Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 1/4 sticks butter, softened
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. (2 sticks) butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. honey
6 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 c. bourbon
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 c. (16 oz.) pecan halves, roughly chopped
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9"-x-13" baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on two sides. Spray parchment.Step 2Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in salt. While beating slowly add flour and beat just until clumps form. Step 3Using your fingers or a greased back of a measuring cup, press dough into prepared pan. Pierce dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool while you make the filling.Step 4Make the filling: Combine butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, bourbon, heavy cream, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour pecan mixture onto baked crust. Step 5Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Step 6Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars before serving.
Can I substitute anything? Sure can! If you’re not a bourbon fan, feel free to take it out! Add in a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg to your crust mixture for a bit of added something. Try a mix of walnuts and pecans for a fun mix, or switch them out completely! Do I need to pre-bake the crust? Yes, even with pecan pie bars, it’s important to bake the crust beforehand. Baking it beforehand ensures that the deliciously gooey filling doesn’t turn the crust soggy, and that it’s crisp and strong enough to support our beautiful filling. Can I make these ahead? Absolutely! If you’re looking to get ahead on your Thanksgiving desserts this year, these are perfect. Prep them the night before and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, let them reach room temp, or even serve them chilled if you’d prefer! Looking for more dessert inspo? Check out our favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipes for all the holiday staples, our best dessert bars for easy (and super satisfying) entertaining, or even our Dark Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe for an extra rich take on a classic. Made it? Let us know how it went in the comment section below! Editor’s Note: This intro was updated to add more information about the dish on September 16, 2022.
