Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Go nutty for dessert with Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars. Baked on a buttery crust, these cookie bars are splashed with bourbon and loaded with toasted pecans, dark chocolate chips and ooey gooey goodness.
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure
- 2 cups all-purpose flour unbleached
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt fine
Pecan Pie Filling
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 tbsp Bourbon optional
- 1/2 tsp sea salt fine
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract pure
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Pecan Topping
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.
- Reduce mixer speed to low then add flour, cinnamon and salt. Beat until combined.
- Spoon mixture into your parchment-lined baking pan then press dough into the bottom of the pan with your fingers until evenly distributed.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Remove crust from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare filling.
Pecan Pie Filling
- Line a cookie sheet with almuinum foil then place pecan halves on foil in a single layer.
- Roast pecans at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, stirring after the first 4 minutes to ensure even baking.
- Remove pecans from the oven and set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, bourbon, salt and vanilla until well combined.
- Chop toasted pecans with a knife then add to filling with chocolate chips. Stir until evenly distributed.
- Spoon filling onto cookie crust.
Pecan Topping
- Top filling with 1/2 cup of pecan halves and 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. Note: the pecan halves used for the topping should not be toasted.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is a bit jiggly when wiggled. Avoid overbaking.
- Place baking pan on a wire rack to cool to room temperature (approximately 3 hours). Filing will firm as it cools, avoid cutting into bars before they have fully set or the filling may be runny.
- Serve bars at room temperature. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days.