These chocolate bourbon pecan bars offer the sweetness and depth of flavor of a pecan pie in a simple and compact bar. Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream or just savor it by itself!

There was always a big debate in my house growing up: nuts in cake or no nuts? My mother loved nuts in her baked goods and added them whenever she could. My father, on the other hand, was a purist—he preferred his cake plain, with nothing extra. As for me, I was impartial. If there was cake involved, I was happy to eat it!

These days, I have to admit that I prefer cake with nuts. They add such great texture and flavor—and since nuts have health benefits, I can even convince myself that I’m eating “better” if my cake has a serving of them! Still, despite my preference, I usually skip the nuts, since most of my kids like their cakes nut-free.

These Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Bars are a huge exception. I first made them last year, inspired by a chocolate bourbon pecan pie I baked years ago during the Thanksgiving season. That pie was such a hit that I kept making it all winter long. Let me tell you—whoever invented the combination of chocolate, bourbon, and pecans deserves a gold medal! The nutty pecans combined with the rich depth of the bourbon (don’t worry, the alcohol bakes out!) and the sweet chocolate is simply perfect.

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with turning everything into bars (see my cookies & cream bars and maple oatmeal squares, to name a few), so I figured, why not my favorite pecan pie? The result was amazing—just as delicious, but so much easier and more practical than a full pie.

These bars also freeze beautifully. (I freeze them as soon as they’re cool—or I’ll end up eating them all!) Just make sure to slice them only once they’re completely cooled. If you cut them while still warm, they’ll fall apart. I always tell my kids that cooling is part of the baking process—it’s just as important as the baking itself, unless it’s something meant to be eaten warm.

You’ll notice in the recipe that the bourbon is optional. When I first posted this recipe on social media, I was flooded with questions about whether it could be left out. The answer is yes—but I highly recommend keeping it in, because it adds incredible flavor.

And one last tip: use a real baking pan for these Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Bars. Trust me—it makes a huge difference!

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Bars

These chocolate bourbon pecan bars offer the sweetness and depth of flavor of a pecan pie in a simple and compact bar. Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream or just savor it by itself!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Crust

1¼ cups flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup oil
1 egg

Filling

2 cups roughly chopped pecans
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup maple syrup
2 eggs
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp bourbon (optional)
9 oz. chocolate chunks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, mix crust ingredients together by hand until it forms a smooth dough. Press into an 8×8-inch square pan (real, not disposable). Set aside.
Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7-10 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant.*
Meanwhile, place remaining filling ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
Add toasted pecans and mix.
Pour the filling over the crust. Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing into squares.**

Notes

*This step isn’t a must and you can skip if you’re short on time, but it definitely enhances the flavor of the bars.

**I sometimes serve this as a scoopable dessert instead of as bars. If you plan to do that, do not slice. Serve scoops of it slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.