Irresistible chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ – Best Easy Recipe

There are days when nothing feels more comforting than pulling a pan of chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​​ out of the oven. The smell of butter melting into brown sugar, the richness of toasted pecans, and that first bite where chewy meets crunchy it’s the kind of moment that makes me stop and breathe it all in. For me, baking has never just been about food. It’s about connection, joy, and carrying little pieces of home wherever life takes me. These cookie bars are one of those recipes that feel like a hug on a plate, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Irresistible chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ – Best Easy Recipe

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Chewy, nutty, and loaded with chocolate, these irresistible chocolate chip pecan cookie bars are the perfect balance of crisp edges and gooey centers. Easy to bake and always a crowd favorite.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 16 bars 1x

Ingredients

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• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup butter, softened

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup pecans

• 1–2 cups chocolate chips

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

• Cream butter with both sugars until light and smooth.

• Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

• Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined.

• Fold in pecans and chocolate chips by hand.

• Grease a 9×13 pan for thick bars or a jelly roll pan for thinner bars.

• Spread batter evenly into pan.

• Bake 15–17 minutes for thinner bars or 25–30 minutes for thick chewy bars.

 

• Cool completely before slicing into squares.

Notes

• Toast pecans before adding for a richer flavor.

• Use a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate for depth.

• Slightly underbake for the chewiest texture.

• Freeze bars individually wrapped for longer storage.

• Author: Karim
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: per serving – 1 bar
• Calories: 210
• Sugar: 18g
• Sodium: 160mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 26g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 35mg

The Heart Behind My chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​

I grew up in a small English town where the kitchen was the center of everything. My mother’s kettle was always on, and the air smelled of whatever she was baking that day. I remember the first time she swapped her usual batch of cookies for a tray of cookie bars. Instead of waiting for dozens of scoops to bake, she poured all the dough into one pan. The result? Squares that were chewy in the middle, a little crisp at the edges, and perfect with a cup of tea.

In my twenties, when I had my own little kitchen, I started playing with that memory. I burned sauces, collapsed cakes, and even managed to ruin pastry more times than I’d like to admit but these bars? They never let me down. Adding pecans was my first real “aha” moment in baking. Pecans gave the bars a buttery crunch that balanced the sweetness of the chocolate chips. Suddenly, they weren’t just dessert they were a story. A story of learning, failing, laughing, and finding joy in the simple act of baking for people I love.

I carried that story with me as I began sharing food with friends. No matter if I was in New York, California, or Texas, these bars always found their way onto the table. They’re easy, unfussy, and always a crowd-pleaser. People would ask for the recipe, and I’d smile because the truth is it’s as simple as mixing, baking, and letting the flavors speak for themselves. That’s the beauty of recipes like this: they don’t demand perfection, they just ask you to show up and bake with love.

Why Pecans and Chocolate Chips Are the Perfect Pair

There’s something almost poetic about the way pecans and chocolate chips work together. Pecans bring this nutty, buttery richness that feels cozy and grounding, while the chocolate adds melty sweetness that makes every bite indulgent. It’s like they’re meant to be. And the best part? You can make them your own. Go classic with semi-sweet chips, bold with dark chocolate, or playful with white chocolate. No matter what you choose, pecans slide right in, elevating every version.

I love recipes that adapt to the moment. If I’m craving something chewy and thick, I’ll bake these in a 9×13 pan. If I want something a little lighter, I’ll spread the dough thin in a jelly roll pan. Both versions are irresistible, and both remind me why I come back to this recipe again and again. It’s comforting, flexible, and timeless just like the best kind of food memories.

Easy chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ Recipe

The beauty of chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ is how forgiving they are. You don’t need to fuss over trays of individual cookies one pan, a quick mix, and you’re done. This is the recipe I turn to when I want something cozy without standing in the kitchen for hours.

Ingredients With Heart

I’ve baked these bars enough times to know that every ingredient earns its place:

• Flour gives the bars strength without making them tough.
• Baking soda is the quiet helper, lifting the dough just enough.
• Salt might seem small, but it sharpens the sweetness skip it, and you’ll taste the difference.
• Butter is the soul: rich, golden, and the reason these bars smell so good in the oven.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar work as a team. One gives crispness, the other chewiness. Together, they create that perfect bite.
• Eggs bind everything into one smooth, glossy batter.
• Vanilla whispers flavor into the background, making the chocolate and pecans shine brighter.
• Pecans add that buttery crunch that keeps each bite interesting.
• Chocolate chips well, they don’t need explaining. The more you stir in, the more indulgent your bars will be.

This combination reminds me of my mother’s pantry in England simple, reliable, and always ready for baking something that brings people together.

My Way of Making Them

When I bake these chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​​, I don’t think of it as a strict science it feels more like a rhythm.

First, I let the oven warm to 350°F while I whisk the dry ingredients together. That little step saves me from lumps later. In another bowl, I beat butter with both sugars until they look light and creamy. That moment is always a joy the aroma fills the kitchen, and I know I’m on the right track.

Then come the eggs and vanilla. I crack them in one at a time, watching the mixture turn glossy. At this stage, I slow down. Overmixing can make the bars tough, so I fold in the flour gently until it just disappears into the batter.

Now for the best part: stirring in pecans and chocolate chips. I use a spatula here, not the mixer, because I like those chunks to stay whole. Once the batter is ready, I spread it into my pan of choice. If I’m craving soft, thick squares, I use my trusty 9×13 pan. When I want something lighter and crispier, I reach for a jelly roll pan. Both versions taste like comfort.

Into the oven they go 15 minutes for thin bars, 25 or so for thick ones. Here’s my trick: I pull them out a little earlier than you’d expect. Slightly underbaked bars cool into that chewy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes people go back for seconds. Once cooled, I cut them into uneven squares because in my kitchen, perfect edges don’t matter, but flavor always does.

