I’m fairly certain that I was actually born in the South due to my love of pork, specifically bacon.
I LOVE bacon. Like really love it. I could eat it every day, but for obvious reasons, like health, I do not. Bacon is amazing by itself. I love it in savory foods as well as sweet. Bacon in sweet treats gives your mouth that whole sweet + salty combo happiness that is so prevalent in baked goods these days.
The creation of this recipe came about during Thanksgiving some years ago. I have typically always hosted Thanksgiving dinner with either a mixture of friends or family, until recently when we started traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday. I love hosting Thanksgiving dinner. It is my time to break out all the stops and try some fun and possibly non-traditional takes on certain menu items!
A traditional Thanksgiving dinner usually incorporates pies or bars to enjoy at the end of the meal…or possibly hours later due to the Turkey-coma immediately following the actual dinner. I always make a smattering of traditional pies: pumpkin, apple, pecan… However, the year this recipe came to fruition, I really wanted to try something else! And, honestly, with trying to create all the other side dishes and the turkey (the star of the show!), I wanted a dessert that could come together quicker than a pie, taste just as good and could be made the day before if need be.
Insert—>Bacon Pecan Pie Bars
Because, bacon. And pecans. Oh, and ooey-gooey rich pecan pie filling. Yaaaasssss! Top it off with vanilla ice cream an y’all have yourselves a WINNER! (See. Here’s my Southern alter ego again.)
These bars come together so quickly using my high-speed Blendtec Blender to form the shortbread-style crust. This blender is a multi-performance kitchen appliance that has replaced several others, which is really nice! Instead of pulling out a mixer and food processor, I just pull out my Blendtec Blender and creation to clean-up is a breeze.
I promise if you are in charge of bringing a dessert or are hosting Thanksgiving dinner yourself, you will be asked to make these gorgeous, delectable Bacon Pecan Pie Bars again and again!
And…if you’re lucky enough to host guests for the entire weekend, be sure to check out my Brilliant Breakfast recipes for wow-ing your guests the next day!
Bacon Pecan Pie Bars
Wow your guests with an exciting take on traditional Pecan Pie...but better and easier!
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 6 T. salted butter + more for greasing the dish
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- Filling:
- 3 large eggs
- 8 slices bacon, diced into small chunks
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 5 T. butter, melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup pecans, (plus more for serving-optional)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
- Step 1 Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter an 8 inch square baking dish and butter or use nonstick cooking spray.
- Step 2 Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a high-speed blender, such as the high performance Blendtec Blender, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the lemon juice and pulse until the dough just comes together. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and bake until lightly golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Step 3 Make the filling: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels.
- Step 4 Whisk the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, vanilla and vinegar in a medium bowl until combined.
- Step 5 Scatter the pecans and bacon over the prepared crust, then pour in the filling.
- Step 6 Bake until the filling is set and the nuts are golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
- Step 7 Let cool completely in the pan on a rack and cut into squares.
- Step 8 Top with additional pecans and ice cream if desired.
- Step 9 Enjoy!
These look so delicious Tara! Can’t go wrong with a bit of bacon. Also wouldn’t be bad with your homemade whipped cream! 😋 Friendsgiving is so fun. I remember the time I hosted at my place in town and you guys came over , but I feel like you ended up bringing most of the meal! Your pies are the best!
Ohhhh, these are SO good! Friendsgiving is SO fun! And, I certainly didn’t mind bringing a few extra dishes 😉 We should do it again some year!