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These Pecan Pie Bars have a crispy coconut flour shortbread crust and a gooey, caramel-like pecan pie filling on top. These gluten-free and vegan pie bars will be the star of your dessert spread!
Let’s chat about Pecan Pie Bars! Classic pecan pie often gets left behind in the fall baking hysteria surrounding everything pumpkin spice and apple, but I believe it rightly deserves its spot at the dessert table. When pecan pie is good, it’s gooey, crunchy, and NOT cloyingly sweet.
Unfortunately, many times, cloyingly sweet is ALL we get with pecan pie. For many years, I wasn’t at all a fan, because all I associated with pecan pie was a thick, corn-syrup-filled layer of jelly-like sweetness. It’s just not for me.
The first time I truly loved pecan pie came when I started making it myself. First, with this classic pecan pie. It’s not gluten-free or vegan, but it is truly delicious, full of browned butter, and without corn syrup. It was a staple on my holiday table for a few years.
It got dethroned by this Paleo Pecan Pie and, subsequently, this Paleo *Chocolate* Pecan Pie. They’re both delightful, with the chocolate in the second version adding a little extra bitterness and richness from the dark chocolate. Swooooon. 🙌
But I think these Pecan Pie Bars might top them all…in terms of ease, these are definitely the winner, and they’re certainly right up there in terms of deliciousness too! No pie crust needed, just a delightfully easy and delicious shortbread crust.
We make the crust with coconut flour, which helps provide that sandy, firm bite that is customary with shortbread. We prebake it until firm, golden, and crispy before adding the pecan topping, so it keeps that nice crunchy bite and doesn’t get soggy when the liquidy topping is added.
For the filling, we create a quick caramel over the stove, heating it just enough to bring the coconut sugar, maple syrup, and coconut oil together into one smooth, creamy caramel. This also helps the coconut sugar to melt down a bit. Once that’s off the heat, a slurry of non-dairy milk, flax meal, tapioca flour, vanilla and salt are whisked in.
The flax meal and tapioca flour help the caramel thicken up in lieu of the eggs that are typically found in pecan pie to play the binding role. Toasted pecans are stirred into the caramel mixture, and then the whole shebang is poured over the crunchy cooled crust. It’s all baked for 30 minutes until the caramel is nice and bubbly.
And then the hardest part: waiting for them to cool. I made them at night, so I just stuck them into the fridge overnight so they were out of sight, out of mind. Once they’re firm, slice them up and try not to devour them all in one sitting!
Jesse and I have been demolishing these…the first batch I made disappeared rapidly from the fridge, but thankfully I’ve still got some from the batch you’re looking at hiding in my fridge. Our favorite way to devour them has been warming up in the microwave for 30 seconds until gooey, and then topped with a scoop of vanilla dairy-free ice cream. Heaven, I’m telling you.
Once your teeth sink into the gooey caramel topping, full of crunchy toasted pecan bits, and then into the crunchy shortbread crust, you’ll be in pure dessert heaven. It’s sweet, caramelly, nutty, crunchy, chewy, and absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS! I hope these take a spot at your holiday dessert table, because I know they’ll be on mine. Enjoy! :)
Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the shortbread crust
- 1 cup coconut flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, softened to a similar consistency as softened butter
For the filling
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
- ⅓ cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch, or tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cup pecans, toasted + roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8×8” square pan with coconut oil (I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper as well if your pan doesn’t have a removable bottom).
- Combine the maple syrup and coconut oil and whisk until fully combined. Stir in the coconut flour and salt until a smooth dough is formed.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely.
- For the filling, combine the coconut sugar, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil and let simmer for about 2-3 minutes and then remove from heat. Let cool slightly.
- While it cools, whisk together the non-dairy milk, flax meal, arrowroot starch, vanilla extract, and salt in a small bowl.
- Add the milk/flax mixture to the slightly cooled sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Stir in the pecans.
- Pour the pecan mixture over the cooled crust and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let cool completely, at least 2 hours, in the refrigerator before cutting into 16 squares.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Hi Rachel, these bars look absolutely amazing! I am planningto make Christmas cookie boxes for vegan clients, and was wondering if the filling will “ooze” away from the bars if they are left at room temperature? They will surely be eaten quite quickly once received, but I’m asking as I will need to box them and deliver them… I thank you immensely for your reply!
