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Cozy Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars

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These cozy maple bourbon pecan pie bars are everything you want in a fall dessert—warm, rich, and deeply satisfying without demanding hours of your time. They solve the biggest problem with traditional pecan pie—the fuss—by pouring the filling right over the crust without arranging pecans.

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 fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup pure maple syrup (Grade A Dark Amber preferred)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for non-alcoholic version)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups pecan halves or pieces
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides.
  2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or fingers to work butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Press evenly into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  3. Bake crust for 18-20 minutes until edges are just starting to turn golden. Center will look pale. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, and melted butter until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Fold in pecans.
  5. Pour filling over warm crust. Spread gently with a spatula if needed.
  6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes. Edges should be set and slightly puffed, but center will still jiggle slightly when shaken.
  7. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours). Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing for cleanest edges.
  8. Lift bars out using parchment overhang. Cut into squares (6 rows by 4 rows for 24 bars). Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

Notes

Don’t overmix the crust—visible butter pieces create flaky layers. Room temperature eggs are important for smooth filling. Let bars cool completely before slicing for clean edges. Bars taste even better on day two as flavors meld. For gluten-free version, use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum. For dairy-free, use vegan butter sticks.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan pie bars, maple bourbon, fall dessert, holiday baking, easy pecan bars, shortbread crust, Thanksgiving dessert, Christmas cookies

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/cozy-maple-bourbon-pecan-pie-bars-recipe/