Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

For the Pecan Filling:

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup light corn syrup

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups pecan halves

Instructions:

  1. Preheat Oven:

    • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9x13-inch baking pan.

For the Crust:

  1. Prepare Crust:

    • In a bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

  1. Press Into Pan:

    • Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.

  1. Bake Crust:

    • Bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until it's just starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the Pecan Filling:

  1. Prepare Filling:

    • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.

  1. Add Pecans:

    • Stir in the pecan halves until they are evenly coated with the filling.

Assembling and Baking:

  1. Pour Filling Over Crust:

    • Pour the pecan filling over the pre-baked crust, spreading it evenly.

  1. Bake:

    • Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set. It should have a slight jiggle but not be overly liquid.

  1. Cool:

    • Allow the pecan pie bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

  1. Chill (Optional):

    • For easier cutting, you can refrigerate the bars for a couple of hours before slicing.

  1. Slice and Serve:

    • Once cooled and set, cut into squares and serve. Optionally, dust with powdered sugar before serving.