The Easy Pecan Shortbread Bars are to die for. Daughter, Sarah, is the master of this recipe. The bars are rich, and so yummy. If you bring these to holiday gathering, be prepared to be on the hook for this recipe for all future events.

Easy Pecan Shortbread Bars Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• Shortbread Crust
  • ½ cup butter {softened}
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar {packed}
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups flour
• Pecan Filling
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar {packed}
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract {or vanilla bean paste}
  • 2 cups pecans {roughly chopped}

DIRECTIONS:

1. Shortbread Crust
   • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9×9 pan by lining it with parchment paper and spraying with non-stick cooking spray, set aside. 
   • Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy.  Add salt and flour, continue to mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Pour mixture into prepared pan and pat down into an even layer.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the sides start to turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool.
2. Pecan Filling
   • Once crust has cooled, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Stir mixture and cook until it boils.  Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir.  Finally, add the chopped pecans and stir until coated. Pour the filling over the prepared crust.  Spread filling out into an even layer and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the filling is bubbly.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with a small amount of flakey sea salt {optional}.  Cool and cut your pecan shortbread bars into squares.  Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Don’t skip the step of preparing the pan for this pecan bars recipe.  The topping is super sticky, so be sure that parchment paper goes up the sides of the pan.  I would also spray with nonstick cooking spray to be sure that it will remove easily.
• The shortbread dough may look crumbly when you pour it into the pan but that is how it is supposed to be. It will come together as you press it into the pan and create a buttery shortbread crust.
• This recipe can be easily doubled and made in a 9×13 pan. This will give you a good amount of bars and is great for feeding a crowd. 

Variations:

• Chocolate Shortbread: Add cocoa powder to the shortbread crust ingredients for a delightful chocolate twist.
• Spiced Crust: Add a pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to the shortbread crust for a warm and aromatic touch.
• Chocolate Pecan: Sprinkle chocolate chips or chunks over the shortbread crust before adding the pecan filling for a chocolatey delight.
• Coconut Pecan: Mix shredded coconut into the pecan filling for a tropical twist.

Recipe from PracticallyHomemade