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    Published: Nov 24, 2020 · Modified: Nov 28, 2021 by Pam

    Charleston Chewies with Pecans and Brown Sugar

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    pin image of stack of charleston chewies

    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.

    charleston chewies with bottle of milk

    What is a Pecan Chewie?

    Simple ingredients found in most pantries are what you find in a Charleston Chewie. 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 (most notably our signature 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits). It simply allows you to skip a step when assembling these treats.

    Some sources in the lowcountry give the Gullah 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.

    In developing our chewy recipe I read the details of many others. The one thing I found in common is that the butter is melted before stirring the ingredients together.

    All have brown sugar, though some do have a combination of brown and plain granulated sugar. I chose to use all brown sugar in this chewie recipe to give it a rich flavor.

    chewie recipe on a rack

    Dust with powdered sugar or not?

    That’s entirely up to you. They’re delicious either way, but a dusting of confectioners (or powdered) sugar does dress up lots of sweet treats and gives them a polished look.

    Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is one of our most popular recipes and it is similar to this chewie recipe in that it is made with pantry ingredients. Chocolate lovers are crazy about it no matter what, but it does look especially appealing with that dusting on top.

    chewie recipe not dusted with powdered sugar

    See what I mean? Good looking enough to dive right into, but these pecan chewies are just a little prettier with that white sprinkle.

    Pecans make the chewie recipe what it is

    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!

    And if you think chocolate and pecans are a match made in heaven you’ll want to try Homemade Chocolate Covered Pecans. They’re so easy and make a great little gift.

    We love pecans so much and have so many recipes for them that we finally rounded them all up in one place. Just remember – they’re not just for desserts. Pecans are wonderful on salads, in breads, and even as a breading for protein. Our collection of pecan recipes can be found here.

    For a really special treat serve your chewies with a cup of White Chocolate Mocha. It’s an easy Starbucks copycat that you’re going to love!

    two bars from chewie recipe

    For a more detailed look at our favorite cuisine be sure to check out Southern Food: Then & Now.

    On to the recipe for Charleston Pecan Chews…

    Charleston Chewies with Pecans

    Pam
    Made from simple ingredients like brown sugar, butter and pecans, these chewies stir up in just minutes and will become a family favorite.
    4.83 from 17 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Southern
    Servings 24 bars
    Calories 210 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup salted butter, melted
    • 2 cups light brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla
    • 2 eggs room temperature
    • 2 cups self-rising flour
    • 1 cup pecans chopped
    • 2 teaspoons confectioners sugar optional, for dusting

    Instructions
     

    • Line a 9×13 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. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 259IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    • Mini Strawberry Shortcake
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    • single carrot cake mini cupcake
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    • slice of boston cream pie being taken out of whole cake
      Boston Cream Pie
    • Apple Pecan Cheesecake
    • 2 slices of coconut pie with whipped cream on top
      Coconut Pie
    • Buttermilk Pie
      Buttermilk Pie
    • Peach Crumble with Butter Pecan Topping
      Peach Crumble with Butter Pecan Topping

    Categories: Christmas Recipes Tags: desserts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cate says

      November 24, 2020 at 6:31 pm

      Yum! I’ve never tried anything like this before, but it looks so delicious! Saving to make soon!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 24, 2020 at 6:34 pm

        Hope you enjoy Cate!

        Reply
    2. Beth says

      November 24, 2020 at 7:02 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to give this a try! My family is going to love this!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 25, 2020 at 10:29 am

        Hope everyone loves them.

        Reply
    3. Heidy says

      November 24, 2020 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      These Charleston Chewies were outstanding! I made a double batch, and they were gone in 60 seconds! I will be making them again for Thanksgiving–but this time, I will make 3 batches to ensure we have plenty. Happy Holidays!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 25, 2020 at 10:30 am

        They do go fast. Thanks, Heidy!

        Reply
    4. kerri says

      November 24, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      what a great way to surprise my father in law – he’s obsessed with pecan everything! these look great!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 25, 2020 at 10:30 am

        I’m sure he’ll love them!

        Reply
    5. Tara says

      November 24, 2020 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      These Chewies look absolutely incredible and I love how easily they come together! Such wonderful flavors and texture as well.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 25, 2020 at 10:28 am

        Thanks so much, Tara!

        Reply
    6. Debi says

      December 07, 2020 at 9:46 am

      Have you ever made ahead and then froze them?

      Reply
      • Pam says

        December 07, 2020 at 11:22 am

        No, Debi, we haven’t tested it, but I think they would be fine.

        Reply
    7. Kate says

      May 09, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      This are delicious, I add at least an extra half cup of pecans, 👍🏻

      Reply
      • Pam says

        May 10, 2021 at 9:44 am

        Thamks, Kate! It’s hard to get too many pecans, isn’t it?

        Reply
    8. Cate says

      November 28, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      5 stars
      These are absolutely delicious! Love how simple they are and the pecan brown sugar flavor.

      Reply
    9. Heather Perine says

      November 28, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my these look delicious!! Never heard of them before but can’t wait to make this holiday season. And I’m thinking dust with powdered sugar for sure!

      Reply
    10. sara Welch says

      November 28, 2021 at 7:12 pm

      5 stars
      Adding these to my holiday baking line up! I love holiday treats with pecans! Looks too good to pass up, indeed!

      Reply
    11. Maria San Juan says

      November 29, 2021 at 1:35 am

      5 stars
      Yummy! My kids will surely love this! We love chewy desserts! Thanks for sharing! Will surely try this soon!

      Reply
    12. Anjali says

      November 29, 2021 at 1:58 am

      5 stars
      These chewies turned out to be so delicious!! They were perfectly sweet and were a great dessert for our family. My kids enjoyed helping to bake them (and then eat them after of course! 🙂 )

      Reply
    13. Shadi+Hasanzadenemati says

      November 29, 2021 at 2:00 am

      5 stars
      This was such a hit! Thank you for this awesome recipe

      Reply
    14. Chris says

      January 08, 2022 at 12:23 am

      3 stars
      We made these and followed the recipe to a T and for some reason some of mine look a little under cooked on the top towards the center. Are they supposed to look like that? We did everything the instructions said idk. But some of them turned out pretty good.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        January 08, 2022 at 6:34 pm

        No, ours have always been fine. You said they looked undercooked, but were they? I find cookies and bars will often look that way but when you cool and cut they’re fine. If you get a chance to try again we would really appreciate you coming back and changing that star rating if possible. Thanks!

        Reply
    15. kathryn says

      March 11, 2022 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      These charleston chews made such a delicious treat! It was incredibly easy to make and loved how it requires only a handful of ingredients. I’m already craving these again so I may need to make another batch over the weekend! 🙂

      Reply
    16. Jenn says

      March 11, 2022 at 10:48 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    17. Caroline says

      March 11, 2022 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      These are so tasty and easy to make too – yum!

      Reply
    18. soniya says

      March 11, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      Wow! These chewies look and sounds so delicious.. Can’t wait to make it tomorrow… super excited!

      Reply

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