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Brown Butter Salted Maple Pecan Pie Bars

Brown Butter Salted Maple Pecan Pie Bars - featured image
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These easy homemade bars combine the rich, nutty flavor of brown butter with pure maple syrup and toasted pecans for a gooey, chewy treat. Perfect for potlucks, bake sales, or cozy family gatherings, they deliver all the comfort of classic pecan pie in a grab-and-go bar.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (for browning)
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped (toast for extra flavor)
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir in 2 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt until just combined.
  3. Press the crust mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and center is set but pale.
  4. While the crust bakes, melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams and browns (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat when it smells nutty and turns amber.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, 2 tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the brown butter (warm, not hot) until smooth.
  6. Fold in chopped pecans.
  7. Pour the filling over the hot crust and spread evenly with a spatula.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until filling is set and slightly puffed (shouldn’t jiggle much).
  9. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then lift out using parchment overhang. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt while warm.
  10. Once completely cool, slice into 24 bars. Wipe knife between cuts for clean edges.

Notes

For gluten-free bars, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Vegan adaptations can be made with vegan butter and flax eggs. Toasting pecans enhances flavor. Sprinkle flaky salt while bars are warm for best results. Bars can be stored at room temperature for 4 days, refrigerated for 1 week, or frozen for 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pecan pie bars, maple pecan bars, brown butter bars, easy dessert, holiday baking, potluck treats, southern dessert, chewy bars, nutty bars, maple syrup dessert

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