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Gooey Pecan Dream Bars

Thanks for sharing!

Gooey pecan dream bars are the perfect mix of soft and gooey with a little bit of pecan crunch. They use a box cake mix, toffee bits, and sweetened condensed milk to make an easy but memorable dessert.

Stack of pecan dream bars with thin cakey crust and gooey pecan topping.

If you like gooey butter cake and pecan pie, you are going to love these tasty gooey pecan dream bars. They have a texture and flavor that will remind you a little bit of both in a super simple to make recipe.

Making These Easy Bars

The base is a lot like you would make for a gooey butter cake. You just take softened butter, an egg and a cake mix and stir it together.

Ingredients ready to be made into pecan dream bars.

It may seem a bit crumbly at first, but it should press into a nice crust on the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan. Just trust the process and get it spread evenly.

Then mix together some toffee bits (like the Heath ones you find in the baking aisle), pecans and a can of sweetened condensed milk. Pour that mixture over the crust and bake until the top is golden and bubbly.

The toffee bits melt into the condensed milk adding rich depth of flavor. They also help set the mixture up and hold everything together.

Make sure your bars are good and cool before you cut and serve them. They will taste amazing warm, but will look quite messy if you don’t give them a chance to set up.

Tips and Tricks

A number of different cake mixes work for this recipe. Try using white, yellow, butter or even chocolate.

Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk not evaporated milk.

English Toffee Bits are found in the baking aisle by the chocolate chips. Get the ones without chocolate on them.

Do not over bake, you want the center to be a bit gooey. The bars will continue to set up as they cool.

Store your pecan bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

What to do With the Rest of the English Toffee Bits:

Pecan dream bars cut into squares and ready to serve.

More Pecan Dessert Recipes:

If you like pecan treats, you have to try pecan pie cheesecake. It is the best of both worlds and would be perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Or make a caramel pecan pie. This recipe gives you rich flavor by using caramels instead of corn syrup.

Hand holding pecan dream bar showing crust holding a gooey caramel like pecan filling.

Pecan pie baked oatmeal is a good option for breakfast time. Or make honeyed pecans for salads, garnishes or a snack.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review in the recipe card below!

Yield: 24 Bars

Caramel Pecan Dream Bars

Stack of pecan dream bars with thin cakey crust and gooey pecan topping.

Gooey pecan dream bars are the perfect mix of soft and gooey with a little bit of pecan crunch. They use a box cake mix, toffee bits, and sweetened condensed milk to make an easy but memorable dessert.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1/3 cup soft butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch pan.
  2. Mix together cake mix, softened butter and the egg. The mixture may be a little bit crumbly.
  3. Press the crust into the bottom of the greased pan.
  4. Stir together the condensed milk, pecans and toffee bits. Spread over the crust.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is golden brown and bubbly.
  6. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1 bar

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 238Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 217mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.

Did you make this recipe?

I'd love to see it! Share a picture on Instagram or Pinterest and tag me @carleecooks to let me know how it went!

Gooey pecan dream bars are the perfect mix of soft and gooey with a little bit of pecan crunch. They use a box cake mix, toffee bits, and sweetened condensed milk to make an easy but memorable dessert.

Thanks for sharing!

Andrea Nine

Wednesday 9th of November 2022

A dream indeed! Looks so yummy!

Carlee

Wednesday 9th of November 2022

They really are!

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