Enjoy these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars year-round: they’re easy to make and deliver the classic dessert’s comforting flavors in a portable form.

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Pecan pie is a classic American dessert that I did not grow up with. In Québec, for the holidays, we made sugar pie—a rich, creamy pie made with heavy cream and maple syrup.

As different as sugar pie is from pecan pie, my first-ever slice of pecan pie brought back childhood memories in waves. It was the over-the-top sweetness, the comforting pie shape, the perfect pairing with vanilla ice cream. It reminded me of family holidays; of happy moments spent with loved ones.

I have made pecan pie quite a few times since that first taste. I love the combination of the sticky filling and the crunchy pecans. Boy is it sweet, but it really hits the spot, sometimes.

I still associate classic pecan pie with the holidays, though. As much as I crave it sometimes, to make it in March or September somehow wouldn’t seem quite right. A few years ago I resolved this conundrum by turning classic pecan pie into a bar. I also added dark chocolate to the mix, which balanced out the sweetness of pecan pie.

Now I make Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars year-round. They’re quick and easy to make, they travel well (such a lovely lunchbox treat!), and they’re just the thing for the sweet lovers and chocolate lovers around you. In the winter I like to serve them warm, with ice cream. In the summer I love them at room temperature, with fresh berries.

However you choose to serve these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, be sure to keep the pan close by. They’re so good that it’s impossible not to come back for seconds!

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Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Enjoy these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars year-round: they're easy to make and deliver the classic dessert's comforting flavors in a portable form.

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:55 minutes mins

Total Time:2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings 16 bars

Author Marie Asselin, FoodNouveau.com

Ingredients

US Customary / Metric

For the crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or fine sea salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

For the topping

• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

For the crust

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9-in (23 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter, then use a fork to mix the butter into the dry ingredients. (The crust mixture should hold together when pressed between two fingers.) Transfer the crust mixture to the prepared baking pan, then press down to form an even, thin crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside. Keep the oven on.

For the filling

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, and salt. Add the eggs and mix and whisk vigorously to incorporate. Whisk in the vinegar and vanilla extract, then stir in the butter and pecans.
• Pour the filling over the pre-baked crust. (The crust can and should still be warm.) Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Bake the bars for about 40 minutes, or until the filling is set most of the way to the center, with a small section in the center that is still "jiggly." (The filling will finish setting as it cools.)
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the bars cool completely, at least 1 hour. Slice into 16 bars.
• STORAGE: Store the chocolate pecan pie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate them for 1 week, but always make sure to return to room temperature before eating.
• Recipe Credit: Filling adapted from a pecan pie recipe by King Arthur Flour.
• MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour mix for the regular all-purpose flour.

Did you make this?

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