This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These small batch pecan pie bars have a buttery shortbread crust and a rich maple pecan filling, cut into squares. Made without corn syrup and baked in a small dish for just a few bars.
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Cool Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Equipment: 5×5-inch baking dish
- Cook Method: Oven
- Servings: 4 bars
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Buttery shortbread crust with a sweet maple pecan filling.
One small baking dish makes four pecan pie bars, enough to share or enjoy over a few days.
Why You’ll Love These Pecan Pie Bars
I first made these pecan pie bars for a friend who was going through a hard time. She lived alone, and I didn’t want to leave her with a huge tray of dessert to work through, so I made a small batch she could actually enjoy, just a few good bars I could bring over on a plate.
She loved them, and I realized a small batch of pecan pie bars was exactly the kind of thing people want more often, enough to enjoy, without a mountain of leftovers. That’s why I keep making them.
They’re a small batch, four bars from one dish, with a buttery shortbread crust and a rich maple pecan filling. They’re sweet and nutty without being over the top, made with maple syrup instead of corn syrup. You can cut them into squares and pick one up, or eat them with a fork, and they’re just as good the next day, so they’re easy to make ahead.
These are the kind of thing you bring to a small gathering or share with one other person. If you’d rather have your pecan pie on a plate, try my classic mini pecan pie or mini pecan pie without corn syrup.
Ingredients For Pecan Pie Bars
Here’s what you’ll need to make these small batch pecan bars without corn syrup. If you have any ingredients left over, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
For the shortbread crust
Butter: Salted butter gives the crust its flavor and holds it together as a sturdy base under the filling. Soften it but keep it cool, not melted, so it creams smoothly and presses into an even layer. Leave it on the counter about 30 minutes, or microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the crust and helps it bake into a firm, cookie-like base that stands up to slicing.
Flour: All-purpose flour is the backbone of the crust, giving it enough structure to hold its shape when you cut the bars into squares.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch softens the crust just enough to keep it tender under the filling.
Salt: A little salt balances the sweetness
For the maple pecan filling
Egg: The egg binds the filling so it sets firm enough to slice into bars.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the filling and helps it firm up as it bakes and cools. I use white sugar here to keep the maple flavor clean and bright.
Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is the sweetener, in place of the corn syrup most bars use. It gives the filling a warm, natural flavor. Use leftover syrup in my maple muffin for one or small batch maple granola.
Vanilla: Vanilla rounds out and warms the maple flavor.
Butter: Melted butter adds richness to the filling.
Salt: A little salt keeps the filling from tasting flat.
Flour: A spoonful of flour thickens the filling so it sets firm enough to cut into clean squares.
Pecans: Use coarsely chopped pecans. Chopping them helps the bars slice into clean squares. Use extra pecans in banana nut bread for one, small batch butter pecan syrup, or small batch cowboy cookies.
Recipe Variations
These easy pecan pie bars take well to a few simple changes once you’ve made the base recipe.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips into the filling with the pecans. The chocolate melts as the bars bake and adds a rich layer against the maple and pecans.
Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars
Add 1 teaspoon of bourbon to the filling for a warmer, deeper flavor. It bakes off, so what’s left is the taste, not the alcohol.
Salted Caramel Pecan Bars
Drizzle homemade caramel sauce over the cooled bars and sprinkle with flaky sea salt before slicing.
Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Bars
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour, in both the crust and the filling.
How To Make Small Batch Pecan Pie Bars
These step-by-step photos show you how to make the best pecan pie bars. For the exact amounts, see the recipe card below.
Make the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Butter a 5×5-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides so you can lift the bars out later.
- With a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar until blended. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt, and mix until the dough comes together.
- Press the dough firmly and evenly into the lined dish, using your fingertips or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
Make the filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until well combined.
- Whisk in the melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, flour, and salt until smooth.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Pour the filling evenly over the cooled crust, then set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the filling is set in the center.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight, so the bars firm up.
- Lift the bars out using the parchment, and cut into squares.
Expert Tips
Use the right size baking dish. A 5×5-inch dish gives you bars with the right thickness. A larger dish spreads the crust and filling thin, so they bake up flat and dry and won’t cut into proper squares.
Line the dish with parchment. Let the parchment hang over all the sides so you can lift the whole slab out in one piece to cut. It’s far easier to get clean squares on a cutting board than to cut them in the dish.
Bake the crust on its own first. Give it the full 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden before the filling goes on. Pre-baking keeps the shortbread firm under the filling.
