Kentucky Derby Pecan Bars (Printable)

Buttery shortbread base with pecan filling and bourbon glaze in a festive bar format.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a mixing bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until a 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 - Allow bars to cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
07 - Whisk together powdered sugar, bourbon, and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth. Add additional milk as needed to achieve pourable consistency.
08 - Drizzle glaze over cooled bars. Allow 15 minutes for glaze to set. Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang and cut into 16 bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're elegant enough for a Derby party but casual enough to grab from the kitchen with your coffee.
  • The bourbon glaze adds a sophisticated kick that makes people lean in and ask what that flavor is.
  • You can make them ahead and store them, which means less stress on party day.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the crust before adding the filling; pouring warm liquid onto an unbaked crust can make it soggy and dense.
  • The filling looks underbaked when it's actually ready—that slight center jiggle is the secret to bars that are fudgy without being gummy.
  • Room temperature ingredients cream together better and mix more evenly, especially for the crust.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper with overhang on two sides so you can lift the entire block out and cut bars on a cutting board instead of trying to slice them in the pan.
  • If your filling cracks slightly on top, it just means it baked a little too long—it won't affect taste, but next time pull it out when there's still a tiny jiggle in the center.
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