Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars-Thanksgiving, here we come!

Deciding to try something new for Thanksgiving, I came across this recipe for chocolate pecan pie bars and immediately considered it a contender for the competitive prize of a position on my Thanksgiving menu. I've never had pecan pie before, and I'm not the biggest fan of nut-based desserts (unless it's peanut butter, of course), but the chocolate addition in these bars drew me in. I also much rather prefer a layer of crunchy crust to traditional pie crust which I feel takes away from the deliciousness of pie filling with its doughy-blandness, another reason why this recipe spoke to me. Basically, with my slew of complaints, what I'm trying to say is pecan pie doesn't sound all that great to me, but as if the recipe was created in my honor, these bars totally undid all that was unappealing and replaced it with everything I love.

Crunchy shortbread-like crust and sticky, sweet-and-salty pecan and chocolate filling make these bars ultra-decadent and definitely converted me into a pecan pie (or at least bar) fan. I'm very happy to have found a new addition to my Thanksgiving repertoire!

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

original recipe-Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients
for the crust:
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c packed brown sugar

filling:
3 large eggs
3/4 c corn syrup
3/4 c granulated sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 c coarsely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, or chocolate chunks/chips
1 1/2 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Grease a 9 x 13 in. baking dish.

For the crust: Mix flour, butter, and brown sugar until crumbly. Press into prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly brown.

For the filling: Beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in chocolate and pecans. Pour evenly over the baked crust and bake for 25-20 minutes, or until set.

Cool in pan on wire rack completely before cutting into bars. I advise eating these with one hand and holding a toothbrush in the other. They are so sweet you feel the cavities coming on immediately! Not to mention their sticky-goodness will give you a chocolate pecan-filled smile. But these tiny troubles are completely worth the deliciousness that is these bars.

These chocolate pecan pie bars really are the perfect, easy addition to any Thanksgiving or holiday menu!