Craving something indulgent but easy to prepare? These butter pecan bars with chocolate and coconut are your ultimate solution.
Imagine layers of buttery shortbread, gooey caramelized pecan-coconut topping, and rich chocolate melted into every bite. This easy recipe is an experience that transforms simple pantry staples into a decadent treat.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe
These butter pecan bars are more than just delicious—they’re incredibly simple to make. With minimal prep time and straightforward steps, this dessert is perfect for anyone, whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner in the kitchen.
The combination of ingredients creates a heavenly texture: a crisp yet tender shortbread crust, a gooey caramel layer packed with pecans and coconut, and a chocolatey finish that ties it all together. It’s food that feels indulgent yet approachable, making it a must-try recipe for any occasion.
STOP BUYING GREENS: This Machine Grows $1000s Worth Automatically
✓ Set It & Forget It: Fully Automated Growing
✓ From Seed to Harvest in Days - No Experience Needed
✓ Grow Premium Microgreens Worth $50/lb Year-Round
Note: This is an affiliate link and we may earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost. This helps keep our website free to use.
Tips for Making These Bars Perfectly
To ensure your butter pecan bars come out just right, follow these simple tips:
- Use high-quality butter: Since butter is a key ingredient, its quality significantly impacts the flavor. Go for unsalted, fresh butter for the best results.
- Toast the pecans: Lightly toasting the pecans before mixing them into the caramel sauce brings out their nutty flavor.
- Keep the coconut unsweetened: This helps balance the sweetness of the caramel and chocolate layers.
- Cool completely before slicing: Let the bars cool to room temperature to achieve clean, sharp cuts.
These small adjustments can elevate your dessert from great to exceptional!
Substitutions & Modifications
Whether you have dietary preferences or specific ingredients on hand, this recipe is versatile and adaptable. Here are some ideas to customize it:
- Make it gluten-free: Swap out all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend.
- Vegan option: Replace butter with a vegan alternative and heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk.
- Add a hint of spice: Mix in a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg for a warm, festive twist.
- Try different nuts: Substitute pecans with walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts for a unique flavor.
The recipe’s flexibility ensures you can make it work for various needs while still maintaining that incredible texture and flavor.
Perfect for Every Occasion
These butter pecan bars are ideal for everything from casual family dinners to elegant holiday parties. They’re easy to transport, store well for days, and taste even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
Pair them with a cup of coffee for an afternoon treat, or serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a dessert that feels like a hug in food form.
With a short prep time and ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, this recipe is the ultimate answer to “What’s a quick dessert I can make today?” No fancy techniques or hard-to-find items are required—just an easy, foolproof method to create something special.
Make These Butter Pecan Bars Today
What makes this recipe shine is how effortlessly it combines simplicity with decadence. You don’t need to be a professional baker to whip up a batch of these bars, but the results will make you feel like one. With chocolate, coconut, and buttery pecans at the heart of this dish, every bite delivers pure joy.
Give these easy butter pecan bars a try, and watch them disappear from the dessert table faster than you can say “recipe success.” They’re proof that the best food doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to be delicious.
Easy Butter Pecan Bars Recipe with Chocolate & Coconut
Equipment
- 8×8-inch baking dish or 9-inch round pie plate
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons 1½ sticks salted butter at room temperature
- 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1½ cups roughly chopped pecans
- 1½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut use sweetened for a sweeter variation
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease a 9-inch round pie dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Prepare the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together 8 tablespoons of butter, ¼ cup of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour and 1 teaspoon of water, and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.
- Bake the crust: Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for approximately 10 minutes, or until it turns lightly golden. Take it out of the oven but keep the oven on for the next steps.
- Make the filling: Combine the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, the heavy cream, the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar, and the other 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and mix in the chopped pecans and shredded coconut.
- Assemble and bake: Spread the chocolate chips evenly over the pre-baked crust. Pour the pecan and coconut mixture on top of the chocolate layer, using a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the dish back into the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the topping turns golden and caramelized.
- Cool and serve: Allow the bars to cool for about 20 minutes before slicing them into portions. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days.
Notes
- Coconut Options: Unsweetened coconut is recommended for a balanced flavor, but sweetened coconut can be used for extra sweetness.
- These bars can be customized with dark chocolate chips for a richer taste.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.