Some foods have a way of evoking warmth, tradition, and happiness the moment they’re mentioned. For some people, the traditional pecan pie is all of the above. It’s stuffed to the brim with gooey filling and buttery crust, a holiday favorite. But for others who like to savor the flavor rather than creating tender pastry crusts, baking a whole pie from scratch intimidates them. The act involved mastering a pie crust, experimenting with temperatures, experimenting with finicky kneaded dough spills even experienced home bakers.
That is where the pecan pie bars enter the picture: a clever, simple redesign of the old pie, with the same comforting flavor but in a tidy, convenient form. The bars retain the same rich flavor as the original dessert but forego the hassle, making them a perfect option for parties, potlucks, or an evening in.
1. Why Pecan Pie Bars Work So Well
Pecan pie bars put the same caramelized filling, nutty texture, and buttery crust that make the regular dessert so great into a convenient bar form. Rather than rolling and crimping a regular crust, you press in a shortbread base. This is all made more convenient without losing flavor.
The Perfect New York Strip Steak
Equipment
- 1 Oven
- 1 Wire Rack Fitted over a rimmed baking sheet
- 1 Rimmed Baking Sheet
- 1 Cast-iron skillet Or other heavy-bottomed pan
- 1 Meat Thermometer Instant-read recommended
Ingredients
Main
- 2 New York strip steaks 1 lb each, 1½ to 2 inches thick
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 cloves garlic skin on
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
Instructions
- Roast the steaks at low heat: Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Season steaks generously with salt on all sides. Place steaks on a wire rack fitted over a rimmed baking sheet; this will ensure even airflow all around the steaks as they cook. Cook for 25–35 minutes, checking after 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F. (Note: Once the temperature reaches 80 degrees F, it will climb quickly.) For an accurate temperature, place the thermometer through the side into the center of the steak. When steak reaches 125 degrees F, let rest 10 minutes.
- Sear the steaks: Heat skillet over high heat. Add the oil and heat until smoking; then add the steaks. Cook for 1 minute, undisturbed. Flip steaks, drain off the fat, then cook another 1 minute, undisturbed. Meanwhile, gently smash the garlic cloves with the heel of your hand until you hear a crack, leaving the peels attached.Add 2 tablespoons of butter, garlic cloves, thyme, and rosemary to the skillet. Tilt the pan and continually baste the steaks with the hot butter as it browns and gets foamy. Take the pan off the heat as you baste if the butter is browning too quickly or the herbs and garlic are starting to burn. Add remaining tablespoon of butter; once the first side is well-browned, flip the steaks and continue basting—a French technique called arroser—until the butter is no longer foamy. (Once the steaks have been flipped, Chef Pandel continues basting with his pan entirely off the heat; you may need to do the same, depending on the variables of stove temperature, pan, and the steaks themselves.) When it's no longer foamy, the butter has done its job and the steaks should be well seared with a nice crust. Check the temperature of the steaks: for medium-rare, the internal temperature should be 125 degrees F–130 degrees F. Remove steaks to the rack to rest, about 10 minutes. Serve right away.
Notes
In addition to convenience, the bar format enhances portability and serving. No forks or plates are required just cut and serve. The result is just as rich, but with so much less distress in the kitchen.
2. The Life-Changing Brown Butter Shortbread Crust
Centering the bars is a press-in shortbread crust that brings joy to preparation instead of drudgery. Traditional pie crusts are delicious, certainly, but occasionally a hassle to work with requiring measurement carefully, to be developing just a little bit of their gluten, and to be refrigerated evenly. The shortbread base avoids all of that.
Pecan Pie Bars
Equipment
- 1 13x9 inch Baking Pan
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl
- 1 Pastry Blender or 2 Knives For cutting butter into flour
- 1 Whisk For mixing filling
Ingredients
Main
- 2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 14 oz. can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour and brown sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
- BAKE 10 to 15 minutes.
- COMBINE pecans, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and lemon juice in small bowl; pour over partially baked crust.
- BAKE 25 minutes or until filling is set. Cool. Cut into bars.
