Gluten Free Pecan Pie Bars

These chewy Gluten Free Pecan Pie Bars are loaded with wholesome ingredients and are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. It’s dairy-free, corn syrup-free and easy to make!

Enjoy a guilt-free dessert with these gluten free pecan pie bars. They are a delicious option for those who are a fan of pecan pie, but looking to avoid corn syrup in their recipes. Don’t worry, this healthier option doesn't compromise the original pecan pie flavor.

There’s only 9 wholesome ingredients in this bar recipe. They're almost as good as these s’mores bars, and unlike many packaged bars from the store, these bars don’t have any preservatives or additives in them.

These gluten-free pecan pie bars are a healthier alternative and use coconut sugar, coconut oil and maple syrup as a natural sweetener. Just like traditional pecan pie recipes, they’re the perfect dessert for the holiday table or any time you have a craving for pecans. Top the bars with coconut whipped cream or a vegan vanilla ice cream for extra flavor.

Looking for more desserts for the holiday season? Try these mini sweet potato pies or mini pumpkin pies to share with friends and family this season. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No rolling out pie crust
• Grain & gluten free thanks to the coconut flour crust.
• They come together in just three easy steps
• Made with healthier, real ingredients
• No corn syrup or artificial sweeteners
• Packed with healthy fats from the pecans

What Makes These Pecan Bars Healthy? 

Traditionally pecan pie is made with butter, corn syrup and refined sugars, which is not the healthiest option. The ingredients in these gooey pecan pie bars are made with coconut sugar, maple syrup as natural sweeteners, which means there’s no corn syrup!

Although these bars are a healthy twist of a classic pecan pie, the combination of natural sweeteners will still give you that delicious pecan pie gooey flavor without any corn syrup!

Equipment You’ll Need

Here is some equipment suggestions to help you make the pecan squares:

• Square Baking Dish - prepared with parchment paper
• Mixing Bowl - to mix the ingredients for the crust
• Large Spoon - to mix all of the ingredients
• Small pot - to make the pecan mixture 

Ingredients You’ll Need 

There’s only 9 wholesome ingredients in these healthy pecan pie bars. Here is what you need:

• Coconut flour - It's a grain-free and gluten-free flour alternative that’s a fine, soft powder made from dried coconut meat. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour
• Maple syrup -  this makes the perfect sweetener for these vegan pecan pecan pie bars. Make sure to use pure maple syrup. You can also substitute with honey, agave syrup or date syrup however taste will vary. 
• Coconut oil - use refined coconut oil.
• Vanilla extract - make sure to use real vanilla extract to help enhance all the flavors in the recipe, not imitation vanilla. 
• Ground cinnamon - to add a warming flavors
• Sea salt - just a pinch!
• Coconut sugar - Coconut sugar tastes very similar to brown sugar, with nutty and caramel flavors.
• Almond milk - any plant-based milk will work
• Chopped pecans - but of course! Chopped pecans work best however if you don’t have any available you can place whole (or halved).

How to Make the Pecan Pie Bars

Making the Crust

1. Stir the dry ingredients together, coconut flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and salt, in a large bowl to make the crust. 
2. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared square pan lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown, then remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Making the Filling

1. Heat the coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla in a saucepan, until slightly boiling. 
2. Stir constantly. Once boiling, the sugar should start to thicken after about 2-3 minutes. Then turn off the heat. If you cook any longer the sugar may burn.
3. Add in almond milk and the raw pecans.

1. Pour the caramel mixture over the cooled crust and bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes.
2. Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool for about 15 minutes and then place them in the fridge for at least two hours before cutting.
3. Serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, whipped cream or you can eat them plain.

How to Store the Pecan Bars

• To store in the fridge - layer them between waxed paper in an airtight container. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. It’s best served by letting them sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before serving.
• To store In the freezer - after they have completely cooled, place them in an airtight container, layered in between wax paper and freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy one, let it thaw at room temperature before eating.

Tips and Variations

Here are a few tips for making the bars and substitutions in case you need or want to use alternative ingredients.

• Chill the Bars - do not skip chilling the bars for at least 2 hours in the fridge to help the ingredients bind together.
• How to Serve - To help the bars slice more easily, remove them from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before serving..
• Slicing the Bars - Using a sharp knife will help to cut through the nuts, filling, and coconut flour crust.
• Sugars - I haven’t tested these bars with brown sugar, but if you prefer to use it instead of coconut sugar, it can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio.
• Dairy free milks - if you’re not a fan of almond milk, that’s okay because any type of milk works for this recipe. You can use cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk or regular plain dairy milk. 
• Sweeteners - the maple syrup can be substituted with honey, agave syrup or date syrup however taste will vary.
• Fats - If you do not like to use coconut oil, you can substitute it with melted vegan butter if you prefer and are not dairy-free.

Most Asked Questions

• Are these pecan bars gluten-free? 
  • Yes. The coconut flour is considered gluten-free and grain-free.

• What do I look for when buying pecans?
  • Pre-chopped pecans are great to use for these bars since they can save you the step of chopping the nuts yourself. You can also use pecan halves and simply place them in a plastic bag or food processor to break them up some. 

• Do the pecan pie bars need to be refrigerated?
  • Yes, the ingredients for the bars are best kept stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

• Can I double the recipe?
  • Absolutely! You can double the recipe by dividing the ingredients evenly into two separate baking dishes and place them side-by-side in the oven to bake.

• How do you know when the pecan pie bars are fully baked?
  • Once the center of the baking dish looks set and the edges are a bit crisp, then they are fully baked and ready to be removed from the oven. They will need to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.

More Recipes You May Like

S’mores Bars

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars 

Strawberry Banana Bars 

Vegan Chai Spiced Bars

Red White and Blue Cookie Bars

Halloween Oreo Brookie Bars

Valentines Day Cookie Bars

Dairy-free Brownies

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