Healthy pecan pie bars packed with delicious flavor from real food ingredients like pure maple syrup and plenty of vanilla extract. These bars are so easy to make and a delicious, healthier spin on the classic.
Easy and So Delicious: Healthy and Gluten Free Pecan Pie Bars
Pecan pie is a holiday classic but I also feel like it’s a somewhat polarizing dessert. Like, you either love or hate pecan pie. There is no in-between. If you do happen to be a pecan pie fan, then you will love these pecan pie bars and here is why:
- No rolling out a pie crust – I mean it gets no better than that.
- They come together in just three easy steps.
- Made with healthier, real food ingredients and no corn syrup!
Watch How to Make This Recipe
Is Pecan Pie Healthy?
Traditionally pecan pie is made with high-fructose corn syrup which is not the healthiest option. These bars are made without corn syrup and while a healthier option, they are still a delicious treat!
A Healthier Version of Pecan Pie Without the Corn Syrup
This recipe uses a combination of brown sugar, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to give you that delicious pecan pie gooey-ness and flavor without any corn syrup.
More Reader Favorite Pie Bar Recipes
- Healthy Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Healthy Apple Pie Crumble Bars
- No Bake Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
- Cranberry Crumble Bars
- The Best Gluten Free Lemon Bars
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Simple Real Food Ingredients
You likely already have everything you need to make these delicious pecan pie bars because they are made with only real food ingredients. Here’s the ingredients list:
- Almond flour – use fine blanched almond flour for the best results.
- Butter – if you need to make these bars dairy free, feel free to try using your favorite vegan butter. I wouldn’t use coconut oil because it will give the bars a very “coconutty” taste but if you don’t mind that, then go for it!
- Brown sugar – I love the flavor of real deal brown sugar in these bars but you could also try using coconut sugar.
- Maple syrup – for that delicious maple flavor.
- Vanilla extract – a must have ingredient in any holiday dessert baking.
- Eggs – these help to bind everything together and give you a gooey filling.
- Coconut milk – just a splash of coconut milk helps to mimic that caramel like texture of traditional pecan pie bars.
- Sea salt – to balance out all of the sweet.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bars
Step One: The first step in making these pecan pie bars is to prepare the gluten and grain free crust. The crust for these bars is made from a combination of almond flour, butter, and a little maple syrup for sweetness.
Step Two: Once the crust has been par-baked, it is time to make the gooey pecan pie filling. Vanilla extract, brown sugar, coconut milk, eggs, and of course pecans are all whisked together and then poured on top of the almond flour crust.
Step Three: Next, bake the bars for 35-40 minutes until they are set and then remove them from the oven to cool completely before slicing and serving with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Do Pecan Pie Bars Need to be Refrigerated?
Yes! Because these bars contain egg, they need to be refrigerated after cooking and cooling. You can store your bars in the fridge for4 to 5 days, if they last that long!
Can You Freeze These Bars?
Yes! For the best results, I recommend letting the bars come to a complete cool and then slicing. Once they are sliced, transfer the bars to a freezer safe storage container. When you are ready to eat them again, let the bars come to room temperature before enjoying.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Pecan Pie Bars
- To help the bars slice more easily, you can let them chill in the fridge for a bit and allow them to harden before slicing.
- Be sure to use a sharp knife to cut through the nuts, filling, and bottom layer of crust.
- I haven’t tested these bars with coconut sugar, but feel free to give it a try and use it instead of brown sugar.
- If you do not like to use butter, you could melted ghee in these bars instead!
More Thanksgiving Recipes to Serve
Here are few more of our reader favorite Thanksgiving recipes to add your menu this holiday season:
- Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie
- Gooey Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Dutch Apple Pie
- The Best Healthy Sweet Potato Pie
- Classic Pecan Pie
- Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Get all of our best Thanksgiving recipes, here!
I hope you give these Healthy Pecan Pie Bars a try! They are so good, so easy, and the perfect treat to enjoy while soaking up the fun of the holiday season.
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on Instagram. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
Print
Healthy Pecan Pie Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Pecan Pie Filling
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups pecan pieces
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients and mix together until well combined and you have a dough-like consistency.
- Press the crust into the baking pan and bake for 18-22 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the filling.
- To make the filling, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, coconut milk, and eggs in a mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined.
- Next, fold the pecan pieces into the filling until well combined.
- Pour the filling evenly over the prepared crust.
- Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees until the bars are set.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing with a sharp knife. To make the bars easier to slice, you can let them chill in the fridge for a bit and allow them to harden before slicing. Finish the pecan pie bars with sprinkle of flaky sea salt and serve!
