Bourbon pecan pie bars – your favourite pecan pie bite-sized! Enjoy the sweet, boozy, delicious flavours of pecan pie minus all the challenges of making one.
(Can’t get enough of pecan desserts? Try pecan pie cheesecake bars, chocolate chip pecan cookies and banana bread with pecans. So good!)
It’s November and the holiday baking season is in full swing. Technically however, the baking frenzy at our house started early because Canadian Thanksgiving happens in October (lots of people are surprised to know this!).
American Thanksgiving is coming up though and to celebrate with my American friends, from now until then I will share some amazing desserts that are not only delicious but also a breeze to make.
Let’s start with these bourbon pecan pie bars. The name says it all – boozy, sweet, nutty (i.e. tasting like nuts and not insane…though, can also mean insanely good)! And you can make them quicker than you can say pie.
Shortbread crust
The crust I used here is the same crust I used for my favourite lemon bars. It’s tender but sturdy enough to hold the filling on top. It’s also the right amount of sweetness to complement the bourbon pecan topping.
Related: Pumpkin Pecan Muffins with Pecan Streusel Topping
Scrumptious golden syrup
Next I used golden syrup
instead of the usual corn syrup. Have you heard of it? I first tasted it when I made my treacle tart and oh my word I was hooked. It is fantastic.
I think it’s more widely known in the U.K. and not so much in North America but it is available.
It has a very distinct taste. It’s sweet but doesn’t taste like honey or maple syrup. It’s a little hard to describe suffice it to say it is good.
You can use corn syrup in this recipe but if you get the chance, grab a bottle of golden syrup you won’t regret it!
Bourbon or no bourbon?
You can also choose to leave out the bourbon here but it’s the holidays! I say go for it.
It adds to the awesomeness of every bite. It won’t be so boozy that you’d get drunk but I promise it will be yummy.
Related: Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone Cream & Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce
Bourbon pecan pie bars
And did I mention this is a breeze to make? Watch the video and see how easy!
You have no pie crust to worry about – no chilling, no rolling, no crimping. You can enjoy all the goodness of pecan pie without all the hassle.
So this Thanksgiving, serve some bourbon pecan pie bars and spend more time with your guests instead of in the kitchen!
Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Bourbon Pecan Pie Topping:
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar tightly packed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup golden syrup you can substitute corn syrup
- 4 pcs large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 2 cups pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
For the Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper with a slight overhang on each side. Set aside.
- Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat all ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal. Do not over beat. You’ll know you’re done when no big chunks of butter remain.
- Press evenly and firmly onto the bottom of your pan (make sure the crust is packed tightly and evenly so you won’t have to deal with a possible seeping situation later).
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges start turning a light golden brown.
- Take out of the oven while you work on your filling. Do not turn oven off.
For the Bourbon Pecan Pie Topping:
- Put all ingredients in a large bowl except the pecans. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add the pecans and stir.
- Transfer onto your prepared crust and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted close to the edge comes out with minimal dry crumbs. Cool in the pan before slicing into bars.
Video
Notes
- The yield depends on how big you slice the bars. These are very rich so a little goes a long way. We’ve found slicing them into 40 squares results to perfect bite-size pieces but you can slice them bigger if you like.
- In the ingredient list above, I put 2 cups of pecans but feel free to add more. I usually use between 2 and 2 ½ cups of nuts to cover my whole pan.
- We store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge. It is absolutely delightful chilled!
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Happy baking!
Did you make pecan bars? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
Carol Cassara
This looks so good and it’s perfect for the cold weather! I’m sure it’s so much better when you have it with your favorite cup of tea or hot beverage!
Jolina
I love it with tea, in the morning, as an afternoon snack or after dinner! 🙂
Blair villanueva
Absolutely delectable, and i wish it would pop out on my screen so I could eat them all. Hahaha.
Can I grab your recipe?
Ellie Chan
ooh wow these look and sound so delicious! I’ve never tried pecan bars before. We had our Thanksgiving in Canada in October, hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving later this month!
Adriana
I am a pecan lover I actually enjoy a lot a good pecan pie slice and this bars are calling my name. Wish I could try one now with my coffee. This dessert looks perfect for fall entertaining too.
Vee
I like your recipe. It is easy and quick. I am going to make this for the next potluck coming soon. Lucky, I didn’t have to look around for a thanksgiving themed dessert recipe!
Akamatra
I don’t have to tell you your photographs are awesome! They make me want to reach and have a piece of this delicacy!
Charlotte
wow I don’t think I have ever tried bourbon pecan but my husband is interested in this recipe now!
Angela Tolsma
I love shortbread crusts! They are my favorite kind to make, I never would have thought to add bourbon to a recipe like this. I do something similar just without the bourbon and nuts.
Stephany Bissonette
These look absolutely delightful! I think I need to make a trip to the store now lol
Marisa Franca
I believe this would make a great substitute for pecan pie. It makes more and it certainly is easier to cut. I like how the pecans and sugar make a nice crunchy top. This will be a fantastic recipe during the holidays.
Andrea
I have one question – I can not use any kind of liquor – what can I substitute?
Jolina
Hi Andrea. Here’s a great discussion I found on that: http://www.thekitchn.com/ideas-for-a-nonalcoholic-alternative-to-bourbon-good-questions-185461
Deborah Regen
Wow, this sounds soooo good. I only allow myself to eat pecan pie once a year, at Thanksgiving. It is so rich and sinful, and I try hard to watch my calories. But it is hard to resist on a holiday were it is kind of a tradition. This is a different take on the regular pecan pie, I will have to try it one day.
Jeanine
yum these look and sound DELICIOUS! I am a huge fan of both pecan and shortbread so this sounds like the combo for me! I must give these a try!
Gloria
Well I really need to make these for hubby. He loves bourbon. I don’t drink it…but I do cook and bake with it….LOVE the aroma. These are like a cross between a pie and a tart….so yummy!!
Jolina
I love baking with alcohol. I don’t what it is about it lol…and yes, these would make your kitchen smell wonderful. Hope you’re having a lovely Sunday Gloria!
Janella Panchamsingh
Yum, I love bars! and these look so good. especially with the bourbon in it