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Gooey Salted Brown Sugar Maple Pecan Cookie Pie Bars — these are a little bit of everything delicious. Made with a buttery, salty shortbread crust, maple-candied pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, and melty chocolate chips. Everything bakes together until golden on top, yet gooey and rich in the center. Each bar has the perfect mix of salty-sweet brown sugar, bourbon, and maple-toasted pecans, with swirls of melted chocolate throughout. They’re just so good — especially with a drizzle of chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt before serving.
When I first started testing this recipe, I had so many directions in mind — shortbread cookies, cookie bars, cookie pies, caramel-layered bars… I couldn’t decide! But once I landed on this version, I knew it was the one. It’s a little decadent, a little nostalgic, and a lot delicious.
Think buttery shortbread crust, gooey maple-pecan cookie pie filling, and just enough chocolate to make them feel extra special. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any holiday party — gooey and rich but not messy, and so fun for gifting too.
My mom’s been away for a few days and asked me to save her some — I already have a stash wrapped up and waiting for her!
These are the details
Our Ingredients
- pecans
- maple syrup
- bourbon (optional)
- brown sugar, my favorite is a dark organic brown sugar
- flaky sea salt
- flour
- salted butter
- eggs
- sugar
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- chocolate chips
Specials Tools
Nothing crazy here, you just need a mixing bowl, skillet, and your favorite baking dish! Plus, parchment paper.
Steps
Step 1: the pecans
When I made my pecan latte, I fell in love with soaking pecans in maple syrup. The maple adds such delicious flavor, and once you toast the pecans with brown sugar, they become even yummier—sweet, toasty, and perfectly caramelized.
In a small pot, mix the maple syrup and pecans. Simmer until the syrup is steamy and fragrant with that cozy maple aroma. This step infuses the syrup with the flavor of the pecans.
Remove from the heat, strain out the pecans using a fork, and stir the vanilla into the warm syrup.
Step 2: the shortbread
In a bowl, mix together the flour and brown sugar. Grab the cold butter from the fridge and shred it using a box grater—just like cheese. Mix the butter into the flour, then beat in a few splashes of water until the dough comes together and clings lightly to the bowl.
Cold, salted butter is the secret here. Cold butter keeps the crust flaky, while the salt brings out that rich, caramel flavor. Press the dough firmly into your baking dish, then pop it into the freezer to chill while you make the filling.
Step 3: the filling
Whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, maple syrup (the syrup from soaking the pecans), and the cream until smooth. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla, then fold in the pecans and chocolate chips. I love using large dark chocolate chips for big, melty puddles of chocolate in every bite.
Bake and enjoy!
Bake for about 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is just set. The longer you bake, the less gooey they’ll be—so I like to pull mine out on the earlier side for that perfect soft, rich center.
Let the bars cool before slicing. Once cool, they’ll cut cleanly into perfect, chewy, chocolatey squares.
Looking for other Thanksgiving desserts? Here are my favorites:
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pumpkin Pie
Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Lastly, if you make these Gooey Salted Brown Sugar Pecan Cookie Bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Gooey Salted Brown Sugar Pecan Cookie Bars
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 239 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw pecans
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup bourbon (optional)
- 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup brown sugar
- flaky sea salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold salted butter, shredded
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted and browned
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 2. In a pot, combine the pecans, maple syrup, and bourbon (if using). Simmer over medium heat, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Strain the pecans away from the syrup and place in the baking dish. Set the syrup aside for the pie.3. Toss the pecans with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool, then scoop the pecans out of the dish, leaving a handful of nuts in the dish.4. Chop the pecans and set aside.5. In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the flour, sugar, and butter. Beat, adding 1-3 tablespoons water as needed until the dough is in small crumbs and packs together. Press firmly over the pecans. Freeze. 6. Whisk together 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 egg yolk until well combined. Add the 1/3 cup of the reserved maple syrup and the cream. Whisk in the butter and vanilla. Fold in the pecans and chocolate. Pour into the crust.7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until puffed on top but still wiggly in the center. The longer you bake, the more set the bars will be. Remove from the oven and let cool. Slice into bars, drizzle with chocolate and sea salt. Let set.
This post was originally published on November 14, 2025
optional)
▢ 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup brown sugar
▢ flaky sea salt
▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold salted butter, shredded
▢ 1 cup brown sugar
Which amount of brown sugar are we supposed to use? And can you please update your recipe to the correct amount instead of leaving up the errors?
Hi Glenda,
You are going to use 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in step 3, 1/4 cup in step 5, and 1 cup in step 6.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Can you recommend a substitute for pecans?
Hi Amber,
I’ve only tested this recipe with pecans. You could try walnuts, but you might just enjoy another recipe better. Here are some suggestions:
https://fett-weg.today/marshmallow-brown-sugar-cookie-bars/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/chewy-brown-sugar-maple-cookies/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/brown-sugar-maple-ginger-cookies/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps!
I’m confused because I watched your stories and your dough didn’t come together it was very powdery. Is that correct? I’m afraid it’s going to turn out super dry if I attempt this…
Hi Michelle,
Yes, that is correct:) It should not be super dry, it’s a shortbread crust.
Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
You call for shredded above but you did cubed butter on instagram. I know you always suggest following the recipe, but then why is it depicted differently on Instagram? Can I use either option? Can you clarify?
Hi Morgan,
Yes, either option is perfectly fine for this recipe!
I hope you love these cookie bars!
i always read the recipe and story at least 2x. this one was confusing. it said to add the vanilla at different times, and also didnt specify which sugar to add when. be more specific please. tastes alright considering i added too much sugar to the shortbread base.
Hi there,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. I am so sorry this was confusing! The vanilla is added in step 6. There is only brown sugar in this recipe: 2 tablespoons in step 3, 1/4 cup in step 5, and 1 cup in step 6. I hope this helps!
Your recipes always have the instructions written in two places. The short version has vanilla added once in step 6 but in the long version it’s added in step 1 and in step 2. It’s also confusing that the order and number of steps (3 steps vs 7) is different in the two versions. Which one should we be following? We’re also not leaving pecans in the dish in the long instructions, is that important?
Could you maybe have someone review this recipe for you to make some edits? It’s just not cohesive the way it’s written. I also noticed you used butter cubes instead of shredded in your story, which is better?
Hey Linda,
I’m sorry you find the 2 versions confusing. The written post is just a quick recap of the recipe and not meant to be followed while baking. I like to share tips within the post and this is the space I do that.
I recommend following the recipe card for best results. The recipe card will have all the steps.
All this said, I will work to make sure the post reflects the recipe better. I do apologize and appreciate your feedback.
Yes you can use cubed or shredded butter.
Hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving!!
Why do we leave a handful of nuts in the dish?
Hi Carol,
You are going to save those for part of the bottom, they will be pressed into the dough in step 5.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Why is brown sugar listed twice? What is the total amount of brown sugar needed?
Hi Mike,
You are going to use 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in step 3, 1/4 cup in step 5 and 1 cup in step 6. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
The recipe instructions are confusing and incomplete. Could you review and update?
Many thanks
Hi Jan,
Can you let me know what is confusing and what you feel needs to be fixed?
Thanks!
The two sets of recipe instructions are very different, both in order and number of steps.
Hi Jan,
I’m sorry you find the 2 versions confusing. The written post is just a quick recap of the recipe and not meant to be followed while baking. I like to share tips within the post and this is the space I do that.
I recommend following the recipe card for best results. The recipe card will have all the steps.
It’s confusing as to how much brown sugar should be used in each step because you don’t give the measurements in the recipe instructions.
Hi Christy,
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in step 3, 1/4 cup of brown sugar in step 5, and 1 cup of brown sugar in step 6.
Hello! I’ve just made these and have yet to taste them but I did struggle to follow the recipe directions. Would it be possible to maybe list out the ingredients by “pecans”, “filling” and “crust”? I was a bit confused as to what measurement of sugar went in which thing! The “story recipe” was more detailed but I rarely read that due to time.
I look forward to tasting as it smells delicious!
Hi Shannon,
Thanks so much for sharing this suggestion and I am so sorry for any confusion!
I hope the bars are delicious and thanks for trying them!
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Hi Carla,
I have not tested that with this exact recipe, but you could certainly give it a try!
Let me know if I can help in any other way!
Hi. I’m thinking of making this for thanksgiving but I need to make as much as possible ahead of time. How to best store these bars and can this be frozen? Thanks
Hey Jenny! You can keep the bars at room temperature for 2-3 days. I have not frozen these but I think that would work well too.
Hope you enjoy the recipe and happy thanksgiving!
These just did not turn out for me. I think cooking the pecans twice was the downfall of the recipe. The pecans were so stale. And before you ask, no, I didn’t make any adjustments to the recipe. I followed as prescribed.
Hi June,
Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback, very sorry to hear they did not turn out for you.
These look really delicious and I’m planning on making them! I have a question about the chocolate for drizzling later. How much and what type of chocolate is used for drizzling?
Thanks!
Thanks so much, Patty!
If you would like to do the chocolate drizzle, I recommend using milk chocolate or dark chocolate. 1 bar should be plenty:) I hope you love this recipe!
I also found it confusing bc to make the dough it says flour sugar and butter beat together so I assumed it was the 1 cup of brown sugar listed in ingredients. But then in step 6 it says to whisk 1 cup of brown sugar. So should the ingredients say 2 cups of brown sugar or is the dough made with regular sugar (not listed in ingredients)? Thanks for the clarification.
Hi Nicole,
I’m sorry for any confusion, I will go back to look at this.
There is no regular sugar in this recipe. You are going to use 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in step 3, 1/4 cup of brown sugar in step 5, and 1 cup of brown sugar in step 6.
I hope this makes more sense!
If you don’t use bourbon do you add more maple syrup?
Hi Michelle,
No need to add more maple syrup, just skip the bourbon:)
Let me know if you give these cookie bars a try, I hope you love them!
Sounds great! Could almond flour be substituted?
Hey Jann! I have not tested that so I really can’t say. Could you use a GF blend or just almond flour? I think it may be fine, just not sure!!
Let me know if you test that out! Hope you love the recipe!
Hi:)
Could I substitute the all purpose flour with almond flour?
Hi Heidi,
I have not tested that so I really can’t say. Could you use a GF blend? I think it may be fine, just not sure!!
Let me know if you test that out! Hope you love the recipe!