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These easy pecan pie bars have a buttery shortbread crust and a bourbon-spiked, creamy filling topped with crunchy pecans and chocolate chips. The best part? These dessert bars are way quicker to make than an actual pecan pie!
If you love pecan pie (without the effort of making a full pie), try my mini pecan tarts, too!
Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars
These pecan pie bars spiked with bourbon and loaded with melty chocolate were inspired by my husband’s grandmother’s recipe for Kahlua pecan pie. I decided to swap the Kahlua out for bourbon, then halve the recipe to turn it into bars. The result? Ooey-gooey, sweet, and crunchy pecan pie dessert bars in a buttery shortbread crust. In other words, little slices of heaven!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
- They’re SO easy to make. The base is melt-in-your-mouth Walker’s Shortbread cookies and the pie filling is layered with chocolate chips and pecans. Unlike a full pecan pie which involves a bit of a time commitment, these bars are warm from the oven in 35 minutes.
- Rich, buttery flavors. If you love the sugary, creamy filling of a classic pecan pie, wait until you get a load of these pecan pie bars. I didn’t stop with your typical pecan pie filling. These bars are spiked with bourbon for a toasty, buttery twist. You’re welcome.
- Perfect for sharing. Have a potluck, holiday party, or occasion coming up that calls for a crowd-friendly dessert? These irresistible pecan pie bars bake up in a 9×13″ pan. They’re like a gooey pecan pie crossed with a pecan cookie! Perfect for slicing and sharing.
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients are super simple. Just one more reason to fall in love with this epic pecan dessert! Here are some quick notes on what you need. You’ll find a printable list of ingredients in the recipe card below the post.
- Shortbread Cookies – For the “pie” crust. I use Walker’s Pure Butter Shortbread Triangle Cookies and grind them into a fine crumb. It’s easy to do with a food processor, or you can crust the cookies the old-fashioned way using a freezer bag and a rolling pin.
- Bourbon – Bourbon whiskey adds delicious warmth to the bars and complements the other flavors perfectly. You can swap bourbon for brandy, or, if you’d prefer to make these bars without booze, go ahead and use whole milk (or 2%) instead.
- Evaporated Milk – Make sure to use unsweetened evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. They both come in cans and look similar on the store shelf, but they aren’t the same thing.
- Chocolate Chips – Use your favorite, whether that’s dark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate. Even chopped chocolate bars work here.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bars
These chocolate pecan pie bars take about 20 minutes to prepare. Let’s go over the easy steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Make the crust. Start by grinding the shortbread cookies into a fine crumb. Stir the crumbs with melted butter. Afterward, press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a parchment-lined baking pan. You’ll need to par-bake the crust at 400ºF for 10 minutes.
- Combine the filling. In a bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour until fluffy, then add the egg. Mix in bourbon, corn syrup, and evaporated milk. Finally, stir in the pecans and chocolate chips.
- Assemble and bake. Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Bake the bars at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes, until the filling is no longer jiggly and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Chill and serve. Let the bars cool for 3 hours, then refrigerate before cutting. Once they’re chilled, slice them up and dig in!
How Do I Know When My Pecan Pie Bars Are Done?
I’ve found that the best way to check these bars for doneness is to give the baking dish a little shake (be gentle and wear oven mitts!). The filling should be soft-baked, but it shouldn’t jiggle in the pan. Another way to check is by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bars. If it comes out clean, they’re ready to go!
Recipe Tips
While these pecan pie bars are a whole lot simpler to whip up than a homemade pie, these are a few tricks that will have these bars looking and tasting their best:
- Line the baking dish. I recommend lining the 9×13″ baking dish with parchment paper or a silicone mat. It makes the bars so much easier to remove when you’re ready to serve them.
- Par-bake the crust. Just like blind-baking a pie crust, par-baking the shortbread crust for just 10 minutes helps it firm up so that it doesn’t get soggy when you add the filling. Don’t skip this step!
- Chill the bars completely. The baked pecan pie bars will need at least 3 hours to fully set up, otherwise they risk crumbling when you cut them. I like to refrigerate mine to make sure they’re nice and firm.
- Wait to slice. Likewise, wait until the bars are fully chilled before slicing. If they’re too soft, you’ll end up with a gooey mess (and not the good kind).
How to Store Pecan Pie Bars
- Refrigerate. I recommend storing any leftover pecan pie bars in the fridge so they stay nice and firm. They’ll keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days. This also makes them a great dessert to make ahead.
- Freeze. Alternatively, wrap the bars tightly and freeze them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw them in the fridge and enjoy!
I’ve partnered with Walkers Shortbread to bring you this recipe. All opinions are my own.
More Pecan Recipes to Try
- Caramel Pecan Cheesecake
- Brown Sugar Pecan Cupcakes
- Maple Pecan Cookie Bars
- Maple Pecan Banana Muffins
Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 bars
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These easy pecan pie bars have a buttery shortbread crust and a bourbon-spiked, creamy filling topped with crunchy pecans and chocolate chips.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 4 boxes Walker Pure Butter Shortbread Triangle Cookies (5.3 oz)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/4 cup pecans
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Grind Walkers Shortbread into a fine crumb using a food processor or blender. Put crumbs in a microwave-safe bowl. Add butter and microwave for 45-60 seconds until butter is melted. Stir to coat shortbread cookies in butter. Press crust firmly into the bottom of the pan.
- Pre-bake crust for 10 minutes at 400°F.
- Combine butter, sugar, vanilla and flour in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy; 2-3 minutes. Add egg and continue beating until well combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add bourbon, corn syrup and evaporated milk and mix until all ingredients are blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Pour filling into pre-baked shortbread crust.
- Bake bars at 400° for 15-20 minutes until filling is set. Filling should not be jiggly but rather still a little soft. Use a toothpick to test the middle. If the toothpick is clean, the filling is baked through.
- Allow filling to set and cool for 3 hours and refrigerate before cutting.
- Category: Bars
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