Notes
One of the definite positives about this crust is the incorporation of brown butter. Instead of using simply melted butter, browning it introduces those deep toasted, nutty undertones that add depth of flavor. The Maillard reaction accomplishes this and makes good crust great. It’s a subtle detail with huge reward, adding a richness that plain butter can’t. For ideal shortbread texture, butter should be cold and in small cubed shape. These cold pieces retain their shape when blending, making very small steam bubbles upon cooking, giving the resulting shortbread a crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth texture. If it is not possible to keep butter cold, freezing and shredding it straight into the flour is a useful short cut.
3. Clever Assembly, Simple Methods
The crust forms rapidly. Mix together flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in cold butter until coarse crumbs form. Press this in an even layer into a pan lined with parchment paper so the paper comes up over the pan’s edges. These “handles” allow the finished bars to lift clean and neat a trick that makes a big difference in appearance and convenience.
Pecan Pie
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie pan
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Medium Saucepan
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl (or Food Processor)
Ingredients
Main
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter 1 stick, diced
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- Flour for rolling the dough
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups chopped toasted pecans
- 1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Make the dough by hand: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-sized bits of butter. (If the flour/butter mixture gets warm, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before proceeding.) Add the egg and stir the dough together with a fork or by hand in the bowl. If the dough is dry, sprinkle up to a tablespoon more of cold water over the mixture.
- Alternatively, make the dough in a food processor. With the machine fitted with the metal blade, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-sized bits of butter, about 10 times. Add the egg and pulse 1 to 2 times; don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine. (If the dough is very dry add up to a tablespoon more of cold water.) Remove the bowl from the machine, remove the blade, and bring the dough together by hand.
- Form the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges, leaving about an extra inch hanging over the edge. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thick edge that is even with the rim. Flute the edge as desired. Freeze the pie shell for 30 minutes.
- Set separate racks in the center and lower third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Put a piece of parchment paper or foil over the pie shell and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake on a baking sheet on the center rack until the dough is set, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift sides of the parchment paper to remove the beans. Continue baking until the pie shell is lightly golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- While the crust is baking make the filling: In medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and stirring constantly, continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts, bourbon, and the vanilla. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. (If the crust has cooled, return it to the oven for 5 minutes to warm through.) Whisk the beaten eggs into the filling until smooth. Put the pie shell on a sheet pan and pour the filling into the hot crust.
- Bake on the lower oven rack until the edges are set but the center is still slightly loose, about 40 to 45 minutes. (If the edges get very dark, cover them with aluminum foil half way during baking.) Cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or room temperature.
Notes
In order to prevent a soggy bottom crust following filling addition, parbaking of the crust is necessary. A 15–20 minute fast bake does this, dries it out and seals it from moisture within the pecan filling. This preserves the final product with that all-critical crisp bottom crunch to gooey top finish.
4. The Science Behind the Perfect Filling
As soon as the crust is prepared, focus turns to the rich filling. Prepared with pantry items corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt the similar ingredients are magical when paired together. Each of the ingredients plays a crucial part:
- Corn syrup provides chewiness and inhibits sugar crystallization, so the texture is smooth and glossy.
- Brown sugar adds molasses taste and moisture.
- Eggs serve as binders so the filling sets tightly.
- Vanilla extract adds warmth and depth.
- Salt cuts and balances sweetness.
Pecan Pie
Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls One large for crust, one medium for filling
- 1 Pastry Blender For cutting butter and shortening into flour
- 1 Rolling Pin For rolling out the pie crust
- 1 9-inch pie pan Standard size for this recipe
- 1 Whisk For mixing the filling ingredients
Ingredients
Main
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup vegetable shortening or lard
- 3/4 cup salted butter cut into pieces
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup corn syrup light or dark
- 1/3 cup melted salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 whole eggs beaten
- 1 cup heaping chopped pecans
Instructions
- First, whip up the pie crust: Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the vegetable shortening and salted butter. Work the butter into the flour using a dough cutter until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles.
- Add the egg, 5 tablespoons cold water and the white vinegar. Stir until just combined. Divide the dough in half and chill until needed. (You will only need one half for this recipe, reserve the other half for another use.)
- Next make the filling: Mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and eggs together in a bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out one dough half on a lightly floured surface to fit your pie pan. Pour the pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Pour the syrup mixture over the top. Cover the top and crust lightly/gently with foil.
- Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and then continue baking for 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans. The pie should not be overly jiggly when you remove it from the oven (though it will jiggle a bit). If it shakes a lot, cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 minute or until set. Required baking time seems to vary widely with this recipe. Sometimes it takes 50 minutes, sometimes it takes 75!
- Allow to cool for several hours or overnight. Serve in thin slivers.
Notes
As for the pecans themselves, halves vs. chopped pieces is an aesthetic vs. texture consideration. Chopped pecans ensure even coverage all over, whereas halves make a lovely mosaic on top. However your taste, be sure to measure the three cups of pecans before chopping for balanced proportions.
5. Baking and Cooling: The Final Most Important Steps
Pour the filled pastry over the hot, parbaked crust and bake for an additional 30–35 minutes. It’s done when the center is set and the top golden brown. Meanwhile, the eggs thicken and the sugars caramelize, sealing in the classic gooey texture.
The Thin
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 2 Baking Sheets
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Ice cream scooper #20 disher for consistent size
- 2 Mixing Bowls One large, one medium
Ingredients
Main
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 2 ounces milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- Ice cream scooper #20 disher, to be exact
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheets
- Mixer
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Combine the egg, milk, and vanilla and bring to room temperature in another bowl.
- Cream the butter in the mixer's work bowl, starting on low speed to soften the butter. Add the sugars. Increase the speed, and cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed and add the egg mixture slowly. Increase the speed and mix until well combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for more even browning.
- Remove the cookies from the pans immediately. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.
Notes
Here patience comes in. The bars should cool down totally prior to refrigerating. Pre-maturely cutting will result in spilling and collapsing of filling. Suitable chilling is for setting structure to enable clean cutting. After chilling through, bring the bars to room temperature for a short time before serving this allows their full flavor to bloom magnificently beautifully.
6. Expert Tips to ELEVATE the Experience
To excel at these bars and make them your own flavor, think of the following additions and changes:
- Grating frozen butter into flour guarantees a cold consistent dough and ideal shortbread consistency. It’s particularly useful if your kitchen becomes warm.
- Parchment sling makes removal and cutting easier, ensuring presentation and use are improved.
- Watch the parbake time carefully golden edges suggest a set crust but not an overcooked one.
These thoughtful touches are the product of rigorous recipe testing and contribute to produce consistent, repeatable success.
7. Creative Changes to Make It Your Own
The classic version is terrific, but some of the charm of this recipe is that it adapts so easily to change:
- Swap syrups: Replace maple syrup or honey and corn syrup blend for a different flavor path.
- Spiced crust: Mix in ¾ tsp of warm spices such as cinnamon into the crust for a fall flavor variation.
- Chocolate infusion: Stir in ½ cup of chocolate chunks with the pecans or drizzle melted chocolate over cooled bars for a richer indulgence.
- Nut substitutes: Replace walnuts, cashews, or blanched peanuts with pecans for a variation.
- Bourbon kick: Add 3 tbsp of bourbon to the filling for a celebratory rich flavor.
Every modification adds depth without compromising the integrity of the dessert.
8. Storing and Freezing Made Easy
These bars store well and are ideal for making ahead. Because of the egg-rich filling, refrigerate once they reach room temperature. Use an airtight container or double-wrap the pan in plastic wrap. Stored properly, they stay fresh for up to three days.
Oatmeal, Cranberry and Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer Fitted with a paddle attachment for efficient creaming and mixing.
- 2 Baking Sheets Standard half-sheet size is ideal for baking cookies evenly.
- 1 Parchment Paper To line baking sheets for easy release and cleanup.
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl For whisking dry ingredients.
- 1 Cookie Scoop A 4-ounce scoop ensures consistent cookie size.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 4-ounce 60 percent cacao bittersweet chocolate bar (recommended: Ghirardelli), chopped into 1/4-inch chunks
Instructions
- Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the flour mixture. Add the oats, cranberries and chocolate chunks. Mix until just incorporated (dough will be stiff). Using a 4-ounce cookie scoop, scoop slightly rounded mounds of the dough into 12 (2-inch-diameter) balls. Arrange 6 balls of dough, spaced evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, flatten the tops slightly and bake until the cookies are slightly golden on the edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
Freezing is another convenient option. Cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Use parchment between layers to prevent sticking. They’ll keep well for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and enjoy homemade goodness anytime.
