The crust dough should be dry and crumbly; once pressed firmly into the pan and baked, it will hold together perfectly. Be careful not to let the filling boil for too long, as this can cause it to become too firm after baking. If you prefer a more traditional pecan pie bar, you can omit the chocolate chips—they’re delicious either way. I’ve provided measurements in both cups and grams, with grams offering greater accuracy, especially for flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no worries—just lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup to avoid packing it down. The key is to keep the flour light and fluffy.
Texas Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Texas Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars combine the gooey, nutty richness of classic pecan pie with the indulgent depth of melted chocolate, all atop a buttery shortbread crust that slices perfectly into handheld squares. Ideal for holidays, parties, or Southern-inspired indulgence, these decadent bars offer a crowd-pleasing balance of chewy, crunchy, and chocolatey in every bite.
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup 113.5 g salted butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup 73 g brown sugar
- 1¼ cups 170 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Pecan Topping
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- ⅓ cup 73 g brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups 120 g chopped pecans
- ½ cup 90 g chocolate chips
- Flaked salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Begin by preparing the crust: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and salt, then mix until the dough becomes crumbly. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool while lowering the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
- Next, make the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey, heavy cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture begins to gently boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and pecans until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, then pour the mixture evenly over the cooled crust.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake at 325°F for 15 to 18 minutes. Once baked, sprinkle the top with flaked salt. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing, as the filling needs time to set properly.