Paleo Pecan Pie Bars (Vegan)

Paleo Pecan Pie Bars that are vegan, grain-free, dairy-free, sweet, gooey, and buttery for the most amazing nutty treat. This caramel-covered dessert recipe is fun to make and perfect for sharing with friends and family during the holiday season.

Have you ever dreamt up a sinfully addictive dessert that is all-things gooey, chewy, soft yet crunchy, caramel-y yet crispy, creamy and nutty with an explosion of flavor and texture?

That is, in a nutshell, these Paleo Pecan Pie Bars.

…Or pecan goo bars as I like to call them.

The only thing that could possibly make them better is if they were dipped in dark chocolate. 

First things first: I mentioned this in my recent post for Keto Pecan Pie, but I find some people turn their nose up to pecan desserts because they assume they won’t like them (this was me the first 18 years of my life).

Before you decide you don’t need these bars in your life, let me line out all the reasons you do. Starting with an overly descriptive summary of what a pecan bar actually is.

If you’ve never tried pecan pie or pecan bars, here’s the basic gist: Delectably maple-y gooey pecans engulfed in homemade caramel nestled on top of a buttery shortbread crust with a perfect thin layer of crisp at the top as well as a nice crunch at the bottom. 

It’s basically two layers of wild, wild rebellion.

Don’t cancel me.

Aside from being paleo, vegan, dairy-free, grain-free, and sweetened with less processed sugars, these pecan pie bars are a true delight to make. 

They’re a great family project to make with kidlets as well as lovely edible gifts for friends and family. I highly encourage you to make them for dessert for Thanksgiving!

Let’s talk ingredients.

Ingredients for Paleo Pecan Pie Bars:

These pecan pie bars don’t require very many ingredients ! Here’s what you need.

For the Crust: almond flour, coconut oil, pure maple syrup, sea salt. These ingredients simply get stirred together to form a thick dough. Press this dough into a baking pan, creating a shortbread crust layer. 

Note: I’ve found varying brands of almond flour have varying absorbencies. I use Bob’s Red Mill’s Super Fine Almond Flour, but had drastically different results when I tested the crust using a different brand.

If you don’t use Bob’s Red Mill’s almond flour and the crust mixture seems overly dry, continue adding oil and pure maple syrup, one tablespoon at a time, until a thick, sticky dough forms that can easily be pressed into a cookie layer. If the crust is crumbly, keep adding oil and pure maple syrup until it is no longer crumbly!

For the Filling: Coconut milk, coconut sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sea salt, raw pecans.

The coconut milk acts as a replacement for butter or cream in making a homemade caramel, and the caramel is sweetened with coconut sugar and pure maple syrup. 

The end result is a gooey, sticky caramel that you’d never know was dairy-free and made with more natural sugars. This caramel is used to engulf raw pecans, and is the glue that holds it all together.

How to Make Paleo Pecan Pie Bars:

Prepare the Shortbread Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper.

Stir all of the ingredients for the crust together in a bowl until well-combined – it will form a thick, sticky dough.

Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking pan and press into an even layer using your hands. Poke many holes in the crust with a fork to ensure it bakes evenly and does not bow up while baking.

Bake for 12 to 18 minutes on the center rack of the preheated oven, until the sides of the crust are golden-brown.

Remove crust from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes. 

Prepare the Caramel Pecan Filling:
Heat the coconut milk and coconut sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a full boil. Whisk until all of the coconut sugar has been dissolved. Continue cooking at a controlled boil, whisking occasionally, until a thick, sticky caramel-like substance forms and the liquid has been reduced to about ⅓ or ½ its original volume, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove the caramel from the heat. Stir in the pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt and whisk until well-combined. Add in the chopped pecans and stir until everything is well-coated.

Transfer the filling mixture to the baking pan with the shortbread crust and smooth into an even layer.

Bake on the center rack of the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until the pecan mixture is bubble and appears to have a thin crust on top.

Remove the pecan bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely before slicing and serving. Note: after the bars cool for about 15 minutes at room temperature, you can transfer them to the refrigerator to speed up the process.

Pecan Pie Bars should be served chilled, so store them covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator until you’re ready to share them. They can be stored at room temperature, but I find they set up better and serve better when chilled. Leftovers can be frozen!

Keto Pecan Pie Bars:

Looking for a low-carb version of these pecan bars? No sweat! Simply hop on over to my Keto Pecan Pie recipe, and follow it using a 9-inch baking pan instead of a pie pan. The concept is very similar to what you see in this recipe, but is made using sugar-free sweetener.

More Holiday Dessert Recipes:

• Paleo Pumpkin Cheesecake (No-Bake, Vegan)
• Vegan Bourbon Orange Sweet Potato Pie
• No-Bake Vegan Banana Cream Pie
• Grain-Free Vegan Pumpkin Snack Cake
• Gluten-Free Apple Bundt Cake
• Instant Pot Rice Pudding

My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!

If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!

Enjoy these pecan bliss bars!

Paleo Pecan Pie Bars

Gooey caramel pecans on top buttery shortbread crust makes the most amazing delectable treat! These healthier pecan pie bars are refined sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan so SO delicious!

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

16 bars

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• ▢ 2 cups super fine almond flour
• ▢ 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• ▢ 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the Pecan Filling:

• ▢ 1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk
• ▢ 2/3 cup coconut sugar
• ▢ 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 3/4 tsp sea salt, to taste
• ▢ 2 cups raw pecans, chopped

Instructions

Make the Shortbread Crust:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper.
• Stir all of the ingredients for the crust together in a bowl until well-combined – it will form a thick, sticky dough. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking pan and press into an even layer using your hands. Poke many holes in the crust with a fork to ensure it bakes evenly and does not bow up while baking.
• Bake for 12 to 18 minutes on the center rack of the preheated oven, until the sides of the crust are golden-brown. Remove crust from the oven and set it aside to cool for a few minutes.
  

Make the Pecan Caramel Filling:

• Heat the coconut milk and coconut sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a full boil. Whisk until all of the coconut sugar has been dissolved. Continue cooking at a controlled boil, whisking occasionally, until a thick, sticky caramel-like substance forms and the liquid has been reduced to about ⅓ or ½ its original volume, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove the caramel from the heat. Stir in the pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt and whisk until well-combined. Add in the chopped pecans and stir until everything is well-coated.
• Transfer the filling mixture to the baking pan with the shortbread crust and smooth into an even layer.
  
• Bake on the center rack of the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until the pecan mixture is bubble and appears to have a thin crust on top.
• Remove the pecan bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely before slicing and serving. Note: after the bars cool for about 15 minutes at room temperature, you can transfer them to the refrigerator to speed up the process.

Notes

Store leftover pecan pie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 16 – Calories: 299kcal – Carbohydrates: 23g – Protein: 6g – Fat: 21g – Fiber: 2g – Sugar: 18g

Course: Desserts & Treats

Cuisine: American

Keyword: almond flour, coconut sugar, dairy free, easy pecan pie, grain free, healthy dessert, keto recipes, paleo dessert recipes, pecan desserts, pecan pie bars, pecans, pure maple syrup, vegan

Servings: 16 bars

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Julia

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