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Easy Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars: Kid-Approved Budget Dessert

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These maple bourbon pecan pie bars feature a buttery shortbread crust and a rich, maple-kissed filling with a mix of pecans and walnuts. They’re budget-friendly, kid-approved, and ridiculously easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (170g) light corn syrup
  • ¼ cup (85g) pancake syrup
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
  • ½ cup (60g) pecans, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup (60g) walnuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces.
  3. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. Let cool on a wire rack.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together corn syrup, pancake syrup, and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in melted butter, vanilla extract, and bourbon (if using). Fold in chopped pecans and walnuts.
  5. Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust. Spread nuts evenly with a spatula.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until edges are set and center is just slightly jiggly.
  7. Let bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use parchment handles to lift the slab onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 bars with a sharp knife, wiping blade clean between cuts.

Notes

Don’t overbake the crust; it should be just barely golden. Let bars cool completely before cutting to prevent runny filling. Use room temperature eggs for smooth mixing. Toast nuts for extra flavor. For clean cuts, use a wet knife wiped dry between cuts. Bars taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan pie bars, maple bourbon, budget dessert, shortbread crust, kid-friendly, easy dessert, Thanksgiving dessert

Find it online: https://sunnysavory.com/easy-maple-bourbon-pecan-pie-bars-kid-approved-budget-dessert/