Hi Catherine, in cool weather that shouldn’t be a problem!!
Hi Rachel, super thanks for your fast reply! I can’t wait to try them out!
So excited to make these today!!! Wondering if you have tried subbing Lakanto syrup for the maple syrup to reduce the sugar? I may try that today. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!!
Hi Nikki, I haven’t tried that in this recipe so I can’t say whether it would work or not! Would love to hear the result if you try it :)
I am making these for Thanksgiving for sure!!!! How much in advance an I make them??
Hi Ami, they should be fine well-wrapped in the fridge for 2 days, or in the freezer for a few weeks! Just make sure they’re airtight so you don’t get any freezer burn or drying out.
Another substitution question! I’ve subscribed because I’m baking for someone with an unusual collection of food sensitivities, and a bunch of your recipes look perfect for her. This one looks great, and such a treat, but she can’t do the flax (nothing from seeds or grains, but roots, nuts and sugar are safe). Do you think I’d do better to increase the tapioca or arrowroot and leave out the flax, or just leave out the flax? Thanks for any thoughts on this!
This sounds so good!! Unfortunately, I cannot have flaxseed. What should I replace it with?
Ground chia seed would work well in it’s place here!
I am not a fan of pecans, but I am also THAT person that purchases a 2lb bag when they only need 1/2 cup of something, hahaha. I had a small amount of coconut flour and a butt load of pecans to use up. I found this recipe and decided why not. I have everything I need. My life is changed….. THESE BARS ARE FREAKING AMAZING. Soooooo addicting. I begged friends and family to take some because I would’ve eaten the entire pan by myself. I gave my boss a few; she texted me from her office, “skipping lunch eating these bars instead.” As I’m writing this review, I am eating a piece. Go make this recipe!
Oh my goodness what a fabulous review!! I am SO glad you loved them, especially as a non-pecan lover :D so glad they were a big hit!!!
How far in advance can these be made without compromising taste?
I’d say they’d be best in the first two days they’re made – they last longer than that, but the taste is freshest then!
I don’t know how this worked for everyone & for the recipe creator. I have the Bakerita cookbook from 2020, where this recipe appears nearly identical.
I followed the quantities in the cookbook, which has more maple syrup than indicated here in the crust & the crust is very crumbly, dry & falling apart once the tart was finished. (I used the same amount of coconut oil). It didn’t look like it would work even when I was preparing it but I trusted the process. I know that coconut flour absorbs a lot of humidity, I bake paleo & gluten free all the time. But this crust needed either way more maple syrup or coconut oil or an egg or tapioca starch…. Something to keep it together.
An almond crust would make this very heavy as it’ll be nuts on nuts (however decadent), but this crust does not work.
I will try to find a crust gluten free 1 to 1 flour mix (they’re usually rice flour based), & use the pecan mix because that was really nice & worked great with the ground flax.
Thank you, but I believe this recipe required more testing.
Hi Dina, is it possible the coconut flour was overmeasured/packed into the cup? This recipe has worked for me a whole bunch of times – I don’t post anything that hasn’t been well tested by me a number of times. Also, when a crust seems far too dry even when pressing into the pan, it’s good to add a little extra moisture if it seems that it needs it. Sorry that this didn’t work for you!
I’m feeling very sassy. I didn’t have flax meal but did have seeds. So I put a couple of tablespoonsful in my coffee bean grinder for a few seconds, and, what do you know? Flax meal!
In a small town such ingredients are hard to come by. I had everything else.
Yes this is the perfect solution! Thanks for sharing :)
I made this recipe x 3 which filled a medium sheet pan, although a little thin. They turned out very well, and yielded 48 bars which I took to a potluck. I asked several people to taste test and give me a grade. They ranged from B plus to A minus in a mixed crowd, some who have to avoid gluten,sugar and dairy, and others who are omni. I thought the crust a little dry; a fair amount separated from the pecan filling when lifted out of the pan to a serving platter. The flavor is very good however, and I will make them again for a different crowd. do you have any suggestions for how I could ensure the filling sticks to the crust better? An excellent and heathier recipe-thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Eileen, thanks so much for the feedback! You could try adding a bit more maple syrup (or an egg yolk if you’re not vegan) to the crust to help it stick together a little bit better, but unfortunately I’m not sure how to suggest a way to help it stick better to the crust.