This chewy recipe is for those delectable treats also known as Charleston Chewies or Pecan Chews. Whatever name they're called, these simple sweet bars are well loved for their buttery pecan goodness and pure, simple ingredients.
FEATURED COMMENT: "Moved to Charleston and had pecan chewies at a food truck and was instantly obsessed. Searched the web for a recipe and thought this one looked like the right mix to match that food truck goodness and sho nuff! So good!"
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What is a Pecan Chewie?
Simple ingredients found in most pantries are what you find in a Charleston Chewy. They're made into golden brown bars that pair so well with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. The predominant flavors are butter, pecans and brown sugar.
To keep it extra quick and easy we've used self-rising flour like we do in many of our recipes. It simply allows you to skip a step when assembling these treats. We use the same ingredients for Brown Butter Pecan Cookies.
Some sources in the lowcountry give the Gullah Geechee community credit for these goodies. We couldn't argue that case one way or the other, but we do love learning about the Gullah culture, and even have a Gullah Red Rice recipe and one for Sweet Potatoes here on our site.
Ingredient notes
- Brown sugar - we've only made this recipe with light brown sugar and that's what we recommend.
- Pecans - If you don't love pecans, but do love walnuts you could certainly substitute them, but what you end up with wouldn't be a "Pecan Chewie". I'm sure it would be tasty, but here in Georgia, and in South Carolina where this recipe originated, pecans are the king of nuts!
- Self-rising flour - It makes this recipe super easy, but if you don't have any on hand use the formula in our Easy Buttermilk Biscuits post.
For a full list of ingredients and proportions see the recipe card below.
How to make them
- Melt the butter over medium low heat.
- Mix brown sugar and flour in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter in and stir until well blended.
- Add the eggs, vanilla and pecans, stirring well.
- Bake in a prepared pan for 30-35 minutes at 325 degrees.
- Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Expert tips
- A parchment paper lined baking pan makes for easy clean up and extra easy release of the bars from the pan. Alternatively, you can use a baking spray.
- A dusting of confectioners sugar after baking gives your chewies a fun "polished" look.
- The recipe calls for salted butter, but if you only have unsalted just add one half teaspoon of salt.
FAQ's
They're originated in South Carolina and are commonly found in bakeries in the lowcountry, particularly the Charleston area.
Yes! They're an excellent choice for freezing. Wrap them up tightly, making sure to remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to three months.
Your chewies will be just fine sitting on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days as long as they're tightly covered.
For a fun and quick look at this recipe be sure to check out the Google Web Story.
📖 Recipe
Charleston Chewies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.
- Melt butter over medium low heat.
- Mix brown sugar and flour in large mixing bowl.
- Pour melted butter into the large mixing bowl and combine. Add vanilla, eggs and pecans, stirring until well combined.
- Bake in prepared pan at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar and cutting into bars.
Notes
- If self rising flour is unavailable, you can substitute according to the directions on our Buttermilk Biscuit post.
- Unsalted butter may be used. You will need to add ½ teaspoon salt to the dry ingredients.
- Sprinkle after baking with confectioners sugar for a dressed up look.
Nutrition
Cookies, Bars, & Nuts
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Jenn says
Thanks so much for this recipe! I've never had pecan chews before and after reading through your tasty recipe, they're right up my alley! Yum!
Caroline says
These are so tasty and easy to make too - yum!
soniya says
Wow! These chewies look and sounds so delicious.. Can't wait to make it tomorrow... super excited!
Dave says
Moved to Charleston and had pecan chewies at a food truck and was instantly obsessed. Searched the web for a recipe and thought this one looked like the right mix to match that food truck goodness and sho nuff! So good!
Pam says
Yay! So happy to hear that Dave. We love them too1
KK says
Not sure what I did wrong ; I followed the recipe exactly but the chewies didn’t rise in certain areas (sunken spots) … i will try them again but will probably get the same results as I’m unsure what happened.
Pam says
My best guess is that you had lumps in your brown sugar. We hope you'll try it again because it's a great recipe! Just be sure to mash out any lumps in your sugar.
Asia says
It's a simple recipe to follow, but mine came out too thick. It's more cake like than chewy. Is it a possibility that I overmixed the batter?
Pam says
That's a possiblity. They only need mixing until blended. I wonder if your pan was too small - did you use 9x13 inches?
Deanna says
Did you pack your brown sugar? More than likely the problem.
Mary Smith Ervin says
Do you use a hand mixer?
Pam says
No, Mary. These are stirred by hand.
Deanna says
My guess is you didn't pack your brown sugar.
Geechee girl says
Interesting post, I’m a member of the Gullah geechee community. This is our recipe. There’s no question or need to speculate. This is one of the recipes popularized in our community for decades. There’s also a special trick to this recipe to enhance the flavor but I’ll let your readers enjoy this version. As it’s the standard for tourists.
Pam says
Thank you! It's an amazing treat and we would love it if you would like to share the "special trick".
Beverly Kall says
Is your secret browning the butter first? It is my "Bam" in many recipes, including mashed potatoes.
Pam says
We do not brown the butter for these chewies. However, we love it also. You should check out this cookie recipe. https://www.biscuitsandburlap.com/brown-butter-pecan-cookies/