to gently press it back down to make an even surface for the pecan topping.
Making the Topping: While the crust is baking, mix all the topping ingredients except the pecans into a small saucepan and slowly bring to a low boil. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat. Add in the pecans and mix to evenly coat. Be sure to watch the pot so it does not boil over.
Pour the topping mixture and spread evenly over the crust. Place back in the oven and bake another 25-30 minutes or until nice and bubbly.
Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, cut into squares or bar shapes (your choice) and dust with confectionery sugar.
To Serve: Lightly dust the pecan squares again with the confectioner’s sugar and enjoy as is or serve with vanilla ice-cream and fresh whipped cream for a decadent dessert.
Get The Recipe!
Maple Pecan Pie Bars (No Corn Syrup)
Ingredients
Crust
- 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup confectionary sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/8 cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional, but you should :-))
- 2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
DIRECTIONS
- Begin by preheating oven to 350 degrees and greasing a 9x9 inch pan with butter. (You can use a 9x13 inch pan for thinner bars.)
MAKING THE CRUST
- In a large bowl mix the flour, confectionery sugar and salt.
- Then cut in the cold butter until it is blended into the flour mixture making uniform crumbs. Cutting in the butter can easily be done using a food processor. Just place the cold butter and flour in the food processor and pulse a few times until the flour and butter are completely combined and your crumbs are just about all the same size.
- Pat crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan and bake for 15 minutes or until very lightly browned along the edges. Remove from oven. If using the 9x9 pan and the crust has puffed up a little, use a spatula to gently press it back down to make an even surface for the pecan topping.
MAKING THE TOPPING
- While the crust is baking, mix all the topping ingredients except the pecans into a small saucepan and slowly bring to a low boil. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat. Add in the pecans and mix to evenly coat. Be sure to watch the pot so it does not boil over.
- Pour the topping mixture and spread evenly over the crust. Place back in the oven and bake another 25-30 minutes or until nice and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, cut into squares or bar shapes and dust with confectionery sugar.
Serving Suggestions
- Lightly dust the pecan squares with powdered sugar and enjoy as is or serve with vanilla ice-cream and fresh whipped cream for a decadent dessert.
Notes
Let us know in the comments if you tried this recipe!
