Small Batch Pecan Pie Bars

a single pecan pie bar on a white plate.

4.67 from 3 votes

These small batch pecan pie bars have a buttery shortbread crust and a rich maple pecan filling. Made without corn syrup, the recipe makes four bars from one small dish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Cool1

Total Time2

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: maple pecan bars, pecan pie bars, pecan pie bars without corn syrup, small batch pecan pie bars

Servings: servings

Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

5-inch baking dish

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

US - Metric

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

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.

If doubling the recipe, bake the bars in a 6x8-inch baking dish.

Nutrition

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