Brown Butter Pecan Pie Bars
These Brown Butter Pecan Pie Bars deliver all the cozy, nutty richness of a pecan pie without the fuss. With a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread base and maple-sweetened filling, they’re nostalgic, shareable, and irresistibly good.
Equipment
- Light-colored saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
- 9×13 inch metal baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- Whisk
Ingredients
Brown Butter Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Pecan Pie Topping
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar packed
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs beaten, at room temperature
- 3 cups chopped pecans
- flaky sea salt optional, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×13-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang.
- In a light-colored pan, melt butter over medium heat until golden and nutty. Transfer to a heat-safe bowl, scraping browned bits.
- Mix in sugar, water, vanilla, and salt. Stir in flour and cornstarch until combined into a dough.
- Press crust into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside.
- In the same pan, heat maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cream. Stir until smooth, then cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in eggs, then fold in chopped pecans.
- Pour pecan mixture over warm crust. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if using.
- Bake for 25–28 minutes, until set and slightly crackled. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Let bars cool fully before slicing for clean cuts. For extra flavor, lightly toast pecans before mixing into the filling.