GERMAN CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE BARS

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars take all the flavors you love in the classic cake and turn them into gooey, irresistible bars!

GERMAN CHOCOLATE MEETS PECAN PIE

One of my childhood loves was German chocolate cake. My mother used to make it from a cake mix with store-bought frosting. And that was just fine with me.

Having an anti-coconut husband has limited my baking with coconuts over the last several years. In the spirit of “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” I think I enjoy all that German chocolate-y goodness even more because I don’t have it very often.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE BARS

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars are a wonderfully delicious combination of chocolate crust, more chocolate, coconut, and pecans. A great crowd pleaser!

INGREDIENTS

•  3 cups (330g) pecan halves
•  1 & 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
•  3/4 cup (82g) confectioners’ sugar
•  3/4 cup (170g) cold butter, cubed
•  1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
•  1 & 1/2 cups (255g) semisweet chocolate chips
•  3 large eggs
•  3/4 cup (150g) firmly packed light brown sugar
•  3/4 cup (177ml) light corn syrup
•  1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted
•  1 cup (85g) sweetened flaked coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Arrange pecans in a single layer of a shallow baking pan. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Stir halfway through baking.
3. Line the bottom and sides of a 9″x 13″x 2″ baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on two short sides. Grease foil.
4. Whisk together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and cocoa. Add the cold butter, and combine with a pastry blender* until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press the mixture into the bottom and about 3/4-inch up sides of prepared pan.**
5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over crust. Allow to cool on a wire rack at least 30 minutes.
6. Place the eggs in a large mixing bowl, and beat lightly. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Pour evenly over the partially baked crust.
7. Bake 28-34 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the filling has set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Then, refrigerate for an hour.
8. Using foil overhang, lift the bars from the pan and place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars.

NOTES

*You can also mix crust ingredients in a food processor, but I prefer mixing this way.

**Shortbread crusts like this one can be a bit tricky. The mixture will not hold together on its own, but it should hold together when pinched. Be sure your ingredient measurements are accurate, and press the crust firmly into the bottom of the pan.