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Easy Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars

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These maple bourbon pecan pie bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a gooey maple-bourbon filling, and crunchy pecans. They’re easier than traditional pecan pie and perfect for holidays or any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup pure maple syrup (Grade A Dark Amber recommended)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 3 tablespoons bourbon (e.g., Bulleit or Maker’s Mark)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecan halves or chopped pecans

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 two opposite sides. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Make the shortbread crust: In a food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Pulse to mix. Add cold butter cubes and pulse until mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces. Do not over-process.
  3. Press the crust mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to compact it. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are lightly golden and surface looks dry. Set aside to cool. Leave oven on.
  4. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Do not over-whisk.
  5. Spread pecan halves evenly over the warm crust. Pour the filling over the pecans, covering them completely. Gently nudge any floating pecans into an even layer.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. If edges brown too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  7. Cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. The filling needs time to set.
  8. Use parchment overhang to lift bars out of the pan. Slice into squares using a sharp knife (run under hot water and wipe between cuts for clean slices).

Notes

For clean slices, refrigerate bars for 30 minutes before cutting. Bars taste even better the next day. For a non-alcoholic version, replace bourbon with 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon rum extract.

Nutrition

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

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