Made with brown butter, pure maple syrup, and plenty of toasty pecans, these salted brown butter pecan pie bars deliver that irresistible sweet-and-salty flavor in every bite without the fuss of baking a full pie.
I first published this recipe back in 2016, and it’s since gotten a little makeover. You’ll find the updated version below and in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101 (page 77!). The photos are new, the instructions are even easier, and a few small tweaks make the texture better than ever.
While I’ll always have a soft spot for traditional pecan pie in a flaky pie crust, I also believe there’s plenty of room for a twist… like today’s salted brown butter pecan pie bars.
Why You’ll Love These Pecan Pie Bars
- Rich flavor from brown butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of flaky sea salt
- Maple syrup replaces corn syrup—adding deeper, more complex flavor
- Soft, buttery shortbread crust (no rolling or chilling!)
- Wonderfully crunchy, gooey texture in every bite
- Portable and shareable—perfect for holiday trays, bake sales, or potlucks
Key Ingredients (Overview)
- Butter: Browned to enhance the flavor in the crust. For the filling, you’ll simply melt the butter.
- Water: To add moisture back to the crust mixture. You could use milk instead if desired.
- Sugar & Brown Sugar: To sweeten, tenderize, and flavor.
- Flour & Cornstarch: The base of the soft-yet-sturdy crust.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Flavor-packed substitute for corn syrup.
- Eggs: Bind the filling together.
- Pecans: The star of the show!
- Flaky Sea Salt: Balances the sweetness.
Start with the Brown Butter Shortbread Crust
If you’ve ever made my Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars, this crust will look familiar. It’s simply doubled for a 9×13-inch pan and made with brown butter for extra flavor.
To brown the butter: melt it on the stovetop until golden and nutty (see my step-by-step how to brown butter tutorial), then mix with the remaining crust ingredients. Press into a parchment-lined 9×13-inch pan and give it a quick pre-bake while you prepare the filling.
This buttery base holds up beautifully under the gooey pecan topping. If you love the brown butter + pecan combo, try it in my dark chocolate pecan cookies, too!
Pecan Pie Filling Without Corn Syrup
These bars skip the corn syrup completely. Maple syrup steps in as the sweetener and binder, lending natural flavor and a smoother texture. It works like a dream here (and if you’re curious, I have a full maple pecan pie recipe, too!).
When finalizing this recipe for Sally’s Baking 101, my team and I made a few small improvements:
- Added 2 Tablespoons of water to the crust to replace moisture lost when browning butter.
- Stirred in a bit of cornstarch to make the crust softer and less crumbly.
- Simplified the filling method—no more tempering the eggs! Just cool the filling slightly before adding them.
- Added a touch more cream for extra smoothness.
All updates are reflected in the printable recipe below and in the cookbook.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bars
In the same saucepan you used to brown the butter (no need to wash it!), heat the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cream mixture. Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the eggs and fold in the pecans.
Pour over the crust, top with sea salt, and bake. Don’t worry if the filling looks syrupy when you pour it over the crust—it’ll set up perfectly.
If it’s browning too quickly, tent with foil. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
The Final Result
Each bite is the perfect balance of buttery shortbread, toasted pecans, and gooey maple filling—with just a hint of salt to keep things interesting. These bars are soft in the middle, crunchy on top, and packed with flavor.
They might not be traditional pie, but trust me: they’ll steal the show on any dessert table. Top with a dollop of homemade whipped cream for an extra treat!
If you love these, try my cranberry crumble pie bars, blueberry pie bars, cherry pie bars, or apple pie bars next. They’re all easier than pie and make wonderful additions to your favorite Thanksgiving pie recipes!
Description
These ultra flavorful brown butter pecan pie bars made with maple syrup are so much easier than baking an entire pie. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101, on page 77.
Brown Butter Crust
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Pecan Pie Topping
- 1/2 cup (170g/120ml) pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark here)
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (60g/ml) heavy cream
- 2 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) chopped pecans
- optional: flaky sea salt or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on 2 opposite sides.
- Make the crust: Place the sliced butter in a light-colored skillet or saucepan over medium heat. (Light-colored helps you determine when the butter begins browning.) Stir or whisk the butter constantly as it melts. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring. After 5–8 minutes, the butter will begin browning—you’ll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan and it will have a nutty aroma. As soon as the butter has browned, immediately remove from heat and pour it into a large heat-safe glass bowl. Scrape up the browned solids at the bottom of the skillet and add them as well. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Do not rinse out the pan.
- Add the sugar, water, vanilla, and salt to the slightly cooled brown butter and stir until combined. Add the flour and cornstarch and mix until the flour disappears. The mixture should be slick. Press the crust evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Place the baking pan on a cooling rack while you make the topping.
- Make the topping: Return the skillet/saucepan to medium heat and add the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cream. Melt the butter, whisking constantly to combine the ingredients. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from heat and pour the mixture into a large heat-safe bowl. Cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the beaten eggs, then fold in the pecans. Pour the topping over the warm crust and spread it into an even layer. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent aluminum foil over the pan. Cool the bars completely in the pan set on a cooling rack.
- Lift the cooled bars out of the pan by gripping the parchment paper overhang; transfer to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Store leftover bars covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Bars freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Metal Baking Pan | Light-Colored Skillet or Stainless Steel Skillet (for browning butter) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Flaky Sea Salt or Coarse Sea Salt
- Updated in 2025: When finalizing this recipe for Sally’s Baking 101, my team and I made a few small updates so the crust holds together better and the filling process is simpler. The revised version is reflected here. To make the original 2016 version, omit the cornstarch and water from the crust. For the topping, reduce heavy cream to 2 Tablespoons and follow these steps: Combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cream in the same pan used to brown the butter. Whisk until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully spoon out ½ cup of the mixture and slowly drizzle it into the beaten eggs, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Gradually whisk this tempered egg mixture back into the pot, remove from heat, stir in the pecans, and pour evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with sea salt and continue with step 6.
