You've just discovered your new favorite dessert. These Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are a must-make for the holiday season. And the best part? They're a perfect blend of classic pecan pie flavor and a simple chocolate dessert.
Combining flavors is my favorite thing about baking desserts. The semisweet chocolate chips and crunchy pecans are delicious and add depths of yumminess, making this the perfect treat. I always make sure that I have plenty of pecans on hand to make this dessert when the craving strikes.
Rest easy knowing that this chocolate pecan pie bars recipe is a breeze. Seriously. You only need simple ingredients you probably already have, and you'll be baking them in the oven and filling your house with craveworthy scents in no time at all.
Be sure to check out my Coconut Pecan Cookies and this Old Fashioned Pecan Brittle for even more fun pecan recipes!
Ingredients
Crust
- Butter - You can use salted or unsalted butter for this.
- Light brown sugar - Adds sweetness.
- White sugar - Adds another level of sweetness.
- Egg - Binds the ingredients together to form the crust.
- Vanilla extract - For vanilla flavor.
- Flour - I use all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder - Gives the crust texture.
- Salt - For added flavor. If you do use salted butter, omit adding extra salt.
Filling
- Light corn syrup - A must for that tackiness and stickiness that resembles pecan pie filling.
- Eggs - Large eggs are needed to bind the ingredients.
- Brown sugar - Adds sweetness.
- Salted butter - For flavor and texture.
- Vanilla extract - For an even more delicious flavor.
- Salt - For added flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips - You can use regular or mini size.
- Pecans - You can use pecan halves.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13-inch pan with parchment paper.
Step One: To make the crust for these easy chocolate pecan pie bars, cream the sugars and butter together in a medium bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs.
Step Two: Add the dry ingredients. Stir until wet crumbs form.
Step Three: Press the dough into the prepared pan. Spread it into an even layer over the bottom.
Step Four: To make the filling, add the pecans and chocolate chips to the crust.
Step Five: Mix the syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Drizzle the filling over the top of the chocolate chips and pecans.
Step Six: Put the pan in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Bake until the top is golden brown and the filling only jiggles slightly.
Step Seven: Let the mixture cool completely. You can chill it in the refrigerator to hasten the process.
Step Eight: Cut and serve.
Top Tip
I recommend letting these classic chocolate pecan pie bars come to room temperature before cutting. They'll stay together better and be less messy!
Substitutions
- Nuts - Even though I'm a huge fan of how these chocolate pecan bars are, you could use walnuts or other nuts in their place.
Variations
- Maple syrup - You can swap in some maple syrup for the corn syrup for more depth of flavor.
- Store-bought crust - If you don't want to make an easy shortbread crust for these dessert bars, you can use prepared pie dough from the grocery store.
See these Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars for another yummy dessert bar flavor!
Equipment
You just need a few simple pieces of equipment to make these pecan dessert bars. A mixer, a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, a 9X13-inch baking dish, measuring cups, and parchment paper should do the trick and help give the best results.
Storage
Once these bars are baked, let them cool to room temperature and then store any leftovers in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge.
You can also freeze these pecan bars for later. Just be sure that you use freezer-friendly bags or containers so that they don't get freezer-burnt.
Common Questions
Sure. Some cocoa powder would be fun to add for a darker coloring and a chocolate flavor. You can also use other flavors of chocolate chips, like white chocolate or butterscotch. It's up to your personal preference.
Mixing until coarse crumbs are formed is the key. This texture means that the crust will bind together nicely as it's being pressed into the bottom of the pan.
If the press-in crust is too dry, it will be crumbly and not stick together while baking.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Filling
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon salted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips mini or regular
- 1.5 cups pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment.
Crust
- Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients.
- Press in the prepared pan to form a crust.
Filling
- Add the chocolate chips and pecans to the crust.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is smooth.
- Drizzle the filling over the pecans and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the filling only jiggles slightly and the top is golden brown.
- Let cool completely.
Nutrition
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