Ooey Gooey, Easy Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
These Ooey Gooey, Easy Pecan Pie Bars feature a buttery, tender crust topped with a luscious pecan and toffee filling. Combining sweetened condensed milk, dark corn syrup, and maple syrup with crunchy pecans and English toffee bits, this dessert is wonderfully rich and perfect for sharing. Baked to golden perfection and cooled to set, these bars deliver all the classic pecan pie flavors in an easy-to-eat form.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 60 minutes (including cooling time)
- Yield: 12-16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cold & cut into cubes/pats
Filling
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup dark corn syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (vanilla bean paste recommended)
- 1 (8-ounce) package English toffee bits (such as Heath brand, milk chocolate variants can be used)
- 2 cups roughly chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by coating it with non-stick spray, then line it with parchment paper for easier removal and cleanup.
- Make the crust: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and powdered sugar, mixing well. Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat them with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut and smear the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand with no large butter chunks remaining.
- Press and bake crust: Transfer the crust mixture into the prepared pan. Use your hand or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to press the mixture firmly and evenly across the pan’s bottom. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the crust turns lightly golden. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly while preparing the filling; keep oven temperature unchanged.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, dark corn syrup, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla essence until smooth and fully combined. Gently fold in the English toffee bits and chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
- Assemble and bake the bars: Pour the pecan filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Use an offset spatula to spread the filling uniformly. Tap the pan gently on the countertop to release any air bubbles. Return the pan to the oven and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is mostly set but still has a slight wiggle in the center.
- Cool and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely for at least 4 hours. For the best texture and clean slicing, refrigerate the bars overnight before cutting into squares. Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- For best results, ensure the butter is very cold when preparing the crust to achieve a sand-like texture.
- Using parchment paper helps in easy removal and cleaner slicing of the bars.
- Do not overbake the filling; it should still have a slight jiggle to maintain that ooey gooey texture.
- You can substitute English toffee bits with chopped milk chocolate toffee or skip if unavailable.
- Bars are best sliced the day after baking to allow them to set fully for clean cuts.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days; refrigeration is optional but can extend freshness.
Keywords: pecan pie bars, easy pecan bars, pecan dessert bars, toffee pecan bars, holiday dessert, pecan pie recipe, ooey gooey bars
Find it online: https://cookwithruby.com/ooey-gooey-easy-pecan-pie-bars-recipe/
