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Gourmet salted caramel pecan pie bars stacked with thick layers of golden shortbread, gooey caramel, toasted pecans, and flaky sea salt

Gourmet Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars

These bakery-style salted caramel pecan pie bars feature a rich, melt-in-your-mouth buttery shortbread crust topped with an ultra-gooey brown sugar caramel loaded with crunchy toasted pecans, finished with coarse flaky sea salt. All the decadent flavor of classic Southern pecan pie without rolling finicky pie dough—perfect for holiday gatherings, Thanksgiving dessert tables, and make-ahead entertaining.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Baking, Dessert, Holiday Dessert
Cuisine: American, Holiday Baking, Southern Comfort
Calories: 340
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Buttery Shortbread Crust
  • 2 cups 240g all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup 50g light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup 2 sticks / 226g unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Gooey Salted Caramel Pecan Topping
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick / 113g unsalted butter
  • 1 cup 200g dark brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/3 cup 80ml pure maple syrup (or golden honey)
  • 1/4 cup 60ml heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 cups 340g raw pecan halves (roughly chopped, plus extra whole halves for decorating)
  • 1.5 tsp coarse flaky Maldon sea salt for finishing

Method
 

Step-by-Step Baking Method
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two longer sides to create "handles" for effortless removal later.
  2. Prepare the shortbread crust: In a large bowl or food processor, combine flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and fine sea salt. Add cold cubed butter and vanilla extract. Pulse or cut with a pastry blender until pea-sized crumbs form and dough holds together when pressed.
  3. Press the crumbly shortbread dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared 9x13 pan into a firm, compact layer using the bottom of a flat measuring cup.
  4. Par-bake the shortbread crust at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
  5. Make the gooey salted caramel topping: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat. Whisk in dark brown sugar, pure maple syrup, and heavy whipping cream.
  6. Bring the caramel mixture to a gentle rolling boil, whisking continuously for 3 minutes until emulsified, glossy, and slightly thickened. Remove from heat immediately, then stir in vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, fine sea salt, and chopped pecans until pecans are fully coated.
  7. Pour the hot pecan caramel filling evenly over the warm par-baked shortbread crust. Use an offset spatula to spread the pecans all the way to the corners.
  8. Return pan to the oven and bake at 350°F for 20 to 22 minutes, until the caramel filling is vigorously bubbling across the entire surface and the pecans are fragrant and toasted.
  9. Transfer pan to a wire cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle generously with coarse flaky Maldon sea salt while the caramel is warm so the crystals adhere.
  10. Allow bars to cool completely at room temperature for 2 hours, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until the caramel is fully set. Lift out using the parchment overhang and slice into 16 clean, neat squares using a sharp chef’s knife wiped clean between cuts.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 3gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 320IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1.2mg

Notes

Patience is essential: chilling the bars in the refrigerator before slicing is the secret to razor-sharp bakery edges! These bars can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept chilled, making them an unbeatable stress-free dessert for Thanksgiving and holiday entertaining.

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