Should you refrigerate pecan pies after baking?

Yes. Because pecan pie is an "egg-rich" pie, the USDA recommends you store it in the fridge after it has cooled . Unless you plan on serving the pie within two hours of baking, it shouldn't stay out at room temperature.

Can you freeze a pecan pie?

If you want to store pecan pie for longer, you can wrap it and freeze it for up three months . The filling is low in moisture, which helps pecan pie hold up in the freezer, as long as you wrap it well. Once the pie is cool, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze.

Can you leave a fresh baked pecan pie out overnight?

Chef and Certified Master Baker Genevieve Meli, lecturing instructor in baking and pastry at the Culinary Institute of America, said that she wouldn't refrigerate pecan pie. According to Meli, pecan pie will be able to be safely eaten for two days left out of the fridge .

Can pecan pie sit out on the counter overnight?

You can only keep it at room temperature for two hours . Since pecan pies contain eggs, they have more chances to get bad and make you sick. So, if you have kept your pies in the fridge, put them back within two hours. On the other hand, store-bought pies contain preservatives that keep them from spoiling.

How do you know when pecan pie goes bad?

Once your pie gets spoiled, it will have an unpleasant odor and undesirable taste . In most cases, you can even detect a spoilt pie from its appearance. You can notice mold on its surface, and it will a bit soggier than before. If you notice these things, it's time to throw it.

How long is a homemade pecan pie good for?

A pecan pie will last up to four days in the refrigerator, according to the USDA.

Why is my pecan pie hard on top?

A hard pecan pie means it was cooked too long .

How long can pecan pie sit out after baking?

You can leave a pecan pie out of the fridge for up to four hours—just be sure to refrigerate it after that. If you've just baked your pie, be sure to let it cool completely before refrigerating—this is also an important step for food safety, as you don't want to put a piping hot pie in the fridge.

How do you store pecan pie after baking?

After the pecan pie has finished baking and has cooled, cover it lightly with aluminum foil or parchment paper and place it in the fridge. This will not only allow the filling to set but also heeds food safety rules.

Does pecan pie taste better the next day?

Another VERY important step: after baking, you must allow the pie to cool to room temperature. Although it can be served warm, pecan pie is best when it's completely set. Very often, I'll make my pecan pie the night before Thanksgiving; by the next day, it's perfect .

Can you put a pie in the fridge right after baking?

Pies that make use of eggs and dairy (like pumpkin, mousse, and custard pies) should go straight into the fridge after cooling . They'll stay good for 2 days. You're also fine to freeze some pies like pecan, pumpkin, and fruit pies (as long as they're well wrapped to protect them from freezer burn).

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (2024)

Published: Oct 17, 2019 Last updated on July 2, 2023 Author: Sabine / This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe

Every bite of these pecan shortbread bars is delectable. You just need 15 minutes of prep time and 9 ingredients to make them. They are so easy and feed a crowd! By the way, have you tried apple pecan bars yet?

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (1)

Jump to:

Photo tutorial
Substitutions
Expert tips for success
How to tell when they are done
Storage
Freezing instructions
More bars recipes to try
Recipe

Photo tutorial

Add theflour, sugar, salt, and butterto the food processor to make theshortbread crust. Continue to pulse until it becomes clumped.

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (2)

Then transfer the shortbread crust to a paper lined baking pan. Use your fingers topress it evenly in the bottom of the pan. Bake until the crust becomes a golden brown which will take around20 minutes.

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (3)

Meanwhile, begin preparing the pecan filling. Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Then add in the brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, salt, vanilla, and butter. Heat to a simmer then cook for a 1 minute. Make sure to stir constantly, so it doesn't burn.

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (4)

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in chopped pecans.

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (5)

Add pecan mixture to the baked crust. Make sure it's even. Then bake.

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (6)

Substitutions

Pecans - you can use walnuts instead of pecan if you want to. The flavor and texture will be slightly different, but not a ton. So if you have an aversion to pecans, you will be happy to know you can exchange walnuts in most pecan desserts without too many issues.
Maple Syrup - If you aren't a fan of maple syrup or you don't have any on hand, you can substitute honey, agave, golden or even corn syrup. The flavors will be slightly different no matter which one you choose, but will still taste great.

Expert tips for success

Make sure to use cold butter straight out of the fridge, for the flakiest shortbread crust. Also, don't overwork the crust in the food processor.
Don't overcook the honey filling or it will turn dark brown and taste bitter.
Avoid overbaking, or the filling will become dry and hard and tough to bite.

How to tell when they are done

You can tell that the pecan pie bars are done when the topping looks to be set. It's vital not to overbake any pecan desserts, especially these pecan bars. They will not be very good if you accidentally do.

To-Die-For Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (7)

Storage

After the bars have cooled completely, cover them. They should be kept airtight for up to three days. You do not need to refrigerate them, and they taste fabulous at room temperature.

