OH OKAY. Are you ready for some healthy pecan pie bars that just so happen to be both vegan AND paleo friendly? #hellyes.
Listen, I was always a pumpkin pie type of gal when it came to Thanksgiving, but pecan pie was always on the table too. Sticky, sweet, crunchy, full of caramel and perfectly rich, who wouldn’t love it?
This year, I decided to make quick and easy pecan pie bars that are made a bit healthier, naturally sweetened and made with a nutritious almond flour shortbread crust. The filling is made with pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil and crunchy pecans. Basically it’s like a sticky, sweet salted caramel filling with pecans. SO DANG GOOD. I highly recommend make these pecan pie bars ASAP!
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Ingredients in paleo pecan pie bars
These incredible vegan & paleo healthy pecan pie bars are made with just 7 simple ingredients (including vanilla and salt) for a delicious bar that seriously tastes like true pecan pie. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Almond flour: the crust of these pecan pie bars are made with a fine blanched almond flour to keep them grain and gluten free. I would not recommend using another flour.
- Coconut oil: you’ll need a bit of coconut oil to give the crust the perfect amount of moisture and to keep them dairy free. You can also use melted butter if you’d like and are not dairy free.
- Maple syrup: we’re naturally sweetening both the crust and the filling with some pure maple syrup.
- Vanilla extract & salt: you’ll add vanilla and a bit of salt to pull together the flavors of the crust of the bars.
- Coconut sugar: the filling is made with a mix of coconut sugar and maple syrup to keep these pecan pie bars paleo and naturally sweetened. You can also use brown sugar if you’d like.
- Pecans: the star of the show = pecans! You’ll add chopped pecans to the filling of these bars and they’ll get nice and sweet and delicious.
- Fancy Maldon sea salt: I love adding a sprinkle of fancy sea salt for that delicious sweet & salty flavor.
What makes these pecan pie bars healthier?
Traditional pecan pie (and pecan pie bars) are made with lots of butter, refined sugars and corn syrup. While I’m all about real deal, butter & sugar desserts, I wanted to lighten these up a bit and use all natural ingredients for a healthier take on a delicious classic. These healthy pecan pie bars are:
- Grain & gluten free thanks to an almond flour shortbread cookie crust.
- Dairy free thanks to a bit of coconut oil instead of butter.
- Made with unrefined sugars like maple syrup and coconut sugar.
- Packed with healthy fats thanks to the almond flour and pecans!
How to make healthy pecan pie bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper. It’s important to use an 8×8 inch as a 9×9 inch pan may be too big.
- In a medium bowl add the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Mix together with a fork until it forms a nice thick crumb texture. Add to the pan and use your fingers to evenly press down into the pan. Bake for 6-7 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the pecan pie filling.
- Add in coconut sugar, maple syrup and vanilla to a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. The caramel mixture will melt together and begin to simmer and bubble along the edges. Make sure you stir constantly during this process. Add in pecans and let the mixture continue to cook for 30 more seconds, then immediately pour caramel pecan mixture on top of the cooled shortbread. Gently and evenly spread pecans over the top.
- Bake for 17-20 more minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Mixture will solidify once it cools. Once completely cool, transfer to the fridge for at least an hour, then cut into 16 bars and serve. If bars are too hard to cut, you may need to let them sit at room temp for 20 minutes or so. Bars may need to thaw out a bit at room temp to be chewy. Option to sprinkle with sea salt.
Tips for making healthy pecan pie bars
- Follow the recipe: be sure to follow the recipe and its ingredients unless otherwise noted. This will ensure that the pecan pie bars come out with the right taste and consistency.
- Let the crust cool: make sure to let the crust cool a bit before adding the pecan pie filling so that the filling and crust do not blend all together. Be sure to also let the bars cool before putting them in the fridge.
- Remember to refrigerate: once the pecan pie bars have completely cooled, remember to refrigerate them for at least one hour before serving so that they stay together well. I know it’s hard, but feel free to make these a day ahead, too!
How to store vegan pecan pie bars
In the fridge: I recommend storing these bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
In the freezer: yes, these pecan pie bars are freezer-friendly! Once they’re complete cooled, simply place them in an airtight container and pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy one, just let it thaw a bit before eating.
If you like this recipe, you might also like
Check out all of my Thanksgiving recipes here, plus more desserts you’ll love:
Apple Pie Bars with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel
Ooey-Gooey Dark Chocolate Espresso Date Oat Bars
Best Healthy Apple Crisp Ever!
