Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are the ultimate shortcut to all that gooey, nutty, caramelized goodness you crave from classic pecan pie—without the fussy crust rolling or fancy lattice work! These bars feature a buttery shortbread base, a rich pecan filling loaded with chocolate chips, and that signature shiny top that makes pecan pie so irresistible.

Love More Pecan Pie Desserts? Try My Pecan Pie Cheesecake or this Pecan Pie Cobbler with Vanilla Whipped Cream next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Rich, gooey, and full of nutty sweetness, these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are a decadent twist on the classic dessert. With a buttery shortbread crust, a luscious chocolate-pecan filling, and a hint of caramel flavor, every bite melts in your mouth. Perfect for holidays or special occasions, they’re an irresistible treat everyone will love.

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Ingredient List

For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

For the Filling:

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional for Serving:

• Flaky sea salt for finishing
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Why These Ingredients Work

Brown sugar makes the crust chewy and keeps it from being too crumbly. First time I made these I didn’t have brown sugar so I used white sugar and they were dry as hell, kind of gritty. Had to throw out half the batch. The corn syrup is what makes it pecan pie instead of just some random nut bar. That’s where the sticky, glossy, sweet thing comes from. My neighbor tried making them with agave nectar because she’s on some health kick and they tasted like weird health food. Not in a good way. I chop up the pecans because if you use whole ones they all sink to the bottom or float to the top, I can’t remember which, but either way it’s annoying and you don’t get pecans evenly throughout. Chocolate chips melt into the filling while it bakes and create these little chocolate pockets. Sometimes I use whatever chocolate I have laying around. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, doesn’t really matter. I’ve even used those mini chips before when that’s all I had. Worked fine.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking pan – Has to be this size or the timing’s all wrong
• Parchment paper – Buy the sheets that are already cut, so much easier
• Electric mixer or hand mixer – Mine’s ancient but still works
• Large mixing bowl – Any big bowl works
• Whisk – Or a fork, I’ve used both
• Wire cooling rack – Or your stove grates if they’re not hot

How To Make Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven

Turn the oven to 350. Take your pan and grease it good—I use butter but the spray stuff works too. Cut parchment paper so it fits in the bottom and comes up the sides on two ends, maybe two inches of overhang. This is how you get them out later without destroying everything.

Step 2: Make the Shortbread Crust

Throw flour, brown sugar, salt in a bowl. Add your butter—needs to be soft, like if you poke it with your finger it should make a dent but not feel greasy or melted. Mix it with your mixer until it looks like chunky wet sand. Takes a minute or two. Dump it in your pan and press it down with your hands. Get it flat and even, especially in the corners where it wants to be thick.

Step 3: Par-Bake the Crust

Put it in the oven 12 to 15 minutes. Should be firm when you poke it and starting to turn a little golden on the edges. Not brown though. Take it out when it’s done but keep the oven on.

Step 4: Whisk Together the Filling

While the crust bakes, crack three eggs in another bowl. Dump in the sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, melted butter. Whisk it until it’s smooth and there’s no lumps. Maybe a minute of whisking.

Step 5: Add the Good Stuff

Pour in the pecans and chocolate chips. Stir it around. Gets really thick and chunky. That’s right.

Step 6: Assemble and Bake

Soon as you take that crust out of the oven, pour the filling on top. Don’t wait around. Do it while the crust is still hot. Use a spoon to spread it so it’s even. Put the pan back in the oven 25 to 30 minutes. It’s done when the middle doesn’t look wet and it barely moves when you shake the pan. Should be shiny and puffed up on top.

Step 7: Cool Completely

Take it out and set it on the counter or a cooling rack. Now you wait. At least two hours. I know it sucks. If you cut into them before they’re completely cool, the filling runs everywhere and they look like garbage. I’ve done this probably eight times because I’m impatient and people are hungry and I think “oh it’s been an hour and a half, that’s close enough.” It’s not. Wait the full two hours. Or cool them for 30 minutes then stick them in the fridge for another 30 or 45 minutes.

You Must Know

Pour the filling on the hot crust. I thought you were supposed to let it cool first and the bottom turned out soggy and weird. Has to be hot. Also seriously wait until they’re completely cool before cutting. The filling sets up as it cools down. I know this and I still cut into them too early sometimes because I have no self control. Then I’m mad at myself when they’re all messy.

Personal Secret: I toast the pecans before I chop them. Spread them on a pan and stick them in while the oven’s heating up, maybe 7 minutes. They get this deeper flavor that’s way better than raw pecans.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Use parchment paper that hangs over the sides or you’ll be prying these out with a knife and they’ll look terrible. With parchment you just lift the whole thing out and cut nice squares.
• Butter has to be soft but not melted. Soft means you can press your thumb into it but it’s not shiny or greasy. Too soft and the crust gets weird. Too hard and it won’t mix right.
• I always put more salt in the filling even though the recipe doesn’t say to. The crust has salt but the filling barely has any and they end up too sweet. I add maybe a quarter teaspoon, sometimes more. My husband says I ruin them with extra salt but he still eats four of them so whatever.
• Middle should still move just a tiny bit when they’re done. Like it’s almost set but not quite. They keep cooking after you take them out. Overbake them and they’re dry.
• Get some fancy flaky salt and sprinkle it on top before you serve them. Looks impressive and cuts the sweetness. I started doing this after I had them at some bakery and the lady told me that was her trick.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Dark and Moody: Dark corn syrup instead of light. More molasses taste, not as sweet, darker color. My dad eats these and says the light corn syrup ones are for children. He’s dramatic but they are really good with dark corn syrup.

