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Perfect Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars: Best Easy Recipe

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These maple bourbon pecan pie bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a rich bourbon-spiked filling, and toasted pecans in every bite. They’re easy enough for a Tuesday night yet impressive enough for a Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cold water (only if needed)
  • ¾ cup pure maple syrup (Grade A dark amber preferred)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon (Bulleit or Maker’s Mark recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. In a food processor, combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Pulse to mix. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter bits. If dry, add 1 tablespoon cold water and pulse once or twice. Press dough evenly into prepared pan. Prick all over with a fork. Bake for 15-18 minutes until edges are just golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Spread pecan halves on a baking sheet. Toast in the 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes, shaking halfway through. Let cool for 5 minutes, then roughly chop.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth (about 30 seconds). Do not over-whisk.
  5. Spread toasted chopped pecans evenly over the warm crust. Slowly pour the filling over the pecans. Let the pan sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
  6. Bake at 350°F for 22-26 minutes until filling is set around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center. If edges brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
  7. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely, at least 2 hours. Use parchment handles to lift the block onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares (6 rows by 4) with a sharp chef’s knife, wiping clean between cuts.

Notes

Don’t skip the fork pricks on the crust to prevent puffing. Let the filling rest for 5 minutes before baking to prevent separation. For clean cuts, cool completely and wipe knife between cuts. Bars taste even better on day two.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan pie bars, maple bourbon, shortbread crust, easy dessert, holiday dessert, Thanksgiving bars

Find it online: https://sunnysavory.com/perfect-maple-bourbon-pecan-pie-bars-best-easy-recipe/