Print

Lighter Brown Sugar Pecan Pie Bars with Easy Shortbread Crust

lighter brown sugar pecan pie bars - featured image
Print Recipe

These lighter brown sugar pecan pie bars with shortbread crust hit that sweet spot between indulgence and feeling good about what you’re eating. The shortbread crust is buttery and tender, the pecan topping is perfectly sweet and nutty, and the whole thing comes together without any fuss or fancy techniques.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (200g) pecan halves, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple inches overhang on the long sides.
  2. Make the shortbread crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, and salt together. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces still visible.
  3. Press the crust into the pan: Dump the crumbly mixture into your prepared pan and press it evenly into the bottom. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Chop the pecans: Roughly chop 2 cups of pecan halves. Leave a few halves whole for garnish if desired.
  5. Make the pecan topping: In a large bowl, whisk together the packed brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Fold in the chopped pecans.
  6. Pour the topping over the crust and spread evenly. Arrange whole pecan halves on top if using.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The topping should be set around the edges but still have a slight jiggle in the center.
  8. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. For cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 30 minutes after cooling.
  9. Lift the slab out using the parchment overhang, cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife, wiping clean between cuts.

Notes

Don’t overwork the crust dough. Room temperature eggs matter. Watch the bake time carefully. Let the bars cool completely before cutting. The bars taste even better the day after they’re made.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/lighter-brown-sugar-pecan-pie-bars-with-easy-shortbread-crust/