Sourdough Pecan Pie Bars (No Corn Syrup)
All the gooey, caramel-y goodness of pecan pie in an easy sourdough pecan pie bar you can pick up and eat with your hands! I’ve made pecan pie for the holidays for years, but slicing it neatly and serving it to a crowd was always a mess, so I started testing a bar version in my own kitchen. After a few rounds, I landed on a buttery press-in shortbread crust made with sourdough discard and a rich maple brown sugar filling with no corn syrup. My family couldn’t tell the difference from the classic pie, and now these bars are the first thing to disappear from our dessert table every Thanksgiving.
If you love pecan pie, you've got to try my no bake pecan pie cheesecake too!
I came up with these because I only have two pie dishes, and every Thanksgiving they’re taken up by apple and pumpkin. A 9x13 pan solved that problem. Now these bars are what I bring anywhere I need to feed a crowd. I make them on Thanksgiving, school events, holiday cookie trays. One pan makes 24 bars, and they disappear every time.
I love making pecan pie during the holidays just as much as the next person, especially with my sourdough pie crust. It can be a little bit annoying to wait for the dough to chill and then make the pie. This is so much easier and tastes just as good, if not better! Add this recipe for pecan pie bars to your Thanksgiving menu along with all my sourdough Thanksgiving recipes!
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Why You’ll Love These Pecan Pie Bars
- No corn syrup. I've been trying to avoid corn syrup in my everyday life, so it only makes sense that I try to avoid it in my pecan pie bars. Pure maple syrup and brown sugar make a gooey, caramel-like filling.
- No rolling pin needed. The sourdough discard shortbread crust presses right into the pan. That makes there is no waiting too!
- Feeds a crowd. One 9x13 pan makes 24 bars.
- Easy to transport. No pie dish to carry and no messy slicing at the party.
- Make-ahead friendly. They taste even better the next day. You can even freeze them too!
Ingredients to Gather
For the sourdough shortbread crust:
- All-purpose flour. This is for the base of the crust.
- Brown sugar. Brown sugar adds a little caramel flavor to the shortbread. Don't substitute granulated sugar here, you need brown sugar, light brown or dark brown will work.
- Cold butter. Makes it rich and tender. I only have salted butter on hand. It's just a preference of mine. If you have unsalted butter, that will work here too.
- Sourdough discard. It brings the dough together and adds a subtle tang that balances the sweet filling.
- Salt. All you need is just a little to help balance the sweetness.
For the maple pecan filling:
- Pure maple syrup. You really need the good stuff here. This replaces corn syrup. Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Brown sugar. More sugar! Brown sugar gives that classic deep pecan pie flavor.
- Eggs. They set the filling.
- Melted butter, vanilla and salt. For flavor.
- Flour. All purpose flour is the best to use in this recipe. Two tablespoons help a filling made without corn syrup set up so the bars cut clean.
- Pecans. Chopped pecans make the bars much easier to cut, and toasting them first adds so much flavor. If you have some extra pecans, make some brown butter pecan cookies!
Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and Substitutions for Sourdough Discard Pecan Pie Bars
- Swap the nuts. Walnuts work great if that’s what you have, or you can do a mix of pecans and walnuts. Just keep the total amount the same. I love to use walnuts in my grandma's walnut tea tarts.
- Add chocolate. Sprinkle about ½ cup of semisweet chocolate chips over the crust before you pour in the filling. It tastes like a Derby pie in bar form. My mom always makes a chocolate pecan pie during the holidays and it is so good!
- Use maple syrup instead of corn syrup. Pure maple syrup gives the filling a cozy fall flavor. The filling will be a little softer, so let the bars cool completely before cutting.
- Try golden syrup or honey. Golden syrup is a 1:1 swap for light corn syrup. Honey works too, but its flavor is stronger and it browns faster, so keep an eye on them toward the end.
- Light or dark brown sugar. Either one works! Dark brown sugar gives a deeper, more caramel-y filling.
- Add a splash of bourbon. A tablespoon of bourbon in the filling is so good for the holidays.
- Finish with flaky salt. A pinch of flaky sea salt on top right out of the oven balances out all that sweetness.
- Salted or unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter, go ahead and use it, and skip any extra salt in the crust.
- Active or unfed discard. You can use either one. The discard is there for flavor and moisture, not to make the bars rise, so starter straight from the fridge is fine.
How To Make Pecan Pie Bars
- Step 1: Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides so you can lift the bars out later.
- Step 2: Whisk the flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in the cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs, then stir in the discard until a crumbly dough forms.
- Step 3: Press the dough evenly into the pan. Prick it all over with a fork and bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are light golden. Par-baking keeps the crust from getting soggy under the filling. While the crust bakes, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, flour, vanilla and salt until smooth. Stir in the pecans.
- Step 4: Pour the filling over the warm crust and spread the pecans out evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center only jiggles slightly. Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Lift them out with the parchment and cut into 24 bars.
Tips for the Best Pecan Pie Bars Without Corn Syrup
- Toast the pecans. Spread them on a sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes before chopping.
- Pour the filling onto a warm crust. This helps the two layers stick together.
- Don’t overbake. The center should still have a slight wobble when you take it out. It sets as it cools.
- Chill before cutting. Cold bars cut into clean squares. Wipe your knife between cuts.
Storage and Make Ahead Info
Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They’re great made 1 to 2 days ahead of Thanksgiving. To freeze, wrap the bars individually or in layers between parchment and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Sourdough Pecan Pie Bars FAQs
Yes! Pure maple syrup and brown sugar make a gooey filling that sets up perfectly as long as you add a little flour and let the bars cool and chill before cutting.
Yes. Because the filling is made with eggs, store pecan pie bars in the fridge. They can sit out for a few hours while you serve them.
Yes, active starter works the same way in the shortbread crust. Discard is just an easy way to use what you have, and there’s no rise time.
Yes, cut the recipe in half and bake it in an 8x8 pan. Check the filling a few minutes early, since a smaller batch can bake faster.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
Sourdough Shortbread Crust
- 2 ¼ cups All purpose flour
- â…“ cup Light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Cold Butter Salted or Unsalted
- ½ cup Sourdough discard
For the Maple Pecan Filling
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¾ cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 6 tablespoon Butter Melted
- 2 tablespoon All purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 ½ cups Pecans Toasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.
- Whisk flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in butter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in discard until a crumbly dough forms.
- Press evenly into the pan, prick with a fork and bake 18 to 20 minutes until the edges are light golden.
- Whisk eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, flour, vanilla and salt until smooth. Stir in pecans.
- Pour over the warm crust and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center barely jiggles.
- Cool completely, chill at least 1 hour, then cut into 24 bars.
