Thanksgiving Dessert: Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

When it comes to Thanksgiving desserts, pecan pie is basically mandatory. But, have you ever felt the need to shake things up a little? This year, we’ve decided to try out a recipe for chocolate pecan pie bars. These little guys come with a buttery shortbread crust, a sinfully sweet chocolate caramel filling and, of course, tons of crunchy pecans. They pack all the flavor of your family’s holiday favorite, but are so much easier to put together. You may even want to try a test batch before the big day.

Thanksgiving Dessert: Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Image Via: Averie Cooks

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Prep Time:  20 minutes

Cook Time: 70 minutes

Yield: 24 bars

Ingredients:

For Shortbread Base:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla (or almond) extract

For Filling:

4 tablespoons butter

2 eggs

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons bourbon (Optional)

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups halved pecans

Image Via: Bake or Break

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar for the shortbread base. When the butter is pale and fluffy, add in the vanilla extract.
3. Then, slowly add in the flour until a cohesive dough forms.
4. Press the dough into an ungreased 9×13 baking dish and transfer it into the oven. Let it bake for 20 minutes or until the dough is just set.
5. While that bakes, melt the butter for the filling and let it cool completely.
6. Add the melted butter into a bowl with the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
7. Pour the filling over the cookie base and spread it out evenly.
8. Top everything with the pecan halves.
9. Transfer the bars back in the oven for an additional 40-50 minutes.
10. Allow bars to cool slightly before cutting and serving.

The urge to bake is pretty much irresistible during the holiday season. However, not all of us are professional pastry chefs, which is why we love bar recipes so much. They’ll be just as delicious whether you make them from scratch or take a little help from the grocery store. If there’s no time to make the shortbread base of our chocolate pecan pie bars, you could easily pick up refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Don’t forget to pick up some whipped or ice cream for extra decadence.

What are your family’s favorite Thanksgiving desserts? Have you ever tried a new twist on a traditional recipe? Tell us all about it in the comments.

For more Thanksgiving inspiration, check out Stagetecture’s archives.