Rich and fudgy chocolate pecan bars with a chocolate crust. These dessert bars are a great make-ahead dessert for potlucks, parties, and holiday celebrations.
Chocolate Pecan Dessert Bars
When I think about Thanksgiving dinner, I imagine a golden roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, tart cranberry sauce, and my mom’s savory stuffing. What doesn’t immediately come to mind is pie – it’s always been sort of an afterthought, like, “oh, yeah, can someone bring pies?”
I know the whole “who cares about pie“ attitude stems from the simple fact that I’m not very good at making pie dough. I’ve fully accepted this fact, which means I’m happy to delegate pie duty to someone else.
But what if there’s no one to make the pies? I would never deprive anyone of something sweet after Thanksgiving dinner, so these dark chocolate pecan bars are the perfect answer to the whole need-something-sweet-but-I-don’t-love-pie-probably-because-I’m-terrible-at-making-pie-dough issue.
These dessert bars are made with dark chocolate, studded with pecans, and baked with a chocolate crust. They have a rich brownie-like texture and are a great make-ahead dessert.
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 confectioner’s sugar. To it, add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles 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 you can prepare the filling.
- It starts with 6 ounces of dark chocolate. I bought a bar and chopped it, but you can also substitute dark chocolate chips. Melt the chocolate in the microwave. I like to do this is 30 second incrementsm stopping each time to stir the chocolate, until it’s melted.
- 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. Slice and serve the bars once they’re set.
Happy baking!
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Dark Chocolate Pecan Bars
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
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.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup confectioners 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 pecans, roughly chopped
Instructions
How to Make the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with tin foil.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and confectioner’s 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 in the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the middle is set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the bars in the pan and then cover it with plastic wrap overnight. Slice into bars the next day.
- Let the bars set overnight. The next day uncover and slice into bars.
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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 information in this recipe is an estimate only and was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
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!