Maple pecan pie bars

Maple Pecan Pie Bars is what you make when you don’t have the energy for pie dough – they really do taste just like Pecan Pie! I like mine with a good amount of filling, lots and lots of pecans, and just enough salt to balance out the sweetness. The maple flavour here really hits the spot!

Maple Pecan Pie Bars

These bars are basically Pecan Pie in disguise. It’s got all the best bits of the classic – a buttery crispy pie crust, a gooey caramel-y (maple!) custardy filling and unmissable pecan flavour and crunch (I use lots!). But none of the pie dough stress. No rolling, no blind baking, no pie weights, no pricking, just a simple mix-and-press base.

Yay!

Plus, bars have practicality going for them too – you can eat them with your hands.

So let me sum this up – they’re easier to make, easier to slice, easier to eat, and you can devour them in the car without taking your eyes off the road.

Remind me why we ever make pie? 😅

PS Just kidding (*she says immediately, defensively!*). Pecan Pie forever has a place in my life.

Ingredients in Maple Pecan Pie Bars

You could actually make this recipe with any nut you want. I can see it with peanuts, almonds, macadamias – and you might see a version of it on here one of these days!!

• Pecans – Use pecan halves and chop them up yourself, you get better flavour than buying them pre-cut. Also, I like to chop the pecans up for the filling then use some whole ones to decorate the surface.

• Maple syrup – This makes the filling gooey and sticky as well as adding gorgeous maple flavour. Use real maple syrup for the best flavour rather than artificially flavoured maple (which also loses flavour when cooked). Honey can also be used.

• Brown sugar – For caramel-y sweetness for the base and filling. It also helps set the filling because when simmered with the butter, we’re essentially making a caramel.

• Eggs – You wouldn’t think having two rather than one egg would make such a difference for how the filling sets, but it really does. With one egg, the maple weeped a bit once cut. With two, it sets perfectly so it’s cuttable but the inside is still sticky and caramel-y (well, maple syrupy!).

• Flour – For the simple pie crust base. Just regular plain flour / all purpose flour.

• Vanilla – For flavour, for the filling. Use vanilla extract rather than imitation essence, for better flavour.

• Salt – The salt in the filling and base is to bring out the flavours (I use regular salt for this), then I use salt flakes to sprinkle on the surface for lovely salt pops which is so nice with the nutty sweetness. But the flakes are optional!

How to make Maple Pecan Pie Bars

If you’ve ever made a Pecan Pie before, you will appreciate how much more straight forward this is. And if you’ve ever eaten a Pecan Pie before, you will appreciate how similar the flavour is!!

1. SIMPLE PIE CRUST Base and toasty pecans

1. Base – Just mix everything up in a bowl with a wooden spoon. The mixture is quite crumbly because we’re making a simple shortbread-like pie crust, but when pressed in and baked it holds together and won’t crumble apart when cut.

2. Bake 20 minutes – Press into a 20cm/8″ square lined pan. I crumble it across the base and press with my hands. It doesn’t need to be perfectly flat, you just want to make sure there are no cracks the filling can through, but sometimes I deploy the assistance of a spatula to press down evenly.

   Then bake for 20 minutes. If time permits, let it cool for 15 minutes before pouring the filling in, it makes the base a little crisper (hot base = more porous).

3. Toast the pecans for 10 minutes in the oven, just pop it in at the same time you’re baking the base. Don’t skip the pecan toasting please, it really improves the flavour of the pecans – especially helpful if your pecans are a little on the older side. 🙂

   PS We’re not toasting the pecans used for decorating the surface, as they’ll toast nicely in the oven while the filling bakes.

4. Roughly chop the pecans – not too small, we want some decent bits to bite into, but not too big else you can’t cut the slice neatly (they get in the way!). In a perfect world, every pecan would be cut into 4 or 6 pieces – that’s roughly the size to aim for (but who would cut the pecans one by one – not I!!!).

2. maple caramel filling

OK, base done, pecans chopped, let’s make the filling, a simple melt-and-whisk job!

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan then add the sugar, maple and salt. Bring it to a simmer then take it off the heat.

2. Cool then eggs – Let the filling cool for 5 minutes so you don’t cook the eggs. Then add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.

3. Stir the chopped pecans in.

4. Pour into the base and spread the pecans out.

5. Decorate the top with the whole pecans (I like to toss them in a little maple syrup and pinch of salt first).

6. Bake for 25 minutes until golden (I love how it gets all bubbly!). Let it cool for a couple of hours until set (prod the middle and you will know). Then cut into sixteen normal squares or nine giant squares (I will not judge, I encourage). To expedite the setting process, let it cool down a bit on the counter for about 45 minutes then pop it in the fridge.

