Kentucky Derby Pecan Bars (Printable)

Buttery brown sugar crust topped with a gooey pecan filling kissed by bourbon for rich Southern flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Brown Sugar Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Pecan Pie Filling

05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
07 - 2/3 cup light corn syrup
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 - 2 cups pecan halves

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess overhang on sides for convenient removal of cooled bars.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until a crumbly dough texture forms throughout.
03 - Press the crust mixture firmly and evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden in color.
04 - While the crust bakes, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, bourbon if using, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Stir pecan halves into the filling mixture, distributing evenly throughout.
06 - Pour the filling over the hot crust immediately upon removal from oven, spreading pecans in an even layer across the surface.
07 - Return the pan to oven and bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the center is just set with a slight jiggle when gently shaken.
08 - Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to facilitate clean slicing.
09 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang, cut into 16 equal squares using a sharp knife, and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get all the buttery, gooey pecan pie magic without the messy slice-and-serve drama.
  • The brown sugar crust is downright addictive—it tastes like shortbread met a caramel dream.
  • A little bourbon makes these feel fancy, but you can skip it if that's not your thing.
02 -
  • Don't skip chilling the bars—cutting warm or room-temperature bars will give you a gooey mess instead of clean squares, learned this the messy way.
  • That slight jiggle in the center when the bars come out of the oven is not a mistake; it means they'll set perfectly as they cool and have that signature tender crumb.
03 -
  • Use an offset spatula to spread the filling evenly over the hot crust—it prevents the crust from crumbling into the filling.
  • If you can't find bourbon or prefer not to use it, swap it for 1 tablespoon of water plus a small splash of extra vanilla extract to keep the filling rich.
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