Chocolate Chip-Pecan Pie Bars
These pecan bars were the very first thing that I ever baked on my own. Like, EVER. Sure, I helped my mom make Christmas cookies when I was a kid, but I began baking on my own in high school with this very recipe. These bars showed up at a family party and given my affinity for pecan pie, it’s no surprise that I was totally and completely enamored with them. My grandma gave me the recipe and I found myself making them quite frequently. They quickly became my “signature” and were for a long time – I would take them to work potlucks, family parties, and anywhere else I thought people could use a little something sweet.
These bars are a breeze to throw together and don’t require much in the way of equipment or time. You can easily mix together the crust ingredients with a fork, a pastry blender, or your fingers – just make sure you get the mixture to a crumbly texture. The bars need to cool completely before you cut them or the filling and chocolate will smear and run a bit. I actually prefer these chilled in the refrigerator, but you can keep and serve them at room temperature if you’d like.
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Ironically, I never made these bars around Thanksgiving, but it goes without saying that they are the perfect portable Thanksgiving dessert. They’re a great alternative for a full-blown pie, and you could easily omit the chocolate and add more pecans if you’d like. Although, I do think the combination of chocolate and pecans is something extra-special.
Do you remember the first thing you learned how to bake all on your own?
One year ago: Sweet Potato Scones with Maple Cream Glaze
Two years ago: Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Four years ago: Pecan Pie
Five years ago: Lebkuchen
Chunky Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113.5 g) salted butter, at room temperature, (1 stick)
- ¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
Filling:
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup (255.75 g) light corn syrup
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (306.25 g) coarsely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, or chocolate chunks in a bag!
- 1½ cups (148.5 g) chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- For the crust, mix together the flour, butter and brown sugar until crumbly. Press into the baking pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown.
- For the filling, beat the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla extract with a wire whisk. Stir in the chunks and pecans. Pour evenly over the baked crust and bake for 25-30 minutes or until set.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cool completely and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the refrigerator if you live in a warm/humid area with no air conditioning).
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
i made your chunky pecan pie bars today. oh my god! they are fabulous! thanks. i always get the best desserts from you! my family & friends thank you too!
I noticed the pictures have changed… please tell me the recipe is still the same! I have been making these the last two years for Thanksgiving and my family will kill me if they’ve changed.
Hi! Thank you so much for your blog and all your recipes! You’re a guarantee! ;) I have some trouble finding corn syrup in Italy … What can I use as a replacement? I thought about molasses …
Thanks a lot! Best wishes!
Chocolate Pecan Pie is my MOST FAVORITE PIE EVER! But I hate making pie! I think these bars are the perfect solution! I am totally making them for Thanksgiving this year!
Super excited to try these for the next staff meeting treats I take to work. Portability is defiantly appreciated here.
As far as remember the first thing you baked on your own mine was a black forest layer cake. Probably a bit too ambitious for a first timer. Its a wonder that I stuck with baking LOL.
Thank you! I was just looking for a pecan pie recipe and think these bars will fit the bill…cooking alittle thanksgiving meal for my hub’s class he teaches on base..the guys love homemade goodies..and nothing is as Texas as pecans..;)
I love taking one dish and turning it into a whole new treat. Pecan pie to me is not very appetizing, but seeing it used in a different way makes me interested. I love the addition of the chocolate chips and the pictures make me hungry for sweets. Very great recipe to follow and Thanksgiving is coming up, just in time!!
To be honest, I have never had Pecan pie and the ones I have seen did not look appetizing. However, this recipe definitely caught my eye because of the chocolate chips added. I would eat this anytime of day and I could say that I’ve had pecan pie!!! Thank you for also capturing a great picture!
anybody tried without chocolate chips? not a big fan
Made them today and they were a real hit. I shared with my mailman and my neighbors too and the consensus was unanimous-they have been added to my holiday and all year baking list!!
As much as I love chocolate, I don’t think I would be as interested in including it here. Do you think the recipe will still work out fine without the chocolate chunks?
Hi Katerine, Yes, but I would increase the pecans to make up the difference.
Michelle,
These bars look amazing. I will definitely give them a try.
Annamaria
Looks super yummy! I love pecan pie flavored things, but not really a huge fan of actual pecan pie (odd, I know)…add a little chocolate? Yes!
My first baking was jam tarts with home made pie crust at about 9 years old. I became the family “crust” person after that and didn’t do pie fillings until I was out on my own.
Have you used both light and dark corn syrup and if so, which one do you prefer? I’m leaning towards light, but that’s only because it’s what is in my pantry!
Hi Sandy, No, I’ve only used light corn syrup in these.
Not sure if my first email came through, but just wondering if these can be frozen? Thanks
Hi Mo, Yes, these can be frozen.
First thing I baked? Hmm, I think it was chocolate marble squares.
Yummmm! My first recipe was either banana bread or my mom’s brownies, I can’t remember which was first!
I love dessert and I am so glad this recipe is easily assembled! Brownies were the first thing I ever learned to bake. Happy Thursday, Michelle :)
I love that this is the first thing you ever baked! Such a simple and awesome recipe. Pecan and chocolate is such a dynamite combination!
Those look really delish! Have you ever encountered anything remotely close from an artisanal producer so we can, well buy them and eat them when we’re too lazy to make them…like me! :)
These look wonderful! I love pecan pie and going to make these bars this weekend!
Yum, definitely making these this weekend as dessert after I make your Sausage/Mozzerela/ Basil stuffed peppers which have become a signature dish of mine. You have completely changed my view of baking and cooking and have helped me become quite the chef this past year- I was keeping your site a secret but so many people have asked where I came up with my dishes that I finally shared- thanks for all of your wonderful recipes! You are my hero!!
I’ve made pecan pie bars before, wasn’t in love with the recipe…this one looks really good; the balance of nuts to filling to crust to chocolate looks perfect!
These are like pecan pie, to-go! Dangerous in the best possible way :)
These look so good, I’m drooling. Does anyone know a good UK replacement for corn syrup?
Hi Charlotte – You can get Karo syrup on the Ocado website!
I don’t even like pecan pie, but those look yummy enough to try! :) The first thing I ever baked all on my own were M&M cookies when I was 11. I didn’t understand the difference between self-rising flour and all-purpose flour at the time, so I used self-rising flour in the recipe along with salt & baking soda. Needless to say, the cookies spread across the entire sheet as one giant, thin cookie and were super, super salty! :D
Since this is a pressed crust, I may try this with the Gluten Free flour blend I found. I’ve been trying to think of a Thanksgiving dessert I will actually be able to eat! Thanks!
These look great! I love your recipe for pecan pie. In fact, I’m actually going to make it today! My family is very excited!!
I should be focussing on baking cookies now, as I have a cookie swap coming up, but I couldn’t ignore this recipe. It looks so delicious and yet easy to bake. Love it! (But I will save it for later, when the cookies are finished)
Would it be ok to use white chocolate chips instead? Also I think they might be better with more pecans and less chocolate. As long as the total amount of chocolate and nuts is the same as the recipe, does the ratio matter? Thanks!
Absolutely! Just substitute the white chips for the chocolate chunks.
As to Chocolate requests, just a note: people with IBS generally love chocolate but it does NOT love them. IT triggers horrible responses in the gut. I’m sure that I’m not the only person out there who loves LOVES chocolate but the price I pay is too high to have it. Very sad. Anyway, thought you would want to know that for the very many of us who struggle with IBS.