Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars

No ratings yet

A buttery shortbread crust topped with a rich, gooey pecan pie filling loaded with semisweet chocolate chips, baked in a 9x13 pan and cut into 16 generous bars. All the flavor of a classic pecan pie with none of the pie crust stress, and honestly better for it. Perfect for holidays, bake sales, or any day you need something that makes people stop and ask for the recipe.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 474kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

9x13-Inch Rectangular Baking Pan

Ingredients

For the crust

1 cup unsalted butter softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt

For the filling

3 large eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup light brown sugar packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups pecans chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour and salt until crumbly.
Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
While the crust bakes, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips.
Pour the filling evenly over the hot crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and slightly puffed.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars, at least 2 hours at room temperature.

Notes

1. Cool completely before cutting. I know. The kitchen smells unbelievable and every instinct you have is telling you to cut in right now. Do not do it. The filling needs a full 2 hours at room temperature to set properly. If you are in a hurry, 1 hour in the refrigerator will get you there. A warm bar is a crumbling bar, and a crumbling bar is a sad bar.
2. Press the crust firmly and evenly into the pan. The shortbread needs to be packed down well to bake into a solid, cohesive base that holds up under the filling. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a glass to smooth it out. A loosely pressed crust is a crumbly crust, and you will feel it when you try to lift those bars out cleanly.
3. Line your pan with parchment paper and leave an overhang on all sides. This is the move that makes lifting the bars out of the pan clean and effortless. Once the bars are fully cooled, you simply grab the parchment on both sides and lift the whole slab out in one piece onto a cutting board. No digging, no broken corners, no first bar sacrificed to the pan gods. Grease the pan before laying the parchment down so it stays in place while you press in the crust.
4. These are even better on day two. Make them the day before you need them if you can. The filling firms up overnight and the flavors settle into each other in a way that freshly baked bars just cannot match. Store covered at room temperature and try to resist eating them all before your guests arrive.

Nutrition