Pecan Chewies
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Pecan chewies are a classic Southern treat that are so quick and easy to make. They’re bursting with pecan toffee flavor, like your favorite pecan pie in soft chewy bar form.
Hey folks! It’s me again! Stacey Little from Southern Bite. Isn’t it awesome that I got asked to post again? It’s like hosting Saturday Night Live… I feel like I’m important or something for being asked back! It is such a pleasure and an honor to be able to share another one of my favorite recipes with y’all.
Have you ever heard of pecan chewies (also known as Charleston chewies)? They’re a traditional Southern treat with a soft texture like blondies, a slight chew, and a toffee flavor that is made for the pecan lover in your life. If you know someone who can’t get enough of Southern pecan pie, this is the recipe for them. Pecan chewy bars are made with simple baking essentials you probably already have in your kitchen: butter, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, self-rising flour, vanilla, and pecans.
They’re also so quick and easy to make. All you need to do is slowly combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl, pour the batter into a baking dish, and bake them for about 45 minutes. The melted butter combined with the brown sugar gives the pecan chewy bar its butterscotch/toffee flavor, like a pecan pie. One chewy bite and you’ll be addicted!
Southern pecan chewies are a great bar to make ahead and take to your next potluck, tailgating party, or picnic. Ready to give this recipe a go?
If you need some other yummy bar recipes check out some of these: Chewy Pear Bars, Turtle Bars, Carrot Cake Bars, Cranberry Cheesecake Bars, Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars, and Tropical Dream Bars.
Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar (if you only have dark, it’ll work just fine)
- Eggs
- Self-rising flour
- Chopped pecans
- Vanilla extract
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Pecan Chewies
First, line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray.
Then melt the butter and place it in a large bowl with…
Your granulated sugar and brown sugar.
Give that a good stir.
Next, beat your eggs…
And add the beaten eggs to the mixing bowl.
Add the flour and stir well.
Then add the pecans and vanilla and combine.
The batter is going to be rather thick and hard to stir, but keep going.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Spread to cover the bottom of the dish with fingers or a spatula dipped in water.
Bake for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, being cautious not to overcook.
You want them to remain chewy, hence the name!
Allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift them out of the baking dish using the overlapping parchment paper edges.
Let them cool completely on a wire rack or a similar surface before cutting them into bars.
Look at all these pecan chewies you have to enjoy. Or, you know, share with friends and family!
Oops, I couldn’t help myself! Pecan chewies are just too good, y’all!
Storage
- Store your pecan bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They don’t need to be refrigerated.
- Alternatively, freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to substitute the pecans for walnuts. I know how much cheaper they can be!
- You want to use your sharpest knife to cut the bars for the cleanest edges.
- For chocolate pecan chewies, fold 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips of your choice into the batter when you add the pecans. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are my preference.
- If you like, add a dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
- To enhance the nutty flavor, use 1 teaspoon of almond extract and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead of vanilla only.
Here are more pecan treats to enjoy:
Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 beaten eggs
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter, add sugars, and blend well by hand (no mixer). Add beaten eggs and stir well.2 sticks unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 beaten eggs
- Add flour and stir until all lumps are gone. Add pecans and vanilla and combine. Turn out into a greased and floured 9x13 baking dish.2 cups self-rising flour, 1 cup chopped pecans, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Spread so the batter covers the dish, with either your fingers or a spatula dipped in water.
- Bake for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, being cautious not to overcook.
Nutrition
Treasure each other in the recognition that we do not know how long we shall have each other.
~Joshua Liebman
Made these for my Sunday School class last week. They turned out great. All I took home was a plate with a few crumbs.
So glad they turned out great for you Stephen! I could eat a whole plate of them myself.
Thanks Christa and Stacey … I’ve made my 6th batch of these in the past month … My employees, co-workers and Family LOVE them. I was experimenting with various deserts .. the brown sugar cake, a variety fo poundcakes, and so on …. but this dessert, they want a batch Every Week!!! I make it every other week and I’m sure to share to get them out of the house. Again, thanks, thanks, thanks!!!
Christy, in Dothan aka down home we called these Mud Hens and they are yummy!!! I haven’t made these in years but I’m thinking I might have to make these sooner rather than later.
How neat! I have a recipe for Mud Hens in my cookbook that is entirely different but one of my all time favorites! That name must just mean It’s gonna be good!
that’s funny. I compared mine & the only difference is that my recipe has only one stick of butter so it’s more on the crunchy/chewy side than chewy. Equally just as good flavorwise though. My tummy growled looking at the picture :). Just out of curiousity have you ever heard of Butter Rolls? My Aunt Kate was famous for hers and I have tried to make them but they are not quite there yet. She passed away 3 years ago & I am trying to perfect them to surprise my family with them at our annual Christmas get-together.
Have I ever heard of butter rolls??? I posted my step by step tutorial almost a year ago. Aren’t they just a single step away from heaven itself????? Oh my!! here is the link, now you got me excited! https://www.southernplate.com/2010/04/old-timey-butter-roll-dessert.html
OMG, you are the first person outside of my family that has ever heard of them. Girl, we just might be sisters separated at birth. I’m going to check this out right now, if you were here I just might give you a big ole smooch :). Thanks so much, I am so excited!!!
I JUST took these out of the oven!!! i had to take a taste, the smell of the butter was calling my name!! These are delicious!!! I hope I can wait until after dinner to have one….
YUMMY!!
Can i make them without pecans, and can I add a tsp of cocoa powder? Can I use Crisco shortening sticks in place of butter since I don’t have butter?
You sure can. I wouldn’t make those substitutions myself but it’s your kitchen and always fun to experiment! I’m not sure what a teaspoon of cocoa powder will do other than add a scant amount of color and I know the absence of butter will affect the flavor but they will probably still be a pretty good cookie bar. 🙂
thanks:) one more thing- how long should I cook them if I make 1/2 of the amount in a 9″ square dish?
I’m afraid you’ll just need to experiment as I always just follow the recipe because they are so good that way. Just keep an eye on them and cross your pinkie toes for good luck!
they turned out really good. However, next time, I will definitely use butter (as the recipe calls for) instead of shortening. I will make this recipe for life! Thank you so much for it. 🙂
Love the video, Brady! Also love the pecan chewies and I haven’t even tasted them yet! They smell wonderful and methinks I better get busy and make another pan. One will NOT be enough.
Reporting back to let everyone know the crewies are delicious using butterscotch chips instead of the pecans. My boys gobbled them up in one day. Well, adding in my husband too. 🙂
Great video, Brady!
I made the bars for dessert tonight and they turned out kinda of cakey instead of chewy. My brown sugar was clumpy so I am thinking that may be what the problem was. They taste good so we will eat them up. I’ll try the recipe again when I buy some fresh brown sugar. Thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