Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars — You’ll never want plain pecan pie again! Caramel and chocolate makes the bars taste amazing!
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
I normally don’t like nuts in desserts, but I recant everything I’ve ever said after these. They’re some of the best bars I’ve ever made.
To top it off, I don’t even really like pecan pie, but the inspiration for the bars started after trying a rich, buttery, chewy caramel with nuts from See’s Candies, and I’ve always loved their chocolate-coated walnut chews.
The pecan pie bars combine rich, gooey, homemade salted caramel filling with chocolate. There’s texture and crunch from the nuts, and the soft, tender shortbread crust is the perfect base for it all.
The chocolate pecan bars are thick, rich, decadent, filling, salty-and-sweet. They’re wonderfully satisfying, easy, no mixer is necessary and I always prefer making pie bars to actual pie. So much easier.
To make the shortbread crust, I used the same crust I created for these Peanut Butter Caramel Twix Bars. A bit of cornstarch keeps the crust tender enough so when you bite down, it isn’t rock hard, nor does it give way and crumble. The crust is hearty enough to stand up to a literal pound of nuts, chocolate, and salted caramel sauce, while staying perfectly flaky and not tasting too dense or heavy.
Then I sprinkled on Trader Joe’s roasted salted pecans and chocolate chips. Making the salted caramel sauce is as easy as melting together butter, cream, brown sugar, and stirring in vanilla and salt. So easy and it’s done in the microwave in 2 minutes.
As the bars bake, the caramel sauce thickens and the finished bars are more caramely than traditional pecan pie filling, which I call ‘pie goo’. The bars have some goo, but there’s plenty of luscious, drippy, salted caramel.
The bars aren’t overly sweet, but they are ridiculously rich. They are worth all the cardio you’ll need to do. They are good enough to forever change my mind about nuts in desserts and pecan pie.
What’s in Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars?
To make these easy pecan pie bars, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Cornstarch
- Roasted salted pecans
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Light brown sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
How to Make Chocolate Pecan Bars
Make the crust, then press into the bottom of a foil-lined 8×8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chips evenly over the crust.
Then, make the caramel sauce. Combine the butter, brown sugar, and whipping cream, then microwave until melted. Whisk in the vanilla and salt, then pour over the crust.
Bake the bars until the caramel is bubbling vigorously around the edges, with bubbling to a lesser degree in center.
How to Store Pecan Pie Bars
The chocolate pecan bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Can I Double This Recipe?
I haven’t tried this myself, but readers have reported success doubling the ingredients and baking the bars in a 9×13-inch pan.
Tips for Making Pecan Pie Bars
If your pecans are raw, toast them for 5 to 10 minutes in a 400F oven for added flavor and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
I recommend baking the 8×8-inch dish on top of a cookie sheet as insurance against overflow. You do NOT want to clean hardened caramel off the bottom of your oven, trust me!
Note that you must let the bars cool for three hours before slicing into them. I know it’s tempting to cut into them while they’re warm, but you need to give them time to set up.
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Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup unsalted butter, very soft (1 stick)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
Filling
- 8 ounces roasted salted pecans, halves or pieces okay; about 2 cups (I used Trader Joe’s roasted salted halves)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup whipping cream or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside. I strongly urge lining the pan with foil for easier cleanup.
- In a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients and using two forks or your hands (I find hands easier), cut butter into dry ingredients until evenly distributed and pea-sized lumps and sandy bits form. The softer the butter is, the quicker and easier it is.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan and pack down firmly with a spatula or hands to create an even, uniform, flat crust layer.
Make the Filling:
- Evenly sprinkle the pecans over the crust.
- Evenly sprinkle with the chocolate chips; set pan aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, whipping cream, and heat on high power for 1 minute to melt.
- Remove bowl from micro, and whisk until mixture is smooth; it’s okay if butter hasn’t completely melted.
- Return bowl to microwave and heat for 1 minute on high power.
- Remove bowl from micro, and whisk until mixture is smooth.
- Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
- Slowly and evenly pour the caramel sauce over the chocolate chips and pecans.
- Place pan on a cookie sheet (as insurance against overflow) and bake for about 30 to 32 minutes, or until caramel is bubbling vigorously around edges, with bubbling to a lesser degree in center.
- Allow bars to cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 3 hours, or overnight (cover with a piece of foil and/or put pan inside large Ziplock), before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Pecan Desserts:
Salted Caramel Maple Pecan Pie Bars— This pecan pie bars recipe is a fast, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe, but the bars taste like you slaved over them. So much easier than making pecan pie!
Buttery Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cookies — The cookies are super soft, buttery, full of rich pumpkin flavor and there are plenty of pecans in every bite!
Soft Praline Pumpkin Bars (with Cake Mix!) — SUPER soft pumpkin bars studded with chocolate chips, candied pecans, and plenty of pumpkin pie spice!! A FAST and EASY dessert that feeds a crowd for your fall and winter celebrations!!
Salted Caramel Candied Pecan Carmelitas — Biting through the layers of the chewy oatmeal crust, the chocolate chips, the crunchy pecans, the salty-and-sweet caramel sauce that’s gooey and wonderful, and the crisp topping is pure heaven.
