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Brown Sugar Bars

A buttery pecan crust that bakes up in a flash topped with classic pecan pie filling and a touch of bourbon-infused maple syrup- yes my darlings- you have found the perfect Brown Sugar Bar.
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Course: Party Food, Sweet Tooth
Cuisine: Southern
Keyword: brown sugar pecan bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 212kcal
Author: Meggen Wilson

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 1 cup (5 oz. ) flour
  • ½ cup ( 2 .5 oz) light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup pecans, toasted and rough chopped
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled

For the Filling

  • ½ cup (3.5 oz) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup dark Karo Syrup
  • 2 tbsp Vanilla Maple syrup - see chef's notes for source or any pure maple syrup- not pancake syrup
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp dark rum or bourbon
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract We prefer Wild Montana Foods- slow extracted vanilla for extra richness
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 heaping cups of pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • For the Crust
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 10.5 x 7-inch baking dish, with a foil sling allowing the foil to hang over each side. Spray generously with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a food processor, add in the flour, brown sugar, pecans, baking powder, and salt. Pulse 5-6 times until combined and pecans are finely chopped like sand.
  • Add in the butter and pulse another five seconds until the mixture is like cornmeal.
  • Press the mixture into the foil-lined baking dish using the back of a measuring cup to even out the mixture. Be sure to press the crust up the sides and evenly around the pan.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
  • For the Filling
  • While the crust is baking, in a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, Karo syrup, maple syrup, rum, butter, salt, and vanilla with a whisk. Whisk in the egg until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the mixture into the warm crust.
  • Top the filling with the 2 cups of coarsely chopped pecans.
  • Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Set the dish on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, remove the bars using the foil slings and let cool for another 1 1/2 hours until the crust is completely cooled and the filling is set.
  • Peel the foil off of the bars and using a serrated knife, cut into 12 equal pieces. Cooled bars can be stored in an airtight container for five days... but they won't last that long.

Notes

We love Vanilla bean infused pure maple syrup from Wild Montana Foods. Order HERE. 

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal