Perfect for all the holiday celebrations or anytime for a special treat, these Paleo Pecan Pie Bars are one of my all-time favorites. From now on, I’m making these every. single. year. for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So grab your pecans and let’s make these easy, paleo, and refined-sugar free bars.
ALL THE FLAVOR, NONE OF THE FUSS
If I’m being 100% honest, making pie is almost never worth the hassle. It can be intimidating and time consuming, so I lean towards no-fuss desserts. These pecan bars are a simplified take on the beloved pecan pie, and they are just as delicious as the original. What they’re not? Difficult. These bars are so easy and come together in just a few steps. Another thing I love about bars… you can cut as big or small of a slice as you’d like. And really, there is nothing better than a bite of these pecan bars with a mid-morning coffee. Happy holidays to me!
EVERYONE’S FAVORITE DESSERT, HEALTHIFIED
If you don’t already know the secret, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble. But traditional pecan pie is made with tons of sugar, plus sneaky sugar from corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is found in many processed foods because it’s highly palatable, it’s cheaper than sugar, and it extends the shelf life of the products in which it’s used. Corn syrup is also highly inflammatory, and can be easily replaced with more natural, less inflammatory sweeteners. In this recipe, we’re using maple syrup and coconut sugar.
I grew up eating corn syrup filled foods, but over time I’ve made swaps to lower-sugar, low-inflammatory foods for my overall health and I can honestly say I don’t miss the ‘real deal’ recipes – I find that cooking with better ingredients not only tastes better, but I feel better when I eat this way. It might take time for your tastebuds to adjust, but if you’re looking to decrease your sugar intake try my 7-Day Added Sugar Detox.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
Crust
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Coconut Oil
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Sea Salt
Filling
- Maple Syrup
- Coconut Sugar
- Coconut Oil
- Almond Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Sea Salt
- Pecans
HOW TO MAKE PALEO PECAN PIE BARS
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 6×6 or 8×8 dish with parchment paper, and feel free to coat it lightly with avocado oil.
While the oven preheats, melt your coconut oil if it’s not already melted. Let it cool slightly, then mix together with almond flour, coconut flour, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Make sure to break up any clumps. Press the crust into the baking dish until it’s even, then bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a small saucepan, stir in maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, almond milk, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Heat on medium-low and bring it to a boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, then stir in the pecans and a pinch of salt.
Once the crust has cooled, pour the filling over and spread it until it’s even. Sprinkle with extra coconut sugar and sea salt, then return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let the bars cool slightly, then transfer to the refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes to 2 hours to full set. Don’t skip this step! Once the bars have fully set, slice into 8-10 pieces and enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
HOW DO YOU MAKE PECAN BARS GLUTEN-FREE?
In this recipe, we’re swapping out all-purpose flour with almond flour and coconut flour. That magical combo gives the shortbread cookie crust the perfect bite – soft and chewy inside, and crunchy outside. Yum!
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE HEALTHY PECAN PIE BARS?
These paleo pecan bars don’t take long to whip up – you’ll have about 15 minutes of prep time, 30 minutes of bakings, and about an hour to chill. Make these ahead of time and pull them out of the fridge for the ultimate quick dessert.
LOOKING FOR MORE HEALTHY TREATS? TRY THESE:
Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Paleo Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
FILLING
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
- 1.5 cup whole and halved raw pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 6×6 or 8×8 dish with parchment paper.
- Mix together crust ingredients and press into the base of the dish until smooth. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown around the outside.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir all ingredients together minus pecans. Heat on medium-low until it begins to boil for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in pecans & a pinch of sea salt.
- Once the crust has fully cooled outside of the oven, pour the filling over the top and make sure it’s even. Sprinkle with coconut sugar and sea salt and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Let cool then immediately set in fridge or freezer for 30 minutes to 2 hours to fully set (important). Remove and cut into bars. Store in sealed container in the fridge or freezer.
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