Pecan Pie Bars

12 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 40 m Total: 55 m Beginner
Pecan Pie Bars
From Eagle Brand, a perfect recipe for holidays and family fun with a buttery shortbread crust and sweet pecan filling. A note in the recipe box had a date of September 28, 1986—this one’s been making folks happy for decades.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour, unsifted
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 1 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2 tbsp Realemon lemon juice

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly (mixture will look like coarse crumbs).
  3. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of an un-greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
  4. While crust bakes, in a separate bowl, combine pecans, condensed milk, eggs and lemon juice.
  5. Pour pecan mixture over the hot crust.
  6. Bake 25 minutes or until filling is set and lightly golden on top.
  7. Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my crust crumbly and won't hold together?

A: Make sure you're cutting the butter into the flour mixture thoroughly until it looks like coarse crumbs, then press it firmly and evenly into the pan. The mixture should hold together when pressed.

Q: How do I know when the filling is set?

A: The filling should be lightly golden on top and shouldn't jiggle much when you gently shake the pan. It will continue to firm up as it cools.

Tips and Techniques

Cut the bars only after they’ve cooled completely—warm bars will be messy and won’t hold their shape. For cleaner cuts, wipe your knife between each cut.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • pecans: walnuts or a mix of pecans and walnuts
  • Realemon lemon juice: fresh lemon juice

Equipment Needed

  • 13x9-inch baking dish
  • medium mixing bowl
  • pastry blender or fork (for cutting in butter)