Derby Pie Bars

This past weekend I made dessert for our Small Group and needless to say, it was a hit! They were so good in fact, I totally forgot to take a picture until the pan was half eaten, so sorry for the not-so-glamorous pic! In honor of the recent Kentucky Derby (someday I want to go just so I can wear an awesome hat!), I tried Derby Pie Bars. I am not a big pie fan unless it's chocolate, peanut butter or a derby pie, so I was excited to see how derby pie would taste in brownie form. With 1 1/2 cups of sugar, if you're watching your sugar, this dessert is not for you! But, as I like to say, everything in moderation, so making these every once in awhile won't kill anyone ;) Overall, this was a pretty easy recipe to follow and prep time was only 10-15 minutes. If you need anymore proof that these are delicious, here is my son practically licking the pan clean and enjoying every last morsel:

Derby Pie Bars
From The SoHo

For the shortbread crust:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

For the filling:
12 tablespoons (1 + 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons bourbon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350° F. To make the crust, combine the powdered sugar, flour and salt in a food processor. Add cubes of butter and pulse until it resembles coarse cornmeal. (You can also use your fingers or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter.) Firmly pat the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Bake the crust for about 20 minutes until just lightly golden. To make the filling, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour, salt and bourbon vanilla and continue to mix until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. Pour batter over partially baked crust. Bake until filling is set and the top is light golden brown, 30 - 35 minutes. Allow bars to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares.