This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These chocolate pecan pie bars take everything you love about classic pecan pie and add chocolate chips to the gooey filling, all on top of a buttery shortbread crust. They’re baked in an 8×8 pan, so there’s no pie crust to roll out, and you get 16 easy-to-share bars. You will be making these for Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas for years to come!
Quick Look: Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
- 🍫 What it is: A buttery shortbread crust topped with gooey pecan pie filling and semi-sweet chocolate chips, baked in an 8×8 pan.
- ⭐ Why it works: A little cornstarch in both the crust and the filling keeps the crust tender and the filling from getting runny.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it: All the flavor of pecan pie with no pie crust to roll out, plus chocolate in every bite.
- ⚠️ What to watch for: Pull them out while the center still has a slight jiggle, then cool completely and chill for at least an hour before slicing.
- ❄️ Make ahead: Keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Imagine how great normal pecan pie is. I mean, who doesn’t love pecan pie? Now picture it baked into bite-sized bars with chocolate chips mixed into the filling. Sounds pretty awesome, right? These chocolate chip pecan pie bars are the dessert everyone asks about at Friendsgiving and family gatherings. If you’d rather keep it simple, start with my classic pecan pie bars, then come back for the chocolate version. Prefer your pecan pie in single servings? Try my single-serve mini pecan pies.
- A buttery shortbread crust that tastes like a shortbread cookie
- Gooey pecan pie filling with melty chocolate in every bite
- Only a few simple ingredients you probably already have
- A fun holiday baking tradition to make with your little ones
- Easy to make ahead, since they need to chill before slicing anyway
Table of Contents
Key ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- Butter: Melted butter gives the crust its shortbread flavor, so the better the butter, the better the crust.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the crust and helps it caramelize like a shortbread cookie.
- Vanilla extract: The other half of the shortbread flavor alongside the butter. A good quality vanilla makes a difference.
- All-purpose flour and cornstarch: The flour gives the crust structure, and the cornstarch makes it extra tender.
- Salt: Just a pinch balances the sweetness.
Pecan Pie Filling
- Heavy cream: Makes the pecan pie filling smooth and velvety.
- Egg: Binds the filling together so it sets as it bakes.
- Brown sugar and light corn syrup: Both add sweetness and moisture for that classic gooey texture.
- Vanilla extract, salt, and cornstarch: Vanilla brings out the chocolate, salt balances the sweetness, and cornstarch keeps the filling from getting runny.
- Pecans: The star of the show. Chopped pecans spread evenly through every bar.
- Chocolate chips: The secret ingredient that makes these chocolate pecan bars so special. I use semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Dark chocolate: Use dark chocolate chips for a deeper, more intense chocolate flavor.
- White chocolate: White chocolate chips give the bars a cute Christmas look.
- Add a cheesecake layer: Love pecan pie and cheesecake? Make my pecan pie cheesecake bars, or turn the flavors into my Crumbl pecan pie cookies copycat.
How to Make Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
This chocolate pecan bars recipe starts with a quick pressed shortbread crust. Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Mix the flour, salt, and cornstarch, then add the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla and mix until a cookie dough forms.
- Press and bake. Press the dough into the pan and bake for 15 minutes. Then lower the oven to 325°F.
- Start the filling. In a separate large bowl, add the heavy cream, brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch.
- Add the egg, corn syrup, and vanilla. Mix until everything is combined.
- Add the pecans and chocolate. Add the chopped pecans and chocolate chips to the bowl.
- Stir it together. Stir until the pecans and chocolate chips are fully coated in the filling.
- Pour and bake. Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 25 minutes. The edges will brown a little and the center will be barely jiggly.
- Cool, chill, and slice. Let the bars cool completely, then chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Slice into 16 bars and serve.
Expert Tips
- Use good butter and vanilla. They’re the main flavors in the shortbread crust, so quality really shows.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch. It keeps the crust tender and stops the filling from being too runny.
