pecan pie bars
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 35 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Yield: 16 bars
Intensity: Moderate
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
For the Pecan Filling:
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
Instructions:
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Make the Crust:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and starts to hold together.
- Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
- Prepare the Pecan Filling:
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the light corn syrup, granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Stir in the chopped pecans until evenly distributed in the mixture.
- Assemble and Bake:
- Once the crust has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and pour the pecan filling evenly over the hot crust.
- Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set and the edges are golden brown.
- Cool and Slice:
- Remove the pecan pie bars from the oven and let them cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the dish. Place them on a cutting board and slice into bars or squares.
- Serve:
- Serve the pecan pie bars at room temperature or slightly warmed. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Optional:
- For added richness, you can drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled pecan pie bars before slicing.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat.
