Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars {No Corn Syrup}

Best ever, easy chocolate pecan pie bars with shortbread crust recipe with no corn syrup, homemade with simple ingredients in about 30 minutes.

*Thank you Vital Proteins for sponsoring today's post so that I can share this recipe with all of you. As always, all opinions are my own* 

One of my favorite desserts to make during Fall are these bars. They have all the flavors of the classic pie but in cookie form. These smaller, individual bite sized pieces are easier to enjoy. They are also a major hit at Thanksgiving parties and guests are always asking for the recipe. If you still want the round classic recipe, you should check out my Easy Pecan Pie Recipe, which is incredible and has countless rave reviews!

Jump to:

• How to make easy chocolate pecan pie bars recipe with shortbread crust?
• Key ingredients for best Southern pie bars with no corn syrup
• Variations 
• Tips and techniques 
• Recipe FAQ
• Storage of dessert bars
• More easy pie recipes
• Recipe

How to make easy chocolate pecan pie bars recipe with shortbread crust?

1. Cream together- Coconut oil and brown sugar (Image 1). 
2. Mix in- Flour and protein powder (Image 2).
3. Dump- Mixture into prepared pan (Image 3).
4. Spread- Evenly in the pan, then bake (Image 4).
5. Whisk together- Coconut oil, maple syrup, milk, egg, brown sugar, and protein powder (Image 5).
6. Add in- Pecans and chocolate chips (Image 6 and 7).  
7. Pour- This mixture on top of the baked crust and spread (Image 8).
8. Bake- Until edges are set then let cool before cutting.

Key ingredients for best Southern pie bars with no corn syrup

• Flour- All purpose flour usually works best.
• Sugar- Light brown sugar is especially great in desserts and gives richer flavor.
• Eggs- Use large ones and fresh is best!
• Pecans- Be sure to roughly chop them. You don't want whole pecans, because they are too large.
• Chocolate chips- I prefer using semi-sweet chocolate chips in the recipe.
• Maple syrup- This is a healthier option than corn syrup.
• Milk- Use whole milk or 2% for a richer dessert.
• Coconut oil- Use instead of butter.

Variations 

• German chocolate - Add ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut in the filling
• White chocolate- Add ½ cups white chocolate chips in the pie filling mixture.
• Gluten Free- Use a gluten free pie crust recipe.
• Use other nuts- Such as cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, e.t.c.
• Serve with- Homemade Stabilized Whipped Cream , Chantilly Cream , or a drizzle of Homemade Caramel Sauce.
• Replace coconut oil- With unsalted butter. Coconut oil is the healthier option, but use what you have on hand.
• Protein/collagen powders- Are optional but recommended. Omitting them will NOT affect this recipe at all.
• Use honey- Although maple syrup gives the best results, I have replaced it with honey without any problems before.
• Other crust options- You have other pie crust options, too. You can make this recipe with cake mix crust, graham cracker crust, pre-made crust, crescent roll crust, or even cream cheese crust.

Tips and techniques 

• Soften coconut oil- The coconut oil used in the pie crust cannot be melted. It has to be softened.
• Room temperature Ingredients- Should be used for the filling, because it makes them blend together smoothly.
• Line the pan- With aluminum foil then spray it with oil, because the pie is easier to remove this way.
• Don't use parchment paper- To line the baking pan because the filling sticks to it during baking.
• Don't over-bake- The pie is ready when the center is slightly jiggly but edges are set and filling is bubbling. The filling will set even more as the pie cools down.
• Make this for a crowd- Double or even triple this recipe ingredients and use a bigger baking pan.
• Bake crust first- Then add the filling or else the crust will become a soggy mess.
• Cool completely- Then cut square slices with a sharp knife. Chilling the pie for 2-3 hours creates perfect even slices and makes it even easier.
• Use shortbread crust- Because it's easier and simpler than a pie crust. You just mix all the ingredients together, dump them in a baking dish, spread it out with a spatula and bake. It's totally no fail! Pie crust, on the other hand, requires some chilling and rolling, which is more time consuming.

I used Vital Proteins collagen peptides in this recipe because I am obsessed with it. I used 1 packet in the pie filling and 1 packet in the pie crust. It's flavorless and odorless and I can easily use it in any of my recipes without having to worry about the texture or flavor being affected. It's packed with so many nutrients that are good for your health that I am sneaking it in recipes all the time and no one can ever tell!

Recipe FAQ

Storage of dessert bars

• Room temperature- These can be left out in a sealed container for about 6 hours.
• Refrigerate- Store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds to make them ooey gooey again.
• Freeze- Place in airtight, sealed freezer bags for up to 1 month. When the pie bars thaw completely, I suggest baking them again for 5 minutes at 375 degrees F to make the crust crispy and the filling ooey gooey again.

More easy pie recipes

• Easy French Silk Pie
• Easy Chocolate Cream Pie (No Bake)
• Banana Cream Pie (No Bake)
• Crustless Cranberry Pie
• Cranberry Pie (No Bake)
• Easy Sweet Potato Pie
• Easy Apple Crumble Pie
• Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
• Apple Pie Cake
• Easy Caramel Apple Pie

Recipe