Maple Pecan Pie Bars

These Maple Pecan Pie Bars are the perfect way to bring in Fall! Eating one of these (or three, no judgement) will just make you want to curl up in a cozy blanket!

These Maple Pecan Pie Bars are the perfect way to bring in Fall! Eating one of these (or three, no judgement) will just make you want to curl up in a cozy blanket and light all of your best Fall scented candles. With a soft and sticky maple blondie and a layer of pecan pie filling on top, you’ll be wishing you had this recipe sooner!

Hey there! I’m Jenna from Butternut Bakery and I cannot WAIT to share this recipe with you. I have a serious passion for all things sweet and since we’re entering into my favorite baking season, I knew I had to create something to start it off right!

The idea for this recipe all came from a strange craving. My boyfriend has been nagging me all Summer to make pecan pie and I just refuse. I mean who the heck wants pecan pie in the middle of July??

I will admit though, I made Caramel Apple Muffins in the middle of summer. Oops! But when I thought of this recipe, I crossed my fingers in hopes that it would hold him over until at least Thanksgiving. He usually shows little emotion when trying my desserts but one bite and his face lit up! Winner winner Thanksgiving dinner!

Sticky Maple Pecan Pie Bars

Now let’s get into what makes these bars so good. You can almost think of these as a nutty sticky bun but in blondie form. The base is a cakey blondie made with maple syrup. I based it off of my Cookie Butter Blondies but with a couple tweaks. They are so moist and rich and on top is a pecan pie filling that is pretty close to actual pecan pie. You have that nutty crunch with the caramelized crust that holds it all together. Is your mouth watering yet?

How to Save Money on Nuts

From all of the trial and errors of this recipe, I went through a ton of pecans and they can get expensive. But that’s only if you buy the packaged bags at your typical grocery store.

To save money on nuts, buy in bulk! Costco or any other wholesale store has big bags you can buy for much cheaper and they can last up to a year if you store them in the fridge. You can cut costs even more if you buy whole nuts. Trust me, it’s worth the extra savings just to chop them up yourself. Plus, you get full control over the size you want.

You can also buy in bulk at health food stores that have the bulk food bins. Stores like Sprouts Farmers Market and Whole Foods have a variety of nuts to choose from at a much lower price. Even grocery stores like Fry’s, Hy-Vee, and Safeway (depending on where you live) are adding the bulk food bins to their stores. So the rule of thumb here is to buy whole and in bulk.

Cutting Bars into Perfect Squares

I don’t know about you, but I actually dread having to cut my bars into those perfect squares. It could be the perfectionist in me, but I get stressed out when I cut a line that’s a little too diagonal or not equal to the other slices.

1. The trick here is to line the pan with parchment paper that extends over the sides of the pan. This video shows exactly how that looks. When the bars are cooled, lift them out of the pan and lay them flat on your cutting board.
2. Using a ruler, just lay it next to the side in which you are cutting. If you’re using an 8×8 pan, make 2 inch cuts.
3. The key is to use a big knife so that you can just make one swift slice without sawing down the bars. That can sometimes lift up the crumbs and create messy edges. You can also wipe off the knife between each cut to get even cleaner lines. There you have it! Perfectly cut bars.

If you try out this recipe, make sure to tag @butternutbakery and @ohsweetbasil on Instagram. We love seeing your creations! And we’re positive you are going to love these maple pecan pie bars.

Want your chopped pecans to pack a more flavorful punch?  Make them toasted pecans!

Maple Pecan Pie Bars

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