Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment or a nonstick silicone mat. This will ensure your bark doesn’t stick, and clean-up will be a snap! It also helps to keep everything in place as the caramel sets.

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast your pecans for about 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent them from burning. The goal here is to bring out their natural flavor, and you'll know they're done when they smell fragrant and have a light golden color. Set them aside for later.

Warm the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat until fully melted. Mix in the brown sugar and stir until well incorporated, then allow it to simmer gently for 2–3 minutes. Slowly mix in the sweetened condensed milk while stirring. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for another 2 minutes until it's thick and smooth, creating that rich caramel texture.

Spread your toasted pecans evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Pour the warm caramel mixture over the nuts, making sure they’re all coated nicely. You want every piece of pecan to be covered with that luscious caramel sauce!

While the caramel is still warm, evenly scatter the chocolate chips on top. The warmth of the caramel will melt the chocolate chips into a smooth, gooey topping. You can gently use a spatula to distribute the melted chocolate evenly across the caramel and pecans.

Let the bark cool on the countertop for about 10 minutes. After that, place the baking sheet in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. The chocolate will harden, and the caramel will set, leaving you with a firm, crunchy treat that’s perfect for breaking into pieces.

Once the bark is fully set, break it into irregular chunks. There’s no need for perfection here—let the pieces be rustic and uneven, as it adds to the charm of this homemade bark!