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Decadent Salted Caramel Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars Recipe with Bourbon Whipped Cream

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These decadent salted caramel chocolate pecan pie bars combine a buttery crust, gooey caramel, melty chocolate, and crunchy toasted pecans, topped with a smoky bourbon whipped cream for a perfect sweet and salty treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free option)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup light corn syrup (can substitute with maple syrup)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups pecan halves, toasted
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add ½ cup softened unsalted butter and mix with fingers or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into bottom of 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Remove and cool slightly.
  2. Toast 1 ½ cups pecan halves in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often until fragrant. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup packed light brown sugar, ¾ cup light corn syrup, 4 large eggs, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  3. Spread toasted pecans evenly over baked crust. Sprinkle 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips on top of pecans. Pour filling mixture evenly over top. Lightly sprinkle 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt over filling.
  4. Return pan to oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until filling is set but slightly jiggly in center. Check doneness by gently shaking pan; edges should be firm and center should wobble slightly. Avoid overbaking.
  5. Remove bars from oven and cool completely on wire rack for at least 2 hours to set filling.
  6. Just before serving, whip 1 cup cold heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Adjust sweetness if needed.
  7. Cut bars into squares and serve topped with bourbon whipped cream.

Notes

[‘Toast pecans to enhance flavor and nuttiness.’, ‘Use softened butter (not melted) for the crust for perfect crumbly texture.’, ‘Start checking bars at 35 minutes to avoid overbaking and drying out the filling.’, ‘Flaky sea salt is essential for balancing sweetness and adding crunch.’, ‘Whip cream just before serving for best texture and volume.’, ‘Multitask by toasting nuts and whisking filling while crust bakes.’, ‘For gluten-free, use almond flour; for dairy-free, use coconut oil and coconut cream; for nut-free, substitute pecans with pumpkin seeds or omit nuts.’, ‘Bars store well in refrigerator up to 5 days and freeze up to 3 months (without whipped cream).’]

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel, chocolate, pecan pie bars, bourbon whipped cream, dessert bars, pecan bars, caramel bars, easy dessert, holiday dessert

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/decadent-salted-caramel-chocolate-pecan-pie-bars-recipe-with-bourbon-whipped-cream/