Salted Maple Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This “sling” will make it much easier to lift the bars out of the pan once they have cooled.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the flour and stir until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly oily, which is exactly what you want for a buttery crust.
- Press the crust mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are very lightly golden. Remove the pan from the oven, but keep the oven on.
- While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Once well-combined, stir in the chopped pecans until they are evenly coated with the liquid mixture.
- Pour the pecan mixture over the warm, par-baked crust. Spread it out evenly using a spatula. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The filling should be set around the edges but still have a very slight jiggle in the center.
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the top with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate the bars for at least an hour before slicing into squares.