If you love the flavors of pecan pie you’ll love these Pecan Pie Bars made with a soft and chewy shortbread crust and sweet and salty pecan pie topping. They’re easy to make, transport and serve at parties and potlucks.

If you like this type of “bar,” you may love our Key Lime Pie Bars and Lemon Bars!

Two pecan pie bars stacked on top of each other.

There’s a lot to love about the simplicity of these Pecan Pie Bars and rest assured you’ll end up with the same amazing flavors you love from Pecan Pie! The sweet caramel flavors of the filling mixed with the salty crunch from the nuts makes pecan pie the favorite that it is!

How to make Pecan Pie Bars:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Shortbread Crust:
    • Add butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
    • Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the mixing bowl. Mix just until dough is combined.

    • Flour your hands and press the dough evenly into 9×13” baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Shortbread dough pressed into a baking pan.

    • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is set but not browned.
  • Pecan Topping:
    • Add butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and stir until butter is melted.

    • Bring to a slow boil and boil for 3 minutes.

A boiling mixture of butter, brown sugar and cornstarch, in a saucepan.

    • Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream and chopped pecans.

    • Pour over the crust and smooth into an even layer.

Pecan pie filling poured over shortbread crust in a 9x13'' baking pan.

  • Bake for 20 to 27 minutes or until the filling is set. The pecan bars are done when the edges are set and the center only slightly jiggles when the pan is moved.
  • Allow to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Overhead view of pecan pie bars cut into squares.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Once baked and cooled, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Allow to cool completely, cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.

More recipes using Pecans:

Pecan Pie

Apple Pecan Salad

Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Pecan Topping

Caramel Pecan Apple Crisp

Sweet Potato Casserole

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Recipe

Two pecan pie bars stacked on top of each other.
Prep 2 hours
Cook 45 minutes
Total 2 hours 45 minutes
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Ingredients
  

For the Crust

For the topping:

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar , packed
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 3 1/2 cups pecans , chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Shortbread Crust:

  • Add butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
  • Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the mixing bowl. Mix just until dough is combined. 
  • Flour your hands and press the dough evenly into 9x13'' baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is set but not browned.
    Shortbread dough pressed into a baking pan.

Pecan Topping:

  • Add butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and stir until butter is melted.  
  • Bring to a slow boil and boil for 3 minutes.
    A boiling mixture of butter, brown sugar and cornstarch, in a saucepan.
  • Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream and chopped pecans.  Pour over the crust and smooth into an even layer.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling is set. The pecan bars are done when the edges are set and the center only slightly jiggles when the pan is moved.
  • Allow to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: Once baked and cooled, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions: Allow to cool completely, cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 286mgPotassium: 199mgFiber: 3gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 935IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1.9mg

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Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

I originally shared this recipe October 2015. Updated October 2020.

Pecan Bars recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Hoping to increase the score when done. I didn’t have a metal 9×11 so I used a casserole dish and a small meatloaf pan.
    The meatloaf pan finished cooking the base as stated in the recipe. The baking dish however, looked like a buttery potatoe casserole. I switch that one, thank god for parchment paper, onto a cookie sheet to finish baking. It seems to be working. Will come back and give a final rating.

    I have loved every recipe on this site so far and doubt this will e any different. But I did want to let peop,e know, the metal pan is not replaceable.

  2. 5 stars
    Lauren – If I could give these pecan bars 10 stars I would. My enjoyment of pecan pie is pretty intense – and I honestly didn’t think anything could rival it, but these pecan bars are everything.

    My tweaks: I added cinnamon to both the dough and the filling (because cinnamon is life) – and I didn’t have light Karo syrup but I DID have a bottle of Lyle’s Golden Syrup which is pretty much the same thing. If it makes a difference in flavor, I wouldn’t know. I’m curios though whether you COULD make these with dark Karo, which I think often has more flavor (and it’s why I don’t ever have light in my house). Any thoughts, Lauren?

  3. 5 stars
    These were SOO good! Chewy and soft and just the right flavor. I might even like these better than my favorite pecan pie.

    1. Yes, they freeze very well! Let them come to room temperature, cut them in squares and store them in a freezer ziplock bag.

  4. We loved this recipe!! But I did something different then you. The cup of butter in the pecan topping I browned. I love anything browned butter so this just made this recipe extra magical. I highly recommend it!

  5. I wish you could sell and ship your Pecan and Toffee Chocolate Chip Bars. They look so amazing! I just rarely have any time to create awesome snacks like this, or I would do it quite often!