VEGAN PECAN PIE BARS

These Vegan Pecan Pie Bars are made with delicate sugar cookie crust layered with a gooey maple syrup filling with crunchy pecans. The pecan bars have all the delicious flavors of pecan pie, but they are much easier to make.

THESE PECAN PIE BARS ARE:

• vegan
• egg-free
• dairy-free
• crunchy
• gooey
• buttery
• delicate
• made with maple syrup
• made with a sugar cookie crust
• so delicious

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE VEAGN PECAN PIE BARS:

You need the following ingredients to make these Pecan Pie Bars (the exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

• Vegan butter – Use butter that has around 75-80% fat (such as Naturli Vegan Block). For the sugar cookie crust, let the butter soften at room temperature before using. For the filling, it can be cold or soft.
• Brown sugar – Adds nice caramel flavor. If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use coconut sugar or white cane sugar instead.
• Unsweetened almond milk – Use any plant-based milk of your choice such as oat, soy, or cashew milk.
• Sea salt – Brings all those flavors and balances the sweetness.
• All-purpose flour – Used in the sugar cookie crust. You can also use white spelt flour.
• Cornstarch – to make cornstarch slurry, which will thicken the maple filling.
• Maple syrup – a much tastier and healthier alternative to corn syrup.
• Rum or bourbon – adds a slight kick to the filling. If you don’t want to use alcohol, add more almond milk instead.
• Pecans – Use high-quality pecans. If you don’t have or like pecans, feel free to use any nuts of your choice.

Equipment you need:

• Square baking pan – 23×23 cm / 9×9 in
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowl – for cookie dough crust.
• Hand mixer or a stand mixer
• Small bowl or glass – to mix the cornstarch slurry.
• Medium-size saucepan – to make the filling in.
• Whisk

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE VEGAN PECAN PIE BARS:

You will find the instructions and ingredients list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Step: Preheat the oven and prepare the baking pan

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Lightly grease a 23x23cm/9x9in square pan with a little bit of vegan butter. Then line the pan with a strip of parchment paper (you can secure the parchment paper on the sides of the pan with binder paper clips). It will prevent the pecan bars from sticking to the pan. Set aside.

2. Step: Make the sugar cookie crust

To a mixing bowl, add vegan butter and brown sugar and cream together with a hand mixer (or use a stand mixer) for about 1 minute until fluffy. Add unsweetened almond milk and mix until combine. Then add sea salt and half of the all-purpose flour, mix, add the rest of the flour and mix again with a hand mixer until just combined.

Put the cookie dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly to the sides. Use a tablespoon or fingers to press down the dough.

Place it into the fridge to chill while making the filling.

3. Step: Make the pecan maple syrup filling

First, make the cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch with 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk in a small bowl or glass. Set aside.

To a medium-size saucepan, add vegan butter and let it melt on medium heat. Then add brown sugar, maple syrup, the rest of the unsweetened almond milk (4 tbsp), rum or bourbon, a pinch of sea salt, and cornstarch slurry. Constantly mix with a whisk and brink it to boil. The let it boil on medium/lower heat until it thickens. Turn of the heat, add pecans to the mixture and mix together.

Take the pan with the dough off the fridge. Pour the filling into the pan and spread evenly.

4. Step: Bake the pecan bars

Bake the pecan bars in a preheated oven for about 35 minutes. After the baking, allow them to cool completely.

5. Step: Let the pecan pie bars chill in the fridge before cutting

After the pecan pie bars are cooled completely, place them into the fridge for about 2 hours to allow them cool. The filling will harden a bit, so it will be easier to cut it into even bars.

Cut the bars with a sharp knife into 8 even bars or 16 smaller squares. I usually cut the edges first to make them all the same, plus the edges can be harder.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

DO PECAN PIE BARS NEED TO BE REFRIGERATE?

No, you don’t need to refrigerate them. After baking the pecan pie bars, you can just let them cool completely, cut, and serve. However, it may be difficult to cut them evenly. Therefore, I recommend chilling them in the fridge for about 2 hours before cutting them into bars.

HOW TO STORE VEGAN PECAN PIE BARS?

Store the pecan pie bars in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or in the fridge.

HOW LONG DO PECAN PIE BARS LAST?

Pecan pie bars will last for about 5 days in the airtight container in a cool, dry place; or up to a week in the fridge.

CAN I FREEZE PECAN PIE BARS?

Yes, you can freeze them up to 2-3 months. Make sure they are in an airtight container or bag. Let them thaw before serving.

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING:

• Vegan Hot Chocolate Cupcakes With Ganache Filling
• Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
• Biscoff Chocolate Truffles
• Walnut Crescent Cookies
• Homemade Nutella

 

If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment below. Or share your photo on Instagram and tag @plantifulbakery.