The Best Turtle Brownies — Super fudgy brownies and loaded with chocolate, pecans and caramel! An easy, no-mixer recipe that can be made with homemade or store-bought caramel sauce!
Sea Salt Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies – Super soft, perfectly chewy, SALTY-AND-SWEET chocolate chip pecan cookies that are AMAZING!! An EASY, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe!!
Homemade Turtles — The Turtles are no-bake, easy, ready in under a half hour, and you only need 4 ingredients. Save the recipe for holiday candy-making, birthdays, or for a last-minute hostess gift!
Has anyone tried just adding more nuts and not doing the chocolate? I will try the chocolate recipe too, but I have some people that just want a traditional pecan pie taste.
I love the chocolate in this version but if you don’t want chocolate, try these!
https://www.averiecooks.com/salted-caramel-maple-pecan-pie-bars/
What am I doing wrong? I have tried this recipe twice and my sister has tried it once and the crust just falls apart. That being said the pecan filling is just delicious. Help! I want this recipe to work out.
I’m sorry your crust isn’t holding. Maybe try reducing the flour by 1/4 cup and see if that works, and then sprinkle in as needed, if you need more. So many people have commented they’ve made them successfully and I haven’t had any issues and this is an extremely standard/basic shortbread crust. I use King Arthur brand all-purpose flour (it’s the BEST, try it…that could be it…your flour could have less gluten and therefore less ‘sticking’ power…just trying to think of everything….) C&H sugar and Trader Joe’s butter.
I just made these bars this morning and they are fantastic! The shortbread crust is so buttery, and it’s got such a flaky texture (maybe from the corn starch?) I’d never guess it wasn’t pie crust. The filling is gooey but holds its shape, and without eggs it’s so smooth; there’s no gumminess at all like in most pecan pie fillings. I’m also thrilled that there’s no corn syrup in the recipe. This rich and delicious dessert may just replace pecan pie in my holiday lineup!
So glad you loved them and that the crust had you fooled. Yes I think it is the cornstarch! And that you liked the filling, sans eggs and sans corn syrup. I know, I thought of all this too when I was creating these because I am so picky about all that stuff too! Glad it could possibly replace pecan pie in your lineup, too – way easier right!
Holy Smokes! Averie you kill me with these incredible photos and the desserts themselves. These look so worth the extra miles on the bike I’ll need to pedal when I make these!
These bars are delish! I just shared the recipe on my blog. YUM!
https://www.thesilverbird.com/salted-caramel-and-chocolate-pecan-pie-bars/
So I need to make these but need to know if you have ever doubled the recipe? I know sometimes you can’t just double everything so I want to check first.
I’ve never personally doubled these but I think you’re safe. Good to check though because yes you’re right, you can’t always just double!
I was baking for a large crowd where a couple people had dietary restrictions so I subbed coconut oil for the butter, coconut cream for the heavy cream, gf flour for the regular flour, and used ghiradelli’s semisweet chocolate chips to make these vegan and gluten free and they were incredible!!! SO yummy! They were a huge hit :)
Thanks for a great (and easy!!) recipe!
So impressed that you made them vegan and GF and that using coconut oil and coc cream, and GF flour, all worked out great for you and you’re happy! That’s wonderful to hear! Thanks for the feedback that those substitutions work since others will likely see this in the comments!
Just found your website through Pinterest and now I know that you’re the cause of all the most delicious looking treats all over Pinterest! Quick question about making the caramel – Could it be done in a double boiler instead of the microwave?
Yes probably but I haven’t tried that method. I love my micro for stuff like this and almost never double boil things so can’t speak to the duration/time needed, etc.
And thanks for the compliments and glad you found me!!
Just made these, fantastic! Though next time I will use more chocolate. Also, for easier clean up – prepare the crust right in the baking pan!
Oh you’re a girl after my own heart…MORE chocolate :) Glad you they turned out fantastic for you!
I was excited to see this recipe, but sorry to say it was a flop for me. The caramel during baking turned out odd, (I followed instructions to the T) the crust didn’t bake through, the foil stuck and it tore the bottom up even more trying to peel it off. Perhaps if I ever try this again I’ll pre-bake the crust, then just proceed like a traditional pecan pie and use chocolate chips & skip the caramel part. I really wanted to love this.
I have no words – this just looks insanely delicious. I won’t be making this until the weather cools off (ugh, so hot), but I’m definitely making this some day. Pinned.
Glad you pinned for a rainy day :)
These look amazing! Totally pinned!
Thanks for pinning, Tracy!
Oh Averie, I wish I could meet you in real life! First you’re speaking my language with your salsa, now you’re talking about how you don’t like nuts in desserts… Me either!! I always pick nuts out of brownies, and usually cookies too. I’d rather eat them plain by themselves or in a salad. I want my cookies soft and chewy, no strange hard things in the middle! ;) But if you said these changed your mind forever about nuts in desserts, they must be out of this world!
They were crazy good and totally DID change my mind about nuts in desserts!
these bars are the perfect example of something I wouldn’t have thought I liked a few years ago but, now that I know better, I’m all like *droooooool* must. have!
Feel the same was as you do – tastes DO change even as an adult!
You just took pecan pie to the next level. These gooey bars are calling my name.
Averie these look absolutely delish! Pecan Pie is a favorite of mine and you found a way to add chocolate too it! *pinned*