Chocolate Coffee Pecan Bars with Shortbread Crust

Sally Valenti on

Pecan pie bars with dark chocolate and strong coffee in the filling, on a buttery shortbread crust. Cut into 16, and easy to make a day ahead.

Chocolate Coffee Pecan Bars with Shortbread Crust

Sally's Kitchen ¡ Dessert

Chocolate Coffee Pecan Bars with Shortbread Crust

Think pecan pie bars, with dark chocolate and a little coffee in the filling.

These are pecan pie bars with two changes: dark chocolate and strongly brewed Death by Chocolate Coffee go into the filling. You get a buttery shortbread crust, a deep chocolate-coffee filling, and a whole layer of toasted pecans on top. The coffee doesn't make them taste like coffee. It makes the chocolate taste darker, and it takes the edge off all that sugar.

It's a two-bake recipe: the crust goes in first, then the filling goes on top and bakes until the center has just a slight jiggle. The bars cut into 16, they keep well, and they can be made a day ahead.

Every step below says what to look for, so you're never guessing, and there's a "Not Quite Right?" list for if something looks off.

Chocolate coffee pecan bars with a shortbread crust and toasted pecan topping, cut into squares on a wooden board

Why You'll Love It

  • Three layers, one pan. A buttery shortbread crust, a dark chocolate-coffee filling, and toasted pecans, all in an 8x8 pan.
  • The coffee does a quiet job. Just 3 oz of strong coffee deepens the chocolate and balances the sweetness, so the bars taste richer without tasting like coffee.
  • Make-ahead friendly. They need to cool completely before cutting anyway, so baking them a day ahead is no extra work.
  • Cuts into 16. Small, rich squares that go a long way on a dessert table.

The Java Momma Twist

Instead of water, the filling gets strong brewed Death by Chocolate Coffee. It's a dark chocolate and semi-sweet cocoa flavored coffee, so it doubles down on the chocolate in the filling, while the coffee itself keeps it from tasting flat or one-note.

Yield

16 bars
8x8-inch pan

Time

15 min prep
+ about 70–85 min baking, then cooling

Vibe

Rich and make-ahead
buttery, chocolatey, nutty

The Coffee That Makes This Work

Death by Chocolate Flavored Coffee is a medium roast on a Brazilian Arabica base, with dark chocolate up front and a semi-sweet cocoa finish. The chocolate notes come from flavoring added after roasting, and the Brazilian base is smooth and low in acidity, so it carries the chocolate without getting in its way. Brew it strong for the filling, then pour a cup to go with the bars.

Shop Death by Chocolate Coffee →

Available in regular and decaf, as whole bean, ground, and single-serve cups. Air-roasted to order, every time.

Want to try it before committing to a bag? There's a 2 oz sample that's enough to make this recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 16 bars in an 8x8-inch pan.

Shortbread Crust

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ž cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cubed

Chocolate Coffee Pecan Filling

  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • Âź cup corn syrup
  • Âź cup maple syrup
  • Âź cup heavy cream
  • 3 oz (6 Tbsp) strong brewed Death by Chocolate Coffee
  • Âź tsp salt
  • 4 oz dark chocolate, melted
  • 1½ cups pecan halves, toasted

Method

Part 1: The Shortbread Crust

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8x8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some paper hanging over two sides. You'll use it later to lift the bars out.
  2. Pulse the flour, sugar, salt and cubed butter in a food processor until the mixture looks sandy. Keep processing until it starts to clump together, and a pinch squeezed in your fingers should hold its shape. Why it works: cold butter worked into flour gives shortbread its crumbly, tender bite.
  3. Press the dough firmly and evenly into the pan, then prick the whole surface with a fork.
  4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is light golden brown. Let it cool in the pan. Why it works: baking the crust first keeps it crisp instead of soggy once the wet filling goes on.

Part 2: The Filling

  1. Toast the pecan halves in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they smell nutty and look a shade darker. Let them cool. Why it works: toasting brings out the pecans' flavor and keeps them crunchy on top of a soft filling.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, corn syrup, maple syrup, cream, brewed coffee and salt until smooth.
  3. Let the melted chocolate cool for a few minutes so it's warm, not hot, then whisk it in until fully combined. Stir in the toasted pecans. Why it works: very hot chocolate can start to cook the eggs before the bars go in the oven.
  4. Pour the filling evenly over the cooled crust.

Part 3: Bake, Cool and Cut

  1. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes (the oven stays at 375°F). After the first 20 minutes, cover the pan loosely with foil. The bars are done when the top is deeply browned and the center still has a slight jiggle when you nudge the pan. Why it works: the foil keeps the top and edges from over-browning while the middle finishes setting.
  2. Cool the bars completely on a wire rack. The filling will settle as it cools. Why it works: the filling finishes setting as it cools, and a cool bar cuts cleanly instead of smearing.
  3. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the pan, then cut into 16 equal pieces.

Permission Slip

You're allowed to make these the day before, to sample the corner piece for quality control, and to say "oh, it was nothing" when someone asks for the recipe.

Made this one? Death by Chocolate Coffee comes in regular and decaf, whole bean, ground, and single-serve cups, and there's a 2 oz sample if you want to try it first. Air-roasted to order, every time.

More recipes like this one are at The Menu.

Not Quite Right? Here's the Fix

Change one thing, then taste. That's the whole method.

