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