Kentucky Derby Pecan Bars (Print Version)

Buttery crust and rich pecan filling finished with a bourbon glaze for a delightful treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Pecan Pie Filling

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

→ Bourbon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 tablespoons bourbon
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until crumbly dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden.
04 - While crust bakes, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in pecan halves.
05 - Pour filling evenly over hot crust. Return to oven and bake for 25 to 28 minutes until filling is set with slight jiggle in center.
06 - Let bars cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
07 - Whisk together powdered sugar, bourbon, and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth. Add more milk as needed for pourable consistency.
08 - Drizzle glaze over cooled bars. Let set for 15 minutes, then lift from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The buttery shortbread base stays crispy even when topped with the rich pecan filling, giving you that satisfying texture contrast in every bite.
  • Bourbon adds depth without making the bars taste boozy, just sophisticated and a little mysterious.
  • You can make the whole batch in about two hours and they last for days, which means you can actually enjoy them instead of stressing over timing.
02 -
  • The filling will look slightly underbaked when you pull it from the oven, and that's exactly right, because it firms up as it cools and you want it to stay moist and almost fudgy in the center.
  • Cutting while the bars are even slightly warm will cause them to fall apart, so resist the urge to slice immediately after cooling and wait until they're completely at room temperature.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar for the glaze so you don't end up with lumps that won't dissolve no matter how much you whisk.
  • Let the crust cool in the pan for just a minute before adding the filling so it's hot enough to help set the eggs but not so hot that it overbakes them.
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