These delectable Pecan Pie Bars offer a healthy and indulgent twist on the classic holiday dessert. The crust, a delightful combination of chopped pecans, shredded coconut, and naturally sweet medjool dates, provides a sturdy and flavorful foundation. Its sticky and clumpy texture, achieved through a quick blend in a food processor, ensures a satisfying bite with each square. The filling, a luscious blend of medjool dates, non-dairy milk, arrowroot starch, vanilla extract, and sea salt, adds a creamy and caramel-like richness to the bars.

As these bars bake to golden perfection in the oven, the pecan halves on top become wonderfully toasted, contributing a delightful crunch to every bite. The combination of textures—from the crunchy crust to the creamy filling and the toasted pecans—creates a symphony of flavors that make these bars utterly irresistible. The overnight refrigeration further enhances the melding of flavors, allowing the bars to set and develop their gooey, pecan pie-like consistency.

These Pecan Pie Bars not only cater to those with specific dietary preferences, being vegan, paleo, and refined sugar-free, but they also offer a convenient and shareable dessert option. Slicing them into squares makes them perfect for gatherings, ensuring that the joy of these bars can be enjoyed by family and friends alike. With a week-long shelf life in the fridge, they provide a delightful treat for any occasion, whether it be a festive holiday celebration or a simple indulgence throughout the week. Embrace the goodness of these healthier pecan pie bars—a guilt-free and scrumptious addition to your dessert repertoire.

Vegan + Paleo Pecan Pie Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Yield: 16 squares

Description

Gooey caramel-sweet Pecan Pie Bars that are simple, healthy, and perfect for holiday sharing! Vegan, paleo, refined sugar-free.

Ingredients

Crust*

  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) chopped pecans
  • 1 cup (70g) unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 8–10 (150g) pitted medjool dates

Filling

  • 12 (200g) pitted medjool dates
  • 1 1/4 cup (300g) non-dairy milk
  • 3 tbsp arrowroot starch ((can sub cornstarch or tapioca starch))
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cup (150g) pecan halves

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. For the crust, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until sticky and clumpy.
  3. Press firmly into a square pan (8×8″) lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
  4. For the filling, blend the medjool dates, milk, arrowroot, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
  5. Add 1 cup of the pecan halves and pulse them in.
  6. Spread on top of the crust. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of pecans on top and press them in lightly.
  7. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F or until the pecans on top are golden brown.
  8. Remove from the oven. Cool. Then refrigerate overnight.
  9. Slice into squares and enjoy! Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

For a cheaper oat flour option, you can use the crust from this pie recipe instead.