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Home » Classic Southern Recipes

Published: Nov 24, 2020 · Modified: Jan 29, 2024 by Pam

Charleston Chewies Recipe

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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.

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!"

charleston chewies with milk behind.
Jump to:
  • What is a Pecan Chewie?
  • Ingredient notes
  • How to make them
  • Expert tips
  • FAQ's
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Cookies, Bars, & Nuts

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.

pecan chewies on cooling rack.

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

  1. Melt the butter over medium low heat.
  2. Mix brown sugar and flour in a mixing bowl.
  3. Pour the melted butter in and stir until well blended.
  4. Add the eggs, vanilla and pecans, stirring well.
  5. Bake in a prepared pan for 30-35 minutes at 325 degrees.
  6. 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.
close up of 3 charleston chewies stacked.

FAQ's

Where do chewies come from?

They're originated in South Carolina and are commonly found in bakeries in the lowcountry, particularly the Charleston area.

Can you freeze Charleston Chewies?

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.

Should you refrigerate after baking?

Your chewies will be just fine sitting on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days as long as they're tightly covered.

close up of chewy on cooling rack.

For a fun and quick look at this recipe be sure to check out the Google Web Story.

📖 Recipe

square image of charleston chewies.

Charleston Chewies

Pam
Made from simple ingredients like brown sugar, butter and pecans, these chewies stir up in just minutes and will become a family favorite.
4.30 from 64 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes 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 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

Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 71mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 259IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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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
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4.30 from 64 votes (46 ratings without comment)

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