Cornflake Pecan Pie Bars - Under 1 Hour
Faster than pie, and just as tasty, these pecan pie bars are made with maple, a tender shortbread crust, and an extra helping of cornflakes for a salty sweet crunch!
Ingredients
for the shortbread crust
- 1 ½ cup (184g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter cold, cut into 1 inch cubes
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (25g) confectioners sugar 14g
- 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45ml) cold water
for the cornflake pecan topping
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (16g) all-purpose flour
- 1 medium egg
- 2 cups (218g) pecans chopped into halves
- 1½ cup (45g) cornflakes
- flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
for the shortbread crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F then grease and line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, unsalted butter, granulated and confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and water. Pulse a few times to combine until the butter is broken into almond sized shreds and is incorporated into the flour. The dough should hold together easily and slightly moist. (This can also be done by hand)
- Tip the dough out into the prepared pan. Use your fingers or the flat bottom of a measuring cup to press the dough into an even layer and up the sides about 1/4 inch to create a border. Bake the crust until light golden brown and set, about 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool slightly while you make the topping.
for the filling
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium low heat until dark brown and has a nutty aroma. Once browned, stream in the heavy cream, maple syrup, and whisk to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in brown sugar until fully dissolved.
- Sift in all-purpose flour, and whisk until a sticky paste forms. Add more flour if necessary in tablespoon increments. Whisk in the egg until fully incorporated. Lastly, stir in the halved pecans and cornflakes. The mixture should all be held together by the egg and will be gooey.
- Pour pecan mixture over warm. Bake until filling is bubbling and caramel in color, about 20 minutes. If the top starts burning, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil. Once baked, let the pan cool completely to room temperature before removing and cutting into 2 inch squares with a sharp wet knife. wiping in-between each cut.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
Unfortunately, egg is needed in this recipe for the gooey chewy texture. It can still be made without, but will be more like a pecan cookie. Still delish!
For a gluten-free version: sub all-purpose flour with equal parts almond flour.
STORING NOTES:
FREEZING: These can be frozen for up to 2 months. After completely cooled, wrap bars tightly with aluminium foil or wax paper separating each layer. Thaw overnight in room temperature before serving.