- Look for a slight jiggle. Take the bars out when the edges are golden brown and the center is barely jiggly. They finish setting as they cool.
- Chill before slicing. At least an hour in the fridge gives you clean, neat squares.
- Serve at room temperature. Let chilled bars sit out for a bit before serving, otherwise they’re a little too crunchy.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars FAQs
Store chocolate pecan pie bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let them come back to room temperature before serving, otherwise they will be a little too crunchy.
You sure can! Freeze chocolate pecan pie bars in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, then let them come to room temperature before enjoying.
I use semi-sweet chocolate chips in these chocolate pecan pie bars. Dark chocolate chips give a more intense chocolate flavor, and white chocolate chips give them a cute Christmas look.
Chocolate pecan pie bars are done when the edges are golden brown and the center is barely jiggly. They keep setting as they cool and chill in the fridge.
Yes, chocolate pecan pie bars are a great make-ahead holiday dessert. They need at least an hour in the fridge before slicing anyway, and they keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
More Pecan Pie Desserts
If you made these chocolate pecan pie bars, I’d love to hear how they turned out! Leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below, and tell me who you shared them with. Want even more ideas? Check out my best pecan desserts for Thanksgiving. Cheers!!
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread crust
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 Tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
Pecan pie filling
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 & 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F then line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add in the flour, salt, and cornstarch and mix. Add in the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, and mix until cookie dough forms. Press onto the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Once it's done, remove the crust and reduce the oven temperature to 325F.6 tbsp butter, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp cornstarch
Filling
- In a separate large bowl mix the egg, brown sugar, light corn syrup, heavy cream, salt, vanilla extract, and cornstarch until combined. Stir in the pecan pieces and the chocolate chips.1/4 Tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1 egg, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 & 1/2 cup pecans, 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- Pour the pecan pie filling on top of the crust and bake for 25 minutes. The edges will brown a little and the center will be barely jiggly.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before transferring to chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Slice the bars and serve.
Notes
- Swap the chocolate: Use dark chocolate chips for a more intense flavor, or white chocolate chips for a festive Christmas look.
- Chill before slicing: Let the bars cool completely, then chill for at least an hour for clean, neat squares.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Simple to make and everyone loved them!
Thank youuu 🙂
My shortbread never set up even after extended cooking. Since it never setup the rest never really setup either. But the flavors tasted good.
Oh no! That’s unusual, the crust should definitely set up. A few things that might help: make sure your butter is melted but has cooled slightly (not hot when you mix it in), and press the crust down really firmly and evenly in the pan. Also, make sure your oven temperature is accurate (an oven thermometer helps!).
Keep in mind the crust continues baking when you add the pecan filling and put it back in the oven, so it will firm up more during that second bake and as everything cools.
Let me know if you try it again!
Is doubling the recipe successful into 9×13?
Yes! You might need to bake for a few more minutes but that’s an easy way to make more of these pecan pie bars!
How long can these be stored in fridge or freezer?
For one week in the fridge and about 2 months in the freezer.
I made these ahead of time and planned to freeze them. I made the mistake of tasting one before and none made it to the freezer. We ate the whole batch. These are so good!!
HAHAHAHA I absolutely love that! So funny
The directions doesn’t tell you when to add the vanilla and sugar to the dough.
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. Just fixed it.
Taste on these are AMAZING! Only issue I would say is cooking times. The shortbread definitely needs longer in the oven (mine seemed a bit under cooked) and once I added the filling I left it in for 15 minutes longer than the suggested timing and still my filling did not set. Other than that everyone said the taste of these was amazing but once I cut in they did fall a part due to not being fully cooked through. Will make again and extend bake times!
I’m really sorry that happened, I’ve never experienced that with these. Sometimes oven temps can vary or how close the dish is to the heat source. I’m glad you liked it though 🙂
crust directions never mention when to add vanilla and sugar. I assume when I put in the cooled melted butter. Baking now so I’ll soon find out. super easy to make. thanks
My apologies the recipe card has been updated.