Chocolate pecan pie bars are an easy dessert made with a rich chocolate cake mix crust and gooey pecan pie filling, perfect for holidays, potlucks, and anytime you want a crowd-pleasing dessert.
Made with a chocolate base, corn syrup, eggs, and pecans, these chocolate pecan pie bars are rich, delicious, and incredibly easy to make, no pie crust required!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Easy cake mix crust: These chocolate pecan pie bars start with a chocolate cake mix crust, so you get rich flavor without making pie dough or a complicated base.
- Gooey pecan pie filling with chocolate: A buttery pecan pie topping with corn syrup, pecans, and chocolate chips bakes into a sticky, caramelized layer that pairs perfectly with the chocolate crust.
- Perfect for holidays and potlucks: Baked in a 9×13 pan, these bars are ideal for feeding a crowd and can be made ahead for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any party.
Ingredients you’ll need
Chocolate cake mix: This forms the easy-to-make base of the bars and adds lots of chocolate flavor. I used Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Devil’s Food cake mix.
Eggs: One egg is used in the crust, and the remaining eggs help set the pecan pie filling.
Vegetable oil: Adds moisture to the cake mix crust so it presses easily into the pan.
Dark corn syrup: Gives the pecan filling its classic gooey texture and deep, caramelized flavor.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the filling and helps it set as it bakes.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and that classic pecan pie flavor.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate and pecans.
Pecans: Coarsely chopped pecans give the filling texture and crunch.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Melt into the filling for a boost of chocolate without overpowering the pecans.
How to make your pecan pie bars
- Stir together cake mix powder, one egg, and vegetable oil
- Press into a 13- by 9-inch baking dish.
- Bake 15 minutes.
- Combine the filling ingredients
- Pour over the crust
Then bake until set and let cool. And that’s it!
Tips for success
Grease the pan very well. These chocolate pecan pie bars are extremely sticky and will be hard to release from the edges of the pan if you don’t grease it well enough. Be generous with cooking spray (or use spray plus parchment) so the bars release easily after baking.
Don’t worry if the crust mixture seems dry. The cake mix crust will look crumbly at first, but as long as it comes together when pressed, it’s exactly right. Press it firmly and evenly into the pan.
Let the crust cool slightly before adding the filling. The crust doesn’t need to be completely cool, but you don’t want it piping hot or the pecan filling may soak in too quickly.
Use a sharp knife for clean slices. Chilling the bars first helps, and a very sharp knife makes a big difference when cutting through the sticky pecan layer.
Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. The filling continues to set as it cools. Cutting too soon will give you messy (but still delicious) bars.
How to store your bars
Uneaten pecan pie bars can be stored, layered in wax paper in airtight containers, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
These bars also freeze well. Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze in freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
Use milk or dark chocolate chips in place of semi-sweet, whichever you prefer.
I used Devil’s food cake mix but any chocolate cake mix will work.
Use light corn syrup if absolutely necessary. Dark corn syrup gives the filling a deeper, more caramelized flavor but light corn syrup works in a pinch.
A few more recipes you might enjoy
Coffee Toffee Bars
Cake Mix Pound Cake
Kahlua Cake
Did you make these chocolate pecan pie bars? Awesome! Leave me a comment and rating below! And post a pic on Instagram. Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see!
These chocolate pecan pie bars combine a chocolate cake mix crust with a gooey pecan pie filling for an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for holidays and potlucks.
- 15.25- ounce chocolate cake mix*
- 5 large eggs divided
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecans coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray a 13- by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine cake mix, 1 of the eggs, and the vegetable oil in a large bowl; mix until it forms a cohesive, crumbly mixture (it will be pretty dry but should still come together).
- Press into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake 15 minutes, until fragrant and puffed up a bit.
- Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack while you work on the pecan layer. (The crust doesn’t need to cool completely before you add the filling but don’t add the filling while it’s still piping hot.)
- Combine the remaining eggs with the corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, and salt in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fully combined. Add the pecans and chocolate chips and stir to distribute evenly.
- Pour the mixture over the chocolate layer and bake an additional 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is set and golden brown at the edges. Remove from the oven to cool completely before slicing and serving.
- Uneaten pecan pie bars can be stored, layered in wax paper in airtight containers, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: wrap bars tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- *I used Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Devil’s Food cake mix.
- Really grease the pan well before making your bars; they’re very sticky.
- Because they’re sticky you’ll want to use a really sharp knife to cut them.
sherry says
pecan and chocolate? Yum!! Merry festives to you!
sherry