Healthy Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Salted Maple Frosting
Healthy Peanut Butter Twix Bars (vegan & gluten free)
I hope you love these vegan & paleo pecan pie bars! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Vegan & Paleo Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
- For the shortbread crust:
- 1 ½ cups packed fine blanched almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
- 3 tablespoons melted and cooled coconut oil (or sub melted butter or vegan melted butter)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the filling:
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkle with salt
- 1 ½ cups pecans, roughly chopped
- For topping:
- Fancy Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper. It’s important to use an 8x8 inch as a 9x9 inch pan may be too big.
- In a medium bowl add the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Mix together with a fork until it forms a nice thick crumb texture. Add to the pan and use your fingers to evenly press down into the pan. Bake for 6-7 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the pecan pie filling.
- Add in coconut sugar, maple syrup and vanilla to a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. The caramel mixture will melt together and begin to simmer and bubble along the edges. Make sure you stir constantly during this process. Add in pecans and let the mixture continue to cook for 30 more seconds, then immediately pour caramel pecan mixture on top of the cooled shortbread. Gently and evenly spread pecans over the top with a rubber spatula. You need to do this quickly so the caramel doesn't seize or harden up!
- Bake for 17-20 more minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Mixture will solidify once it cools. Once completely cool, transfer to the fridge for at least an hour, then cut into 16 bars and serve. If bars are too hard to cut, you may need to let them sit at room temp for 15-20 minutes or so. Bars may need to thaw out a bit at room temp to be chewy. Option to sprinkle with sea salt. Serves 16. These are amazing with vanilla ice cream too! Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by Eat Love Eats
107 comments
Could date syrup be substituted for maple syrup in the filling?
Yes, I think so!
Run, don’t walk to make this recipe! It was perfect and I followed instructions perfectly. I decided to use the butter and not the coconut oil and I am so glad I did. I will definitely be making this for my family Thanksgiving dinner. It was the best paleo dessert I have made in a long, long time! Thanks, Monique!
So happy you loved these! Perfect for Thanksgiving 🙂
These are super simple and delicious. I chopped my pecans smaller than the picture and it worked but I’d likely leave them a bit bigger next time.
Will make these again!!
Glad you loved them!
Hi,
I made those pecan pie bars yesterday…SOOO GOOD!!
i love that you have recipes that use healthy ingredients yet dont compromise on the taste.
Thank you!
Hi! So happy you loved them! And yes, never compromising taste here 🙂
Monique you’re my hero! I love pecan pie, and I was really hoping for a healthier version in your holiday recipes! These bars are amazing! Both my husband and I can’t get enough. Definitely have to spread the Carmel pecans quickly cause they harden in seconds!
Aw I’m so happy you loved them! Perfect treat 🙂
These bars are amazing! I added some dark chocolate chips before baking. My husband and friends loved them. So easy and will be added to my dessert rotation for sure!
So glad everyone loved them!
These are much better than any pecan pie I’ve ever had. I could see these being a huge hit with my family at Thanksgiving.
Amazing! Perfect for Thanksgiving 🙂
Just make this Vegan & Paleo Pecan Pie Bars and it is so so good! I love how the Almond crust taste just alone! I used all organic ingredients. I will definitely be making this recipe again. Just adjust the baking time on the Almond Shortbread Crust & decreased the time on the Pecan Pie Filling. Otherwise this recipe is really good!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Just perfect! i used palm sugar (its what I had). Loved every bite.
I’m glad that worked out well! Perfect dessert 🙂
My husband hasn’t usually been a pecan pie fan, he’s team pumpkin all the way, but he LOVED these, and loved that they’re stuffed with all the pecans and just the right amount of the caramel.
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
OMG THESE ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!! I loveeee pecan pie and these are healthy and totally hit the spot!! Tested these out for thanksgiving (half the pan is already gone AHHHHH) and will totally be making round 2 next week :))
So glad you loved these!! Perfect holiday dessert 🙂
These are unbelievably delicious!! Thank you for such a great recipe🙏
So glad you love them!
Deliciously addictive! (and husband approved!) I cooked down the syrup and sugar too much because my stove is weird, but it was still marvelous.
Perfect! Happy to hear that 🙂
Made these for Thanksgiving! I drizzled chocolate on top of them and they were amazing 😍😍 such a good recipe for a gf pie dessert alternative!!
YUM love that!!
