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Best Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars Recipe (Easy Dessert)

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These Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars are everything you want in a dessert: impressive, incredibly delicious, and surprisingly simple to make. They have the soul of a classic pecan pie but without the fuss of a traditional crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup pure maple syrup
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.
  2. In a small saucepan, melt 1 cup of butter over medium heat. Swirl occasionally until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown with a nutty aroma (about 5-7 minutes). Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Pour the slightly cooled browned butter over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or pastry blender until the dough looks like wet sand and holds together when squeezed.
  4. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick all over with a fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are just light golden brown. Set on a rack to cool.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, egg yolk, bourbon, vanilla, and salt until smooth and glossy.
  6. Spread pecan halves evenly over the warm crust. Slowly pour the filling over the pecans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center.
  7. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely to room temperature. For cleanest slices, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  8. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Slice into squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the butter—it adds a toffee-like depth. Use a bourbon you like the taste of. Let the bars cool completely before slicing to avoid a goopy mess. For clean slices, refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan pie bars, maple bourbon, easy dessert, shortbread crust, holiday dessert, potluck dessert

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