In my world, fall just wouldn’t be complete without a pecan recipe. They are my favorite nut to bake with and this time of year they seem to be especially perfect. I decided on these Pecan Shortbread Bars because it brings my love of shortbread and pecan pie together in one recipe. So keep scrolling for the entire recipe!
The shortbread crust is heavenly and using brown sugar for the sweetener gives it an extra nutty flavor. The topping is just like the gooey goodness that we all know and love from a pecan pie. Together…they are absolute heaven.
To balance the sweet and salty in this recipe, I have added a sprinkle of kosher salt over the honey filling after baking. It helps cut through the sweetness and give the pecans an extra special flavor. If you are using salted pecans then you would want to skip this step.
Here are some other great recipes with pecans…Maple Pecan Scones, Honey Nut Rugelach, and Butter Pecan & Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies.
How to Make your Shortbread Crust for these Pecan Shortbread Bars
The shortbread dough will look like this when you pour it into the pan but not to worry, it will come together. This insures an extra flaky and buttery crust.
Using your finger tips or the bottom of a glass, pack the shortbread down into the bottom of your greased pan.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the sides are starting to brown. It will bake again when we add the topping, so we don’t want to over bake it now.
Preparing the Pecan Topping:
A rough chop on the pecans is all you need.
The topping ingredients get mixed together on the stove top. Once they come to a boil, add the vanilla and pecans.
Then pour the entire mixture onto your cooled crust. Bake again for an additional 15 minutes and then let it cool completely.
These bars would be a fabulous addition to your holiday table or even just a weeknight dinner. They can also easily be doubled and made in a 9×13 pan, which is great for a crowd. I hope your fall will be better with these Pecan Shortbread Bars. I know mine sure is.
Pecan Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup butter {softened}
- 1/3 cup brown sugar {packed}
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup flour
Pecan Filling
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar {packed}
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecan {roughly chopped}
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 8x8 pan with non-stick spray, set aside. Using a mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add salt and flour, continue to mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour mixture into prepared pan and pat down into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes or until the sides start to brown. Remove from oven and cool.
Pecan Filling
- Once crust has cooled, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir mixture and cook until it boils. Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir. Add pecans, stir and pour filling over prepared crust. Spread filling out if needed into an even layer and bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Remove from heat and sprinkle a small amount of kosher salt over the top of filling. Cool and cut your pecan shortbread bars into squares. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Want to use a 9x13 pan? Double the ingredients and follow the directions.