I made these for thanksgiving and they were such a hit! I even heard comments mentioning that they even liked them better than actual pecan pie! The crust on these bars are INSANE. The flaky sea salt really brings all the amazing flavors together. SO DANG GOOD.
Love to hear that! Perfect dessert 🙂
So delicious & easy! A hit at thanksgiving this year!! I only had a 9×9 pan so I increased the crust measurements slightly and left the toppings as written and it came out great!
Perfect! So happy to hear that 🙂
These look amazing! Do you think adding chocolate chips would alter the recipe significantly? Thanks!!
I think that would be fine!
Made this twice for family at holidays and both times the whole batch was finished! Super delicious and easy!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
These are TO DIE FOR. I shared them with some good friends and they fought over who was going to have the last piece,…so then I made it for them for their Anniversary! WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Just perfection. Can’t wait to make it during the holidays in 2021! Love this with some tea or coffee! Thank you as always Monique!!! You are THE best recipe inventor EVER!
Amazing! So happy to hear that! And thank you for your kind words 🙂
OMG!! These are so friggin good! Just like a pecan Pie!! So delicious! and now Im making your Beef Stew.
So glad you love them! Enjoy the beef stew 🙂
Ive baked this one several times already. Love it!
So happy to hear that!
These were so easy to make! Came out so delicious & just the right amount of sweetness. Definitely saving this recipe to make for Thanksgiving this year.
The perfect holiday treat!
I made this for the first time over the holidays, for the vegan in the family. He loved it and so did I! And I have made it a couple more times since. Thank you for this great recipe. I love your blog because of all the good ingredients you use.
So happy to hear that! Hope you keep finding recipes here that you love 🙂
These are AMAZING!! I made these along for Thanksgiving dinner, along with a traditional pecan pie and these were so much better and more popular – rich, deep flavor and absolutely delicious!! Next Thanksgiving I will skip the sugar-filled pie and just make these! Thank you so much –
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times, once with maple syrup and the second time with honey since I was out of MS. Definitely prefer it with MS. This is a great recipe! The bars are good on their own. I usually warm it up a few seconds in the microwave and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The best!
I forgot to write this over Thanksgiving but I made your Valentine’s Day cake with the strawberry frosting tonight and my husband reminded me that these bars were the best things he’s ever had!!
Just wanted to share 🙂
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Made these for the first time today and they are delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfect, a little gooey (yum) and full of pecan pie flavor. They were easy too!
Forgot to rate them!
Amazing! So glad you loved them 🙂
These are absolutely delicious, just like a pecan pie without the sugar and gluten!
The best! Glad you liked them!
Have you ever tried adding mini chocolate chips?
I haven’t but that sounds delicious!
WOW!! Had life group over last night. One of our friends is struggling with his memory and they are making healthy eating choices and paleo is one of them. THS WAS A HIT! Thank YOU!!
Oh that’s amazing! I’m so happy everyone loved these ❤️
Hi Monique! This recipe looks amazing and I want to make it this week! However, I’m sensitive to anything coconut so, what do you recommend as a comparable substitute for the coconut sugar?
Hi, there! So excited for you to try them. You can use regular brown sugar in here 🙂
I tried with date sugar is there another sweetener perhaps maple sugar that might give a shinier appearance my pecans were a little dull but no worries still tasted delicious!
Just a question: You mentioned that one could use butter rather than the coconut oil if they weren’t dairy free. What I am wondering is if it would work to use a plant based butter instead of regular butter.
Yes, I think that should work just fine!
Can honey be used instead of the maple syrup? I would like to try these but do not have access to maple syrup.
Tried these not expecting too much – knew they’d be good bc it’s an AK recipe but based on ingredients and my love for “real” pecan pie ~how~ good would they be? Answer: DELICIOUS! They were so easy to whip up (didn’t have to make any pie crust), love the simple ingredients and SO tasty and perfectly salty. Tasted like amazing praline nuts. Love that these are DF so I can serve as a dessert with a meat entree. Making these for thanksgiving now! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Yaaaay I’m so happy these turned out even better than expected!! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
These were amazing. We’re having a larger group this year for thanksgiving. Do you think this recipe can be doubled? Thanks!
Hi, Lindsay! Definitely. I’m so happy you loved them!
These are AMAZING! I made a test batch (for Thanksgiving) yesterday and half of the pan has already been consumed. I used coconut oil, followed the directions and they came out perfectly! These will not be just a Thanksgiving treat but a staple that you can pull out time and time again!
