Second only to pumpkin pie in the must-have-for-Thanksgiving-dessert category is the gooey, nutty deliciousness that is Pecan Pie.
I’m switching it up again though…no pie here. It’s BARS, this time around. Chewy Pecan Pie Bars.
This one comes with a butter warning. There is A LOT of butter in this recipe. We’re talking two whole sticks of butter. The good news is that 1) it’s the holidays, so it’s okay to splurge, and 2) this recipe makes a 9×13 inch pan of glorious pecan pie bars, so two sticks divided by 117 square inches really isn’t that much.
Are you convinced?
These rich, chewy bars just scream “FALL!” and are the perfect dessert to set out next to your pumpkin torte, or other holiday desserts. They also happen to be the perfect treat to bring with you to those upcoming holiday parties.
Or you could obviously keep them for yourself and eat them with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream for a unique twist on a sundae…
Or you could blend them up with that ice cream and milk for a Pecan Pie milkshake…
Or you could dip them in chocolate…
Or…
Little Hands Can…
- Measure wet and dry ingredients
- Press crust mixture into the pan (make sure you press hard, as Em demonstrates here!)
- Older kids can operate the food processor
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the sides slightly. You will be able to use the paper to lift the bars out when they're cool. (You could also use aluminum foil, but take care to use nonstick foil, or butter the foil really well so the bars don't stick.)
- In a food processor, combine the brown sugar, flour and salt. Add in the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles sand. Add the water and pulse until the mixture just sticks together.
- Pour crust mixture into your prepared pan and press down to form an even layer.
- Bake crust in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar and salt. Using a handheld mixer, or stand mixer, beat until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the honey and flour and beat until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans using a spatula. The mixture will be thick.
- Using a spoon, dollop pecan mixture all over the top of the hot baked crust. Let it sit for a minute so it starts to melt a bit and then it will be easier to fully spread over the crust. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the pecan mixture evenly over the crust.
- Bake the bars in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. (The bars will look undercooked, but will thicken as they cool. Be careful not to over bake the bars or else they will be crunchy.)
- Let the bars cool for at least an hour. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares.
Recipe adapted from Claire Robinson’s Pecan Bars
On the Side
Measurement is an important concept to master, so it is important to start teaching it early on. With this recipe, we’re investigating the concept of linear measurement using a ruler.
To start, show your child a ruler and explain that we use a ruler to measure the length of something (how long something is). There are numbers on the ruler to help us figure out the length of an object. Each of these numbers marks an INCH, which is the measurement that we’re using to figure out how long an object is. (You can also point out the centimeter side of the ruler).
Cut off a piece of pecan bar to measure. Demonstrate how to hold the ruler against the edge of the bars and read how long the piece is using the ruler. (For younger children, like those of Em’s age, this may be as far as you get, and that’s okay!)
Here are some ideas to help your child further explore measurement using their ruler and the pecan bars:
- Cut out bars of various lengths and encourage your child to use the ruler to measure the length and width of each bar. What size bar would you like to eat?
- Measure the length and width of the baking pan. Is it really 9 x 13 inches?
- Ask your child to measure and cut bars of a certain length. If we have 10 people that want a pecan bar, what size bars can we cut? What if we have 20 people that want a pecan bar?
- For older children, you can use your pecan bars to discuss area! Using parchment paper, draw a template to show different areas. Challenge your child to use a ruler to measure and then cut bars to match each specified area. The area of a rectangle is equal to the length of the rectangle multiplied by the width (A = l x w). For example, the area of 3 inch x 3 inch bar would be 9 in².
For the record, these bars are pretty rich, so a 1×2 or 2×2 inch bar is just right!
Disclaimer: As with all of our recipes, my suggestions for how kids can help with a particular recipe are based on what has worked in our kitchen. Your child may be able to help more or less based on their age and/or ability.
Linda Toonen says
November 20, 2015 at 1:01 PMSally,
As usual, this is nothing short of tremendous! The “On the Side” activities are terrific!!
Sally says
November 21, 2015 at 3:16 PMThank you, Linda!