Description
These brown butter pecan pie bars with salted caramel drizzle are the ultimate emergency hosting hero recipe. A buttery shortbread crust, nutty gooey pecan filling, and crackly salted caramel topping make them better than any pecan pie.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (for browning)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (for caramel)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (for caramel)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for caramel)
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two opposite sides. Lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray.
- Make the shortbread crust: In your food processor, combine 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Dump the mixture into your prepared pan and press it firmly and evenly into the bottom. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Brown the butter: In your light-colored saucepan, melt ½ cup butter over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally. The butter will foam up, then subside, and you’ll start to see brown specks forming at the bottom. Once the butter turns a deep amber color and smells nutty and toasty (about 5-7 minutes), immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.
- Make the pecan filling: In your medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup packed light brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar. Add the 3 room-temperature eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons flour and ½ teaspoon salt. Slowly drizzle in the warm brown butter while whisking constantly. Fold in the 2 cups of roughly chopped pecans.
- Assemble and bake: Pour the pecan filling over the pre-baked crust. Spread it evenly with your spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the center. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack—this takes about 2 hours.
- Make the salted caramel drizzle: In your small saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over medium heat. Add ½ cup packed light brown sugar and ¼ cup heavy cream. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Let it boil for 1 minute without stirring. Remove from heat, stir in ½ teaspoon vanilla and ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt. Let it cool for about 10 minutes—it will thicken as it cools.
- Drizzle and finish: Once the bars are completely cool, drizzle the salted caramel over the top. Sprinkle a little extra flaky sea salt on top if desired. Let the caramel set for about 15 minutes before cutting.
- Cut and serve: Use the parchment slings to lift the entire block of bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares (4 rows by 4 rows). Wipe the knife clean between cuts for the neatest edges.
Notes
For best results, let bars cool completely before cutting. They actually taste better the next day after flavors meld. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze individual bars wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 32
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 41
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: pecan pie bars, brown butter, salted caramel, potluck dessert, holiday dessert, pecan bars, easy dessert