Rich and fudgy Chocolate Pecan Bars with a chocolate shortbread crust. These dessert bars are a great make-ahead dessert for potlucks, parties, and holiday celebrations.
Table of contents
Chocolate Pecan Dessert Bars
If there’s a crowd-pleasing dessert that can carry us from now until the end of the holiday season, it’s these chocolate pecan bars. They fit perfectly in a Thanksgiving dessert spread, are an easy holiday potluck treat to share, or make a batch for the cookie platters in December. They are what I consider a go-to dessert bar.
I love them because they’re fudgy like brownies, but with a shortbread crust that makes them a little more fancy. Dark chocolate gives them an uber-rich flavor and the chopped pecans add a nice crunchy texture.
Plus, you make them ahead so they’re ready to go when you need them. See, I told you – there’s a lot to love in these chocolatey-rich dessert bars.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Powdered sugar
- Softened butter
- Chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
- Light corn syrup
- Brown sugar
How to Make the Crust
The crust is similar to a shortbread cookie. Assemble the crust and, while it’s baking, you can make the filling.
- First, line a 9×3 baking dish with tin foil leaving extra over the edges to make it easier to remove the bars before you slice them.
- Combine flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. To it, add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Be sure it’s in an even layer.
- Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes at 350°F.
How to Make the Filling
While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave. I like to do this is 30 second increments stopping each time to stir the chocolate, until it’s smooth.
- In a bowl, combine light corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, flour, and the melted chocolate. Add the chopped pecans.
- Once the crust is done baking, pour the filling over it. You don’t need to wait until the crust is cooled.
- Bake the dessert bars for 30 to 40 minutes or until the bars are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the bars completely in the baking dish. Once cooled, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and leave the bars a room temperature overnight so they fully set.
I hope you try these dark chocolate pecan bars! They’re great any time of year, especially during sugar season – aka the holidays. Enjoy!
Happy baking,
More Dessert Recipes
📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.
PrintDark Chocolate Pecan Bars
Decadent dark chocolate pecan bars with a chocolate shortbread crust. Plan to make these at least a day in advance because the bars need to rest overnight before you slice them.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
For the Filling
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups roughly chopped pecans
Instructions
How to Make the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with tin foil.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Add the butter and cut it in using a pastry blender or your hands. Work the butter in until the mix has the consistency of sand. Be patient, it will take at least five minutes or so.
- Pour the crust mix into the baking pan and press it to make an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 18-20 minutes.
How to Make the Filling
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. First, place the chocolate in a bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and melt the chocolate in 30-second increments stopping to stir until the chocolate is melted.
- In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, brown sugar, flour, and eggs, and then stir in the melted chocolate. Add the pecans and stir until just combined. Pour the filling over the top of the hot crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the bars in the pan and then cover them with plastic wrap overnight. Slice into bars the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 277
- Sugar: 22.9g
- Sodium: 15.3mg
- Fat: 15.5g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33.7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3.6g
- Cholesterol: 46.7mg
Keywords: dark chocolate pecan bars, chocolate dessert bars
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
Post and photos updated from the archives. First published in November 2014.
Kristin says
I am so happy I found you!! I run a b&b and am always looking for good and easy treats. So far, I’ve tried your blueberry hand pies and some cheese danish. All are a hit!! Thank you for the great ideas and recipies!!
★★★★★
April says
Yay! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Arden says
Hola! I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Dallas Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the good work!
June Wilson says
Hi, this recipe sounds so delicious and I’d like to try it but when you say flour,do you mean all-purpose or self-rising?
Thanks,
June
★★★★★
April says
Hi June – I used all purpose flour. Thanks for letting me know – I updated the recipe 🙂
nadeen says
The pictures alone are amazing! they look so delicious and I am a chocoholic!
Jess says
Mmmm, these look fantastic! I do like a pie at Thanksgiving, but I might need a little pre-Thanksgiving treat!