Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 13×9 inch pan with foil (make sure the ends of the foil hang over the ends of the dish). Spray foil and sides of pan with cooking oil.
2. Mix the crust ingredients together in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a fork by hand) until crumbly. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove it from the oven and set aside.
4. In a medium sized bowl, mix the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter with a whisk. When it is nice and creamy, stir in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips.
5. Gently pour the filling over the baked crust, making sure to evenly distribute the pecans and chocolate chips.
6. Bake another 25-30 minutes or until set. The edges will be slightly darker than the rest of the dish.
7. Completely cool the bars in the dish, set on a wire cooling rack before cutting. When ready to cut, use the foil to lift them out of the pan. (This will make cutting easier.) Use a sharp knife and cut into desired size. Store in an airtight container. These bars are best after they have cooled completely and “set up” for 2-3 hours. I like them best the next day!

Notes: If you prefer not to use chocolate, you can omit it and add more pecans if you would like.