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The Best Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars (Easy Dessert)

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These maple bourbon pecan pie bars feature a buttery shortbread crust and a sticky-sweet maple bourbon filling with crunchy pecans. They’re a bakery-quality dessert that’s easy to make and perfect for entertaining.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides.
  2. In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined. Add cold butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized butter pieces. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Let cool on a wire rack.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until pale and frothy, about 30 seconds. Add maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Stir in pecan halves.
  4. Pour filling over pre-baked crust. Spread pecans into an even layer. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes until edges are set and center has a slight jiggle. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
  5. Use parchment overhang to lift bars out of pan. Slice into 24 bars with a sharp knife, wiping knife clean between cuts.

Notes

Toast pecans before adding to filling for deeper flavor. Don’t skip parchment paper for easy removal. Let bars cool completely before slicing to avoid a gooey mess. Bars taste better the next day as flavors meld. For a chocolate twist, add ½ cup dark chocolate chips. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

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Find it online: https://cravemila.com/the-best-maple-bourbon-pecan-pie-bars-easy-dessert/