   Oh – also – sprinkle with salt flakes! The little pops of salt with pecan nuttiness and maple sweetness if just heavenly!!

Eat with your hands. If I hear of anyone bringing a knife and fork near these, there will be words!! 😂 – Nagi x

PS These will keep in the pantry if it’s not too hot, otherwise store them in the fridge. They are actually really great eaten cold, straight out of the fridge – I rarely say that, always insisting cakes etc. be brought to room temperature but I actually like the extra chewiness of the filling when it’s fridge cold.

Watch how to make it

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Maple Pecan Pie Bars

Author: Nagi

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Cooling: 2 hours hrs

Sweet Baking

Western

5 from 8 votes

Servings16

Tap or hover to scale

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Recipe video above. Tastes like pecan pie – but so much easier to make!! LOVE the maple flavour in this.

If pecans aren't your thing, make this with whatever nut you want – almonds and macadamia comes immediately to mind, though I'd love to try this with peanuts and honey instead of maple.

Ingredients

CupsMetric

Base:

• ▢ 75g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter , melted
• ▢ 1/3 cup (tightly packed) brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• ▢ 1 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)

Maple Pecan Pie Filling:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups pecans (Note 1)
• ▢ 75g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter
• ▢ 1/2 cup (tightly packed) brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• ▢ 1/3 cup maple syrup , real not artificially flavoured (honey would also work)
• ▢ 2 large eggs (~55g/2oz each)
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract

Decorating:

• ▢ 1/3 cup pecans
• ▢ 2 tsp maple syrup
• ▢ 1 pinch salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp salt flakes , for sprinkling at the end (optional but recommended)

Cook ModePrevent screen from sleeping

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

• Base – mix butter, sugar and salt, then flour. Press into 20cm/8" lined pan, bake 15 min at 180C/350F (160C fan), cool 15 min. Oven toast pecans 10 min (put in with base), roughly chop. Filling – bring butter, maple, sugar and salt to simmer, cool 5 min, whisk in eggs and vanilla, then pecans. Pour on base, top with maple coated whole pecans, bake 25 min.

FULL RECIPE:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
• Grease a 20cm/8" square pan lightly with butter then line with paper, with overhang to lift out later.
• Make base – Melt the butter in a microwave proof bowl. Mix in the sugar and salt, then the flour. Press evenly into the base of the pan (I use my hands first, then finish with a spatula to make it fairly even, no need to be meticulous).
• Bake and cool – Bake for 20 minutes, then cool for 15 minutes before filling (keeps the base crisper but you can skip this).
• Toast pecans – Spread the pecans for the filling on a tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes (I put them in with the base). Remove, then when cool enough to handle, roughly chop.
• Maple filling – Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the sugar, maple syrup and salt. Once it comes to a proper simmer, remove from the stove and cool for 5 minutes. Whisk the eggs and vanilla in, then stir the chopped pecans in. (You can set aside until ready to use).
• Decorating pecans – Toss the pecans with the maple syrup.
• Fill and bake – Pour the pecan filling onto the base and spread out evenly. Top with the Decorating Pecans. Bake 25 minutes.
• Cool – Remove and cool fully to room temperature to let it set (~ 2 hrs, fridge will expedite). Then cut into 16 squares (or 9…) and eat with your hands!

Recipe Notes:

1. Other nuts would work just fine here! Almonds and macadamias would be my first pick followed by cashews and peanuts.

Keeps 7 days in the fridge, or 3 to 4 days in the pantry as long as it’s cool.

Nutrition per slice, assuming 16 squares.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 246cal (12%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 16g (25%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 41mg (14%)Sodium: 124mg (5%)Potassium: 97mg (3%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 16g (18%)Vitamin A: 270IU (5%)Vitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 32mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Keywords: pecan bars, pecan pie bars

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Life of Dozer

Before:

After:

It’s cucumber.😅

May I point out he gave it a good chomp – but then decided it wasn’t worth swallowing.

**BREAKING NEWS**

And in exciting news, Dozer stood up by himself today, for the first time in 25 days!! 🎉🎉🎉 It just happened! After 25 days of hauling him to his feet every time he wants to eat / drink / move for no reason / toilet break / bed time / get his toy / scavenge for food, I can’t tell you how excited I am!!

GO DOZER GO!!!