Thanks Monique!
LOVE IT! So glad you’re going to get to enjoy them again next week 🙂
Super easy to make and easily won over my family members who were very skeptical of a gf/df dessert! I used Irish butter as that doesn’t make me sick and adds some richness. Thank you!!
This was so yummy! Made it for a Thanskgiving dessert. My husband loves the pecan bars at Corner Bakery, and he declared this one to be better!
Only substitution was that I didn’t have enough coconut sugar so I used some brown sugar to top it off.
I’ve made this recipe at least 20 times. It’s so easy and amazing. I love bringing it to dinner parties. Everyone always asks for the recipe!
These bars are freaking addictive! Very easy to make, the maple flavor is really great. Be generous with your flaky salt sprinkle! These are definitely going in my Christmas cookie boxes this year. Love that they are something most eaters can enjoy!
Haha right?! Can’t stop at just 1! Happy you loved them 🙂
These are sooo good! Made them for thanksgiving instead of my usual chocolate bourbon pecan pie, and these are honestly way better. They were everyone’s favorite dessert, got a ton of compliments on them. I added dark chocolate chips to the pecan mix, they did not effect the consistency at all and the recipe still turned out great. I added about a 1/3 chocolate chips. Also, I only had a 9×9 pan and it worked out fine. I just added a little bit more almond flour and a little bit more maple syrup to stretch out the crust. It worked no problem. glad it did because I only had the smallest amount of almond flour left. Overall very easy and fool proof recipe, since I messed around and it still turned out perfect!
Omg no way, even better?! SO happy to hear that you guys all loved them! And great to know it worked well in that pan + with the chocolate, which sounds DELICIOUS 😍
Easy to make and so yummy! The whole family approved. Much easier than making a pecan pie! Loved it!
These are my new favourite dessert!! So easy and so so tasty!! They didn’t last long in my house! Thanks so much for the yummy recipe will be making these all the time!!
So happy to hear that! Such a great treat for fall and winter 🙂
Fabulous recipe. All ingredients I usually have on hand. Easy directions and process. Tasty results. I made mine in mini tart pans and the crust held up well. (made 7) This will be my new go to for pecan sweets. Especially since it is gluten free, refined sugar free and dairy free.
Is the salt vital to the recipe? Trying to find a low sodium dessert option. Thanks!
You could leave it off but it will take away from the sweet and salty flavor that lots of people enjoy!
These are amazing! I have made them three times already in a month, including for Thanksgiving, and everyone has asked for the recipe! So yummy and easy and even better than pecan pie! Thanks for a great go to! Also worked great for making ahead.
Amazing! So glad you are loving this recipe ❤️
Perfect little dessert bars.
These were amazing!!! Followed recipe exact
This is amazing!!! Super simple with minimal ingredients. The shortbread is just a little crumbly but the pecan mix helps hold it together. This will definitely be hard to share with my kids because they will eat it all!!!
This bar lived up to the hype, best paleo dessert I’ve ever had! So glad I tried it:) followed the recipe, but did use a 6×8” Pyrex and the bars were thick and I loved it!
WOO! Glad you loved these and they turned out amazing for you 🙂
I have already chopped pecans. How much should i use?
1 1/2 cups should be fine!
WOW! These are better than any pecan pie. Everyone will be asking for the recipe!
Forgot to give 5 stars!
These are So. Good! My son requested pecan pie while he’s home from college. I haven’t made it in over a decade because a couple of us can’t have corn syrup. Thank you so much!!
So glad you found this recipe! Such a great treat 🙂
These are so delicious and easy to make. They have become a holiday tradition – both Thanksgiving and Christmas!
These are delicious and so easy. They have become a tradition for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
These were so yummy! I followed the instructions exact and the flavor was so rich! I wish the crust was a little thicker but still really good. The only issue is that they’re really messy and fall apart pretty easily. Mine did not cut as nicely as in the photo. I would be interested to try these as individual little mini pies in a lined muffin tin to make it easier to eat and clean up.
Glad you liked them! Feel free to pop them in the fridge for a bit before cutting into them, and the mini pies sound perfect.
These are so yummy!! The dairy free caramel sauce alone was so good I was licking it out of the pot lol! I used brown sugar and it was delicious. Made for some DF GF friends and was a big hit!! Definitely recommend.
The best! Glad they were a hit!
I made these bars with walnuts because I didn’t have pecans. This recipe was simple and delicious. Thank you!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Beyond delicious!!