Double Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

There’s something about November and December that makes my sweet tooth ache for chocolatey things. I’ve personally been baking brownies and cookies like it’s my job over here…. my mouth legitimately started drooling when Louisa from Living Lou sent me the recipe for these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars. Yum, yum, yum.

Guest recipe by Louisa from Living Lou

I think it’s safe to say that many of our first experiences in the kitchen are baking. Maybe it’s the holiday traditions of pumpkin pie or pecan pie or even that midnight craving for the simple, but addicting, chocolate chip cookies. I’ve talked about getting creative with your recipes, but it can be hard with baking because unlike cooking, baking is a science. Ingredients react together to form something completely different. We all know that if you mess with something in science, it could go terribly, terribly wrong. That’s why I’m here to make all those mistakes for you (I’ve made some great cardboard flavored cookies before). But don’t worry, these Double Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are not one of those failed science experiments. 

Pecan pie has always been my favorite Thanksgiving dessert, and pecan pie bars are just that dessert in a mini, portable form. It doesn’t get much better. Looking for a Friday-night treat to bake with friends? Are you attending a Thanksgiving potluck? These decadent and chocolatey treats will be a winning choice. And if you are attending that potluck, I implore you bring these double chocolate pecan pie bars. You won’t regret it. 

Today’s tips:

1. Find your go-to recipes

Go-to recipes are something that everyone should have in their back pocket. These are those favorite recipes that you know will never fail you. People will also start to associate you with these delicious gems. Before you know it, you’ll have your friends begging you to bring those favorites. They are also a great way to be prepared for last minute treats to bring over to a friend in need. Or that potluck you forgot about until an hour before. (We’ve all been there). I recommend you have at least three different recipes in your arsenal. 

2. Get acquainted with your kitchen through baking

I think that baking is probably the best way to get acquainted with your kitchen. It’s a lot of fun and yields delicious results, which makes building your confidence in the kitchen all the better. Having confidence is key to every aspect of life, but this is especially true in the kitchen and it only comes from practice. With the holidays coming up, there is no better time to practice these skills (and try this recipe while you’re at it). 

Double Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars (makes 20)

Ingredients

For Crust: 

1 ¼ cup flour

½ cup melted butter

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

½ tsp salt

Filling:

3 eggs

1 cup corn syrup

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups pecans

½ cup chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, process ingredients for crust. It will have a crumbly texture.

3. Using your fingers, press the crust into pan, creating a ½ inch edge around the sides of the pan.

4. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, whisk together all ingredients for filling. 

6. Pour filling ingredients into the prebaked crust. Bake for another 30-40 minutes or until filling is set.

7. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 20 even bars.