Pecan Pie Bark (Printable)
Buttery maple-pecan caramel over crispy graham crackers, baked golden and broken into irresistible snack pieces.
# What You'll Need:
→ Base
01 - 40 graham crackers or digestive biscuits (about 8 oz)
→ Topping
02 - 6 oz unsalted butter
03 - 1 cup light brown sugar
04 - ¼ cup maple syrup or corn syrup
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - 7 oz pecan halves, roughly chopped
→ Optional Finishing
08 - 2 oz dark or milk chocolate, melted (for drizzling)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13x9 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Lay graham crackers in a single even layer across the entire surface of the prepared baking sheet, breaking pieces as needed to fit snugly.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and chopped pecans until evenly coated.
05 - Pour the hot pecan mixture evenly over the arranged crackers, spreading gently with a spatula to cover the entire surface.
06 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the topping is bubbling and has turned a rich golden color.
07 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. If using, drizzle the melted chocolate over the warm bark in a zigzag pattern.
08 - Let the bark set completely at room temperature or refrigerate for faster setting. Once firm, break or cut into irregular pieces for serving.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- All the gooey, nutty magic of pecan pie without the stress of making an actual crust from scratch.
- It disappears at every gathering, and people always assume you spent far longer than thirty five minutes making it.
02 -
- Do not walk away from the caramel while it simmers, because it goes from perfect to burnt in what feels like seconds.
- Refrigerating the bark for about an hour after baking makes it snap cleanly into beautiful irregular shards.
03 -
- Chill the finished bark for exactly one hour before breaking it, because too short means sticky and too long means it shatters instead of snapping.
- A light toast of the pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them to the caramel makes the nut flavor significantly deeper and more fragrant.