Toffee Crunch: Had leftover toffee bits from some cookies I made last year and threw them in with the chocolate chips. Oh man. So good. The toffee melts and gets crunchy at the same time. Make these if you have toffee bits sitting around.

Dark Chocolate Dream: Use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet. My sister does this every time because she thinks regular chocolate chips are too sweet. I think she’s insane but they do taste more sophisticated or whatever.

Bourbon Pecan: Uncle Ray puts bourbon in his, two tablespoons. Makes them every Derby day. People lose their minds over them. Very Kentucky thing to do.

Gluten-Free Option: Made these gluten-free like six times for my cousin Amy who has celiac. King Arthur gluten-free flour works perfectly. Couldn’t tell any difference between regular and gluten-free. Bob’s Red Mill works too.

Make-Ahead Options

These are way better the next day. Something happens overnight, the flavors get stronger or blend together better or something. I don’t know why but it’s true. Now I make them the day before I need them on purpose. You can make just the crust, press it in the pan, cover it with foil, stick it in the fridge overnight. Bake it the next day. Or make the whole thing two days ahead and leave them on the counter covered. They’re fine for three or four days depending on how hot your house is.

Always have these in my freezer. Wrap them separately in plastic wrap, throw them in a freezer bag. Last for months. I made a double batch in September and I’m still eating them. Just take one out in the morning and it’s ready by afternoon.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Has to be a 9×13 pan. Different size means different baking time and I can’t help you figure that out. Tried these in an 8×8 once and they were so thick it took like 50 minutes and the edges were burnt by the time the middle was done. Disaster.
• Use parchment even if your pan is nonstick. Corn syrup bakes onto the pan and you’ll be scrubbing it forever. Trust me.
• Get your eggs out of the fridge while you make the crust so they warm up. Cold eggs don’t mix as well. I forget half the time and they turn out okay anyway but it’s better if you remember.
• Look underdone when you first take them out. First couple times I made these I put them back in because I panicked. Don’t do that. They firm up a ton while cooling.

Serving Suggestions

These bars are pretty perfect on their own, but here’s how I love to serve them:

Party perfect: Serve at room temperature on a pretty platter—they hold up great and don’t need refrigeration for several hours

Classic style: Room temperature with a cup of strong coffee or cold milk

À la mode: Slightly warmed (15 seconds in the microwave) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top

Fancy finish: With a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt

Holiday platter: Cut into small squares and arrange on a dessert tray with other bar cookies

How to Store Your Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Room Temperature: Put them in a container with a lid, leave on the counter. Good for three or four days unless your house is really hot. Summer without AC means they go in the fridge.

Refrigerator: Last about a week in the fridge in a covered container. Take them out 15 or 20 minutes before eating or they’re too cold and hard.

Freezer: Wrap each one in plastic wrap, put in a freezer bag. Good for three months minimum. I’ve eaten them after four months and they were fine. Thaw on the counter couple hours or overnight in the fridge.

Reheating: Ten seconds in the microwave. Or oven at 300 for five minutes. Don’t overheat or the chocolate gets weird and separated.

Allergy Information

Contains: Eggs, dairy (butter), tree nuts (pecans), wheat (gluten)

Egg-free: Can’t make these egg-free. Eggs hold the filling together. No way around it.

Dairy-free: Earth Balance butter sticks work instead of regular butter. Check your chocolate chips because some have milk. Ghirardelli semi-sweet don’t have milk I think.

Nut-free: Made these with sunflower seeds once for some school event where a kid was allergic to everything. They were weird. Edible but not great. If someone’s gonna have an allergic reaction though you gotta do what you gotta do.

Gluten-free: Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure. Both work great. Made these for my cousin a bunch of times, she can’t tell they’re gluten-free.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use pecan halves instead of chopped pecans?

You can but they all float to the top and sit there in one layer and it’s harder to cut. Chopped pecans spread throughout better. If you really want the look of halves, press a few on top before baking for decoration and chop the rest.

My filling didn’t set—what happened?

Needed more time in the oven probably. Should barely jiggle when you shake it, like almost-set Jell-O. Also did you let them cool all the way? They’re still setting while they cool. If you waited two full hours and they’re still loose, put them in the fridge an hour or two.

Do I really need to use parchment paper?

Technically no but you’ll regret it. Parchment lets you lift everything out and cut it on a cutting board. Without it you’re hacking them out with a spatula and they look like crap. Takes 30 seconds to line the pan.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Let me know if you make these. Did they work? Did you screw something up?