And that’s it. A pan of golden, chewy, nutty, chocolatey bars that feel as comforting as a hug. Recipes like this are why I’ll always believe the best desserts are the simplest ones. They sit beautifully alongside my classic cookies and family-favorite traybakes reliable, timeless, and always loved.

Old-Fashioned chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​

Whenever I hear “old-fashioned,” I think of my childhood kitchen back in England. My mother rarely called recipes old-fashioned, but everything she made had that timeless feel comforting, familiar, and made with care. That’s exactly what you get with old-fashioned chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​. No fuss, no extra toppings just the basics that never let you down.

In this version, the pecans are the quiet hero. They toast as the bars bake, filling the kitchen with a nutty aroma that mixes perfectly with melting chocolate. Each square comes out with chewy middles and crisp edges, the kind of balance that makes you want to sneak a second piece. For me, this style of chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ is about more than flavor it’s about the memory of waiting by the oven, eager to taste something warm and sweet, straight from the pan.

This is the recipe I turn to when I want to keep things simple, when I don’t need bells and whistles, just a dessert that tastes like home. And much like my other comfort desserts, it proves that sometimes, less really is more.

Creative Twists for chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​

That said, I’ve always been someone who enjoys experimenting in the kitchen. Over the years, I’ve discovered that chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ are the perfect canvas for creativity. A few small changes can completely change the mood of the dessert.

At Christmas, I like to swap some of the chocolate chips for white chocolate and scatter in dried cranberries. Suddenly, the bars feel festive and cheerful, a little sweet and a little tart. In autumn, I might add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to give them a cozy, spiced warmth that pairs beautifully with pecans. Around Easter, pastel candy-coated chocolates make them fun and playful kids love them, and honestly, so do I.

For a healthier twist, I’ve reduced the sugar slightly and leaned on dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet. I’ve even replaced part of the flour with whole wheat flour, which gives the bars a deeper, nuttier flavor that matches the pecans beautifully. And while pecans will always have my heart, I’ve made these with walnuts and even hazelnuts when that’s what I had on hand. Each version is different, but they all keep that chewy, chocolate-filled magic that makes chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ so special.

Still, no matter how many variations I try, I always circle back to the original chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ recipe. There’s just something about that first bite the buttery crunch of pecans, the gooey chocolate, the chewy center that feels like the very best kind of tradition. Whether you bake them old-fashioned or with a modern twist, they’re always the kind of treat people remember.

Best Tips for chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ Success

I’ve baked these chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ more times than I can count, and each batch has taught me something new. The best thing about them is that they’re forgiving you don’t need to be a professional baker to make them taste incredible. Still, a few small tricks make all the difference.

First, don’t overbake. The secret to chewy, irresistible chocolate chip pecan cookie bars is pulling them from the oven just before they look done. As they cool, they set beautifully, leaving that perfect chewy center with crisp edges. If you leave them in too long, they’ll dry out, and you’ll lose that melt-in-your-mouth magic.

Another tip? Toast your pecans lightly before folding them into the batter. It only takes a few minutes in the oven, but it deepens their flavor, giving your bars a rich, nutty backbone. I also like to keep my chocolate chips varied using a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate makes the bars taste layered and a little more grown-up.

Finally, don’t worry about perfect cuts. Uneven squares with gooey centers are part of the charm. In fact, in my kitchen, the slightly messy edges are usually the first pieces to disappear.

Mistakes to Avoid When Baking chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​

Even though these cookie bars are simple, there are a few pitfalls that can trip you up. The first is overmixing the dough once the flour is added. Stirring too much can make the bars tough instead of tender. I always remind myself: mix until combined, then stop.

Another mistake? Using the wrong pan size without adjusting bake time. A 9×13 pan gives you thick, chewy chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​​, but if you spread the same batter into a larger jelly roll pan, you’ll need to shorten the baking time to keep them from drying out.

I’ve also learned not to skimp on cooling time. It’s tempting to dive in while the bars are warm, but if you slice too soon, they’ll crumble. Letting them rest makes the texture set and trust me, they’re just as delicious slightly cooled.

Storing and Serving chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​

The beauty of these chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​​ is how well they keep. Once cooled, I cut them into squares and store them in an airtight container. At room temperature, they’ll stay soft and chewy for three days. For longer storage, they freeze beautifully. I wrap individual bars in parchment, tuck them into a freezer bag, and pull them out whenever I want a little treat.

Serving is where you can get playful. I love them plain with a cup of tea, but for dessert nights, I’ll serve warm bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. They also make wonderful gifts stacked in a tin, they travel well and stay fresh.

Whether you keep them simple, dress them up for company, or stash a few in the freezer for late-night cravings, chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​​ are the kind of recipe you’ll always be glad you baked. Just like my beloved cookie recipes or these crowd-pleasing chocolate desserts, they never go out of style.

FAQs About chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​

Conclusion

At the end of the day, chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ are more than just dessert they’re comfort in a pan. For me, they carry memories of my mother’s kitchen, of learning to bake on my own, and of sharing something homemade with friends across the years.

What I love most is their flexibility. You can keep them old-fashioned, add festive twists, or make healthier swaps. You can bake them thick and chewy or thin and crisp. No matter which way you choose, the result is always the same: golden squares filled with toasted pecans, melty chocolate, and a texture that makes every bite feel special.

If you’re searching for the best chocolate chip pecan cookie bars​ recipe, this one will never let you down. It’s simple, forgiving, and endlessly satisfying the kind of treat that fits any season, any occasion, and any craving. And like my favorite family bakes or my go-to chocolate desserts, these bars will always have a place in my kitchen.