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Best Brown Sugar Pecan Pie Bars with Easy Shortbread Crust

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These brown sugar pecan pie bars feature a buttery shortbread crust and a rich, not-too-sweet pecan topping. They solve the biggest problems with traditional pecan pie—no soggy crust, no cloying sweetness, and no fussy rolling or crimping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (fine sea salt)
  • 2 cups pecan halves or pieces
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or nonstick spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and top looks dry. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt ¼ cup butter. Add brown sugar and salt, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and heavy cream together until smooth. Slowly pour egg mixture into brown sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in vanilla, then fold in pecans.
  5. Pour pecan filling over pre-baked shortbread crust. Spread evenly with a spatula.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until topping is set and golden brown around the edges. Center should jiggle slightly when shaken.
  7. Let bars cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment overhang to lift entire block onto a cutting board. Slice into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife, wiping knife clean between cuts.

Notes

For best results, toast pecans before using: spread on baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Let cool before adding to filling. Cool bars completely before cutting to avoid a crumbly mess. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan pie bars, brown sugar pecan bars, shortbread crust, easy dessert, holiday bars, pecan dessert

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