Cool the bars completely, then chill before cutting. Let them come to room temperature first, then refrigerate for at least an hour. Chilling them while they’re still warm traps condensation and can make the crust soggy, and a cold, firm bar slices into much cleaner squares than a warm one.
Use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts. Wiping the blade clean after each cut keeps the filling from smearing down the sides of the next square.
Troubleshooting
Here are answers to the most common questions about making pecan pie bars, so yours turn out right every time.
Why is my pecan pie bar filling runny?
It’s underbaked. The filling needs to bake until the top is lightly browned and the center is set, not still liquid. If it’s runny, it needed more time in the oven. It also firms up as it cools, so let the bars cool fully before you decide, and they won’t cut into clean squares until they’re set.
Why won’t my pecan pie bars cut into clean squares?
They need to be fully cooled and chilled first. Warm bars drag and tear when you cut them. Let them cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least an hour so the filling firms up. Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts.
Why is my crust soggy?
The crust wasn’t pre-baked long enough, or the bars were chilled while still warm. Bake the crust on its own until lightly golden before the filling goes on, so it can stand up to the wet filling. And cool the bars completely before refrigerating, since chilling them warm traps condensation that softens the crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Because the filling is made with egg, refrigerate the bars once they’ve cooled. Covered in an airtight container, they keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes. Cool them completely, wrap them tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.
Yes. Bake them a day ahead, let them cool, then cover and refrigerate. They cut cleaner the next day, and making them ahead gives the filling time to set fully.
Chill the bars before cutting. Let them cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least an hour so the filling firms up. Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts.
Yes. Use ¼ cup of corn syrup in place of the maple syrup, and leave out the flour. The corn syrup sets the filling on its own, so you get the classic pecan pie bar flavor without the maple.
Yes. Double the ingredients and bake them in an 6×8-inch dish, then cut into more bars.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried these small batch pecan pie bars please let me know how you liked them by rating the recipe and telling me about them in the comment section below.
Small Batch Pecan Pie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 ½ tablespoons salted butter – softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the filling
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon salted butter – melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Butter a 5×5-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides so you can lift the bars out later.
- With a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar until blended. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt, and mix until the dough comes together.
- Press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the lined dish.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
Make the filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until smooth.
- Whisk in the melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, flour, and salt until fully combined.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Pour the filling evenly over the cooled crust, then set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the center is set.
Chill and cut
- Let the bars cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the filling firms up.
- Lift the bars out using the parchment, and cut into squares.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Although these bars were very good, it is a lot of work for 4 bars. Might as well make a larger recipe and freeze rest for another time.
I’m glad you enjoyed the bars! This recipe was created for those who prefer a smaller batch without leftovers, but it can definitely be doubled if you’d like to make extras to freeze for later.
I made this yesterday in my new, cute little red 5×5 dish! Got up this morning to check the bars out and the crust had become a gooey mess. Any idea what could have happened to it? It all looked right when I put it in the fridge to set overnight.
It sounds like a little extra moisture may have caused the crust to soften overnight. If the bars were refrigerated while still slightly warm, condensation can seep into the crust, so letting them cool completely at room temperature first really helps. The shortbread base also needs to be fully baked and lightly golden before adding the filling — since ovens can run differently and a 5×5 dish makes the bars thicker, sometimes just a couple of extra minutes in the oven will make the crust set more firmly.
I’ll definitely try them again. The flavor was great! Thanks for the help!
can I substitute raisins for pecans
I wouldn’t recommend substituting raisins for the pecans. The pecans provide structure and crunch that help the filling set, while raisins would soften and change the texture. I have seen raisin pies before, but those recipes usually include other ingredients to help the filling hold its shape, and they often use more raisins than the amount of pecans here. If pecans aren’t available, walnuts would be the best substitution.
Hi Just want to know why salted butter? Can we not use regular? Thannks
Many bakers prefer unsalted butter so they can control the exact amount of salt in a recipe. I’ve always used salted butter in my baking and still add the salt the recipe calls for. In most cases, unless a recipe uses a large amount of butter, the difference between salted and unsalted won’t change the outcome. It really comes down to personal preference, so use whichever you like best. If you’re limiting sodium, unsalted is the better option.
I’m not understanding the recipe. Do I butter the baking dish or the parchment paper? It looks so good and I want to try it! Thank you!
You’ll want to butter the baking dish so the parchment paper sticks to it. There’s no need to butter the parchment itself. I hope you enjoy the bars!
Good recipe.
Thank you!