Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars
Love pecan pie but not the fuss of making a pie crust? These Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars pair a buttery shortbread crust with a gooey pecan filling made without corn syrup. Toasted pecans, browned butter, chocolate chips, and a splash of bourbon create rich, caramel-like flavor in every bite.
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 216kcal
Special Equipment
Ingredients
For the shortbread base
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) kosher salt
- ½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cubed
For the filling
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, browned, see Recipe Notes
- ⅓ cup (70 grams) dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 (50 grams) large egg, at room temperature
- 1 (14 grams) large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 grams) bourbon, optional, see Recipe Notes
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (55 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4½ ounces (125 grams) chocolate chips, semisweet or dark chocolate (¾ cup)
- ¾ cup (95 grams) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped, see Recipe Notes
- sea salt flakes, if desired
- powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 °F. Spray an 8-× 8-inch baking pan with baking spray, then line with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. If desired, use two medium binder clips to hold the parchment paper to the sides of the baking pan.
- Make the shortbread base: In the bowl of a stand mixture or a large bowl, whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, toss in ½ cup unsalted butter (softened) and beat until the dough clumps together.
- Transfer the shortbread dough to the prepared baking pan and press it evenly across the bottom and ¼-inch up the sides. To get the dough really flat, cover it with plastic wrap and smooth the top with a pie pan roller.
- Bake the shortbread crust for 15 minutes, until very pale golden. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
- Make the filling: In a saucepan with a heavy bottom, melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Continue cooking the butter until it turns dark amber and smells nutty, about 8 minutes. Alternatively, you can brown butter in the microwave in short burst on full power for about 3½ to 6½ minutes until the butter is dark amber (this depends on your microwave's power). Use a microwave safe bowl and lid to keep the butter from spattering, and be careful removing the bowl - it will be hot!
- Immediately transfer the butter to a large bowl and stir to cool. To speed the process, place the bowl in the freezer or in an ice bath (half water, half ice) for a few minutes. You want the butter to be just warm to the touch (about 90 °F on a digital thermometer).
- Add in ⅓ cup dark brown sugar and ⅓ cup granulated sugar into the cooled butter and stir until the mixture is smooth. Mix in 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon (if using), 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Add 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour and stir until the mixture is just combined. Finally, fold in 4½ ounces chocolate chips and ¾ cup pecans (toasted). The batter will be lighter in color and not as gooey as pecan pie filling would be, but that's fine.
- Pour the pecan batter over the par-baked crust and spread with a small offset spatula. If you'd like, lightly sprinkle the top with sea salt flakes before baking.
- Bake the bars for 20 to 25 minutes, until top is firm and golden brown. Transfer the bars to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely in the pan.
- Once cooled, transfer the slab from the pan to a cutting board using the parchment paper as a sling. Cut it into 2 x 2-inch squares or 1- x 2-inch bars. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
- Storage instructions: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for a week. You can also freeze the bars in an airtight bag for longer storage.
Recipe Notes
Browning the butter isn't strictly necessary, but since you need to melt the butter, browning it is just letting it cook for a little longer. The nuttiness browning butter just adds flavor! Also, you can brown butter in the microwave in short burst on full power, about 3½ to 6½ minutes. Use a microwave safe bowl and lid to keep the butter from spattering.
I like the spicy flavor the bourbon brings to the bar - the more you use (up to ¼ cup of bourbon), the more pronounced the flavor will be. Because we're not baking the pecan bars for a long time, not all the alcohol will bake out. This is an adults-only treat, and is not pregnancy- or kid-friendly. To make them safe, you can replace the bourbon with apple cider or leave it out and increase the vanilla to 1 tablespoon.
To toast whole or coarsely chopped pecans, bake them at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, then let them cool a bit. You can also use unsalted dry-roasted chopped pecans and skip the baking step entirely.
Make-ahead instructions: Pecan pie bars can be made ahead, which is especially helpful for holiday baking. A possible make-ahead holiday timeline can be:
- 3 Days Before: Toast pecans
- 2 Days Before: Bake bars
- Serving Day: Slice and plate
Nutrition
Serving: 1bars | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 341IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
Scan the QR code to find the online recipe or visit us at www.scotchandscones.com