Preheat oven to 375°. Spray an 8" glass baking dish with baking spray.

Add chocolate chip cookie mix, vegetable oil, egg, and water to a mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix the dough until fully mixed. Break up any dry clumps as you mix this.

Spread the cookie dough evenly into the baking dish.

Chop the pecans and layer them evenly across the top of the cookie dough. Ensure that every bar has a pleasant pecan crunch!

Mix the top layer of the bar by putting the brown sugar and vanilla into the same mixing bowl you already used (no need to make another bowl dirty). Then cut in the butter, in small bits at a time. Drop the topping in a thin layer over the pecan layer.

Bake the pecan bars for 35 minutes. After the timer sounds off, leave the pecan bars in the oven for an additional 10 minutes--keep the door closed. Remove and place the pan on a cooling rack for a few minutes. Then you can cut and serve.