Crust crumbly and won't press together? Keep processing until the mixture clumps, and press it in firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup so the layer is even.
Filling still wobbly in the middle? A slight jiggle is right, but a wave isn't. Give it another 5 minutes, keep the foil on, and then let it cool fully before you judge, because it keeps setting.
Top or edges browning too fast? Put the foil on earlier next time, and make sure it covers the whole pan.
Bars smearing or falling apart when you cut? They weren't cool enough. Let them cool completely on the rack, then lift them out by the parchment before cutting.
Pecans taste bitter? They toasted too long. Watch them closely and stop when they smell nutty and look a shade darker.
Too sweet for you? These are a sweet bar, so cut them smaller or serve with unsweetened whipped cream or a cup of black coffee.

Make It Yours

  • The coffee dial: brew the coffee on the stronger side if you want a bolder mocha note in the filling.
  • Decaf: Death by Chocolate comes in decaf too, and it works the same way in the filling.
  • Make ahead: bake them a day before you need them.
  • Serve them plain, or with whipped cream, or with a drizzle of salted caramel.
  • What to pour: a cup of the same coffee is the obvious partner.

Building the rest of the table? These come from the same kitchen:

Chocolate Coffee Pecan Bars FAQ

Do chocolate coffee pecan bars taste like coffee?

Not really. With just 3 oz of brewed coffee in the whole filling, the coffee mostly deepens the chocolate and balances the sweetness. If you want a stronger mocha note, brew the coffee a little stronger.

How do you know when pecan bars are done?

In this recipe, the bars are done when the top is deeply browned and the center still has a slight jiggle when you nudge the pan. They finish setting as they cool, so give them time before you cut.

What size pan do I use?

An 8x8-inch square pan, greased and lined with parchment with a little overhang on two sides so you can lift the bars out.

Why cover the bars with foil while they bake?

After the first 20 minutes of the filling bake, cover the pan loosely with foil so the top and edges don't over-brown while the center finishes setting.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes. They can be baked a day ahead, and they need to cool completely before slicing anyway.

Do I need to toast the pecans?

It's worth the few minutes. Toasting deepens the pecans' flavor and adds crunch, which stands out against the soft filling.

What coffee should I use in the filling?

This recipe uses Death by Chocolate Flavored Coffee, a dark chocolate and semi-sweet cocoa flavored medium roast. Brew it strong, since only 3 oz goes into the filling.

How many bars does this make?

Sixteen, cut into equal squares from an 8x8-inch pan.

Want to geek out?
  • Why bake the crust first: a wet filling poured onto raw dough makes the bottom gummy. Pre-baking sets the crust so it stays crisp.
  • Why corn syrup and maple syrup: liquid sugars keep the filling smooth and glossy instead of grainy, and the maple adds a little flavor.
  • Why the center should jiggle: eggs keep setting from the residual heat as the pan cools. If you bake until the middle is rigid, they usually end up overdone.
  • Why coffee in chocolate: coffee and chocolate share roasted, slightly bitter flavors, so one amplifies the other, and bitterness balances a very sweet filling.
  • Why toast the nuts: heat drives off moisture and develops the nuts' oils and aroma, so they taste nuttier and stay crisper.

 


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Tags: Coffee Flavored Holiday Treats Coffee-Infused Desserts Death By Chocolate Coffee Recipes Decadent Pecan Bars Holiday Dessert Recipes Recipe_Eats
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A stack of decadent Chocolate Coffee Pecan Bars displayed on a wooden board, featuring a rich chocolate pecan topping and a buttery shortbread crust. Surrounded by coffee beans, fresh cranberries, and festive greenery, perfect for a holiday dessert.

Chocolate Coffee Pecan Bars with Shortbread Crust

Sally Valenti
Servings

16 bars

Prep Time

15 minutes

Calories

250

Cuisine

American

Category

Dessert

Pecan pie bars with dark chocolate and strong coffee in the filling. A buttery shortbread crust, a deep chocolate-coffee filling and a layer of toasted pecans, baked in an 8x8 pan and cut into 16. They can be made a day ahead.

Ingredients

    Shortbread Crust:

    • 2 cups flour
    • ½ cup sugar
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ž cup unsalted butter, cubed

    Filling:

    • ½ cup packed brown sugar
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • Âź cup corn syrup
    • Âź cup maple syrup
    • Âź cup heavy cream
    • 3 oz. strong brewed Death By Chocolate Coffee
    • Âź tsp salt
    • 4 oz. dark chocolate, melted
    • 1 ½ cups pecan halves, toasted

    Directions

    1. Preheat the Oven:
    2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
    3. Make the Shortbread Crust:
    4. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and butter until the mixture becomes sandy. Continue processing until it starts to clump together.
    5. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared baking pan. Pierce the crust all over with a fork.
    6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
    7. Prepare the Filling:
    8. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, corn syrup, maple syrup, heavy cream, Death By Chocolate Coffee, and salt until smooth.
    9. Add the melted dark chocolate and whisk to combine. Stir in the toasted pecans.
    10. Assemble and Bake:
    11. Pour the filling into the cooled shortbread crust.
    12. Bake for 40-50 minutes, tenting with foil after the first 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The bars are done when the top is deeply browned and the center has a slight jiggle.
    13. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. The filling will settle as it cools.
    14. Slice and Serve:
    15. Once cooled, lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang. Slice into 16 equal pieces and serve.

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