Freezing instructions

They should be stored in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Keep in mind; they will stick to each other if they are touching when you freeze them. To help with this issue, I recommend flash freezing.

To flash freeze, simply cut the bars and place them on a cookie sheet so that they aren't touching. Then place the pan in the freezer for 2 hours. After they are frozen, you can put them in the freezer container, and they won't stick together anymore. Grab what you need! They will last 2-3 months in the freezer.

More bars recipes to try

Cheesecake Bars
S'mores Cookies
Key Lime Bars
Lemon Bars

Recipe

Pecan Pie Shortbread Bars

5 from 10 votes

Author Sabine

Calories: 405kcal

Servings: 16 servings

Prep 15 minutes minutes

Cook 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Shortbread crust

▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
▢ ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ⅞ cup unsalted butter, cold

Pecan filling

▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
▢ ⅓ cup maple syrup
▢ 2 tablespoon heavy cream
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 vanilla bean* (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
▢ 3 cups pecan nuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9"x13" (23x33cm) baking pan with parchment paper with an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
Make the shortbread crust in afoodprocessor: Place flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor and pulse until it starts to clump. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and press with your fingers evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes until crust is lightly browned.
If you don't have a food processor, then make the shortbread crust with a pastry cutter or two forks instead: In this case mix together flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then add butter and cut it into the mixture until it starts to clump.
While the crust is baking, prepare the pecan filling:Over medium-high heat, in a medium-sized sauce-pan, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, salt, vanilla*, and butter and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 minute and stir constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped pecans.
Remove crust from the oven and pour pecan mixture over the crust evenly. Then return to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes. The longer you bake them the harder and dryer the filling will be. I baked the filling for exactly 20 minutes.
Remove pecan pie shortbread bars from the oven and let cool completely. Then lift them out of the pan with the paper and cut into 20 bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Video

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Nutrition

Calories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 289mgPotassium: 124mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 525IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1.3mg

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Did you make this recipe?Leave a feedback and rate this recipe!

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About Sabine

Sabine is a professional baker, cookbook author, and award-winning food photographer.

Reader Interactions

Comments

MIchele
August 10, 2021 at 2:58 pm

Just made these and they were delish! I added a chocolate drizzle to the top (bc I LOVE chocolate pecan pie). I appreciate that this recipe is made without eggs or corn syrup. I think you could also make candied pecans with this topping mixture alone if you wanted to bake just the pecans and use them as toppings for salads, etc.. Thanks for the recipe- will definitely make them again!
Reply
Laura B
April 30, 2021 at 10:23 pm

Absolutely delicious and easy to make ... thank you for rescuing dessert for me when my original option went awry!
Reply
Linda Murray
December 20, 2020 at 12:23 pm

A co-worker made these last year for a company Christmas pot luck and they were a huge hit with everyone. She is no longer at our company but this is the recipe she said she used "To-Die-For......" So I made them this year and they are just as I remember. There are many many pecan bar recipes online to choose from but these are very easy and so delicious with the maple syrup vs. corn syrup. Add a depth of flavor to the filling that makes all the difference in the world.
Reply
Amber
December 02, 2019 at 4:21 am

This recipe was simple and incredibly tasty (addictive even!). As pecans are much more expensive than walnuts, I am going to try it again with walnuts this time, but it was really, just delightful with pecans. The shortbread was a perfect accompaniment to the toffee-pecan topping, and really helped cut the intense sweetness of the dessert, mellowing it out with a savory buttery finish. This recipe is a keeper.
Reply
- Amber
  March 22, 2020 at 2:41 pm
  I tried it with walnuts, and while good, pecans are even better. Thanks again for the easy and tasty recipe.
  Reply
MossyD
October 01, 2019 at 7:09 pm

Outstanding! I love shortbread.. I also like pecan pie, but I don't care much for the gooey filling between the crust and the pecans on top. This recipe combines the two, pecan pie and shortbread crust... without the goo! I enjoy cooking and I know my way around the kitchen, but I am not a baker, unless you count cookies from store-bought frozen dough. This recipe was easy to follow and turned out great! These will be a new Autumn tradition.
Reply
- Sabine
  October 03, 2019 at 2:37 am
  Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m glad you like it!
  Reply
Kate
April 15, 2019 at 1:05 pm

These were so delicious and easy! I will def be making again
Reply
- Sabine
  April 16, 2019 at 2:15 pm
  Thank you so much for your feedback! I'm happy that you like them.
  Reply
Emma
December 21, 2018 at 3:14 pm
How would you adjust the recipe for a 9x9 baking pan?
Reply
- Sabine
  December 22, 2018 at 3:20 am
  I recommend calculating and using 2/3 of the ingredients for a 9x9 pan size. The baking time is then the same. Hope that helps.
  Reply