These Vegan Pecan Pie Bars have a crunchy, buttery base and a fudgy, gooey filling and are loaded with toasty pecans. They're also gluten-free and refined sugar free and make a great alternative to Pecan Pie. Perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Combine all ingredients for the base in a glass mixing bowl.
- Transfer the mixture to a one-pound loaf tin lined with baking paper.
- Use your fingers to push the mixture all the way to the edges, then use a spatula to press down on it until the surface is completely even.
- Bake in oven for 10 minutes - you'll be baking this again so you don't want to over-bake at this stage!
- Place the soaked and drained dates, almond butter, plant-based milk, vanilla, salt (and brandy if using) in a food processor or blender.
- Blend until completely smooth, mixing it around a couple of times if necessary.
- Spread the filling over the cooked base.
- Press the chopped pecan nuts firmly into the filling until you have pressed them all the way to the bottom and the surface is completely covered with pecan nuts.
Tip: Chopping up the pecan nuts makes it easier to slice through the surface once they're baked.
- Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes.
- Leave to cool completely before slicing, keeping in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, to allow the filling to set properly.
Substitutions you can make
- You can add the brandy (or any other alcohol of choice) to taste, or omit it entirely.
- You can add some cinnamon to the filling.
- You can use any type of plant-based milk: I used cashew milk, but almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, rice milk etc all work well.
- You can replace the almond butter with pecan butter or sunflower seed butter.
Substitutions to be careful of
You can use white rice flour but the texture is much better with brown rice flour.
How long do these Pecan Pie Bars keep for?
These Pecan Pie Bars do taste best when fresh, but keep covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
More gluten-free vegan pie recipes
- Cherry Pie
- Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Blueberry Pie
- Apple Galette
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Apple Pie Bars
- Lemon Tart
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Watch how to make this recipe
Vegan Pecan Pie Bars (Gluten-Free)
These Vegan Pecan Pie Bars have a crunchy, buttery base and a fudgy, gooey filling and are loaded with toasty pecans. They're also gluten-free and refined sugar free and make a great alternative to Pecan Pie!
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Servings: 8 bars
Calories: 304kcal
Ingredients
For the base:
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) coconut oil (or sub coconut butter)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other similar sweetener)
- 40 g (â…“ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 40 g (¼ cup) brown rice flour ** (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- Pinch salt
For the filling:
- 130 g (¾ cup) pitted dates soaked overnight in cold water or 10 minutes in boiling water
- 85 g (â…“ cup) smooth almond butter (or sub pecan butter or sunflower seed butter)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or sub any other plant-based milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- Splash brandy (optional – ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
- 125 g (1 cup) pecan nuts , roughly chopped
Instructions
For the base:
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave.
- Add the maple syrup, ground almonds, brown rice flour and salt and mix well – add a splash of any plant-based milk if it’s looking too dry to combine.
- Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper – I used a one-pound loaf tin.
- Use your fingers to push the mixture all the way to the edges, then use a spatula to press down on it until the surface is completely even.
- Bake in oven for 10 minutes - you'll be baking this again so you don't want to over-bake at this stage!
For the filling:
- Drain the dates and place in a food processor or blender with the almond butter, almond milk, vanilla, salt (and brandy if using).
- Blend until completely smooth, mixing it around a couple of times if necessary.
- Spread the filling over the cooked base.
- Press the roughly chopped pecan nuts firmly into the filling until you have pressed them all the way to the bottom and the surface is completely covered with pecan nuts.
- Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, until pecan nuts are golden brown.
- Leave to cool completely before slicing, keeping in the fridge for at least a couple of hours to allow the filling to set properly.
- Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Video
Notes
*You can alternatively use almond flour.
**You can use white rice flour but the texture is much better with brown rice flour.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Pecan Pie Bars (Gluten-Free)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 304
Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Sodium 7mg0%
Potassium 281mg8%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 5g20%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 9IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 77mg8%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Nicola Stack
Hi Rhian I have recently bought date paste how much should I use if you know.
Thank you Nicola
Rhian Williams
I don't know, sorry! It's also hard to tell because it really depends too on how much liquid the paste contains. For best results, I'd recommend blending the dates according to the recipe. Hope that helps!
Nicola Stack
Thank you Rhian I'll make them as you're recipe, I'm just trying to save a bit of time plus my blender isn't the greatest. Nicola 🙂
Kally
Hello Rhian,your recipes are so unique and amazing,please could we have more savoury,gluten and lactose free recipes.
Wish you so much success.
Lots of love,
Kally
Rhian Williams
Hi Kally, thank you so much for your feedback. I do have a lot of savoury recipes on my site, you can find them here: https://www.rhiansrecipes.com/recipes/lunch-dinner/
Tori
These look amazing! I’ll be trying them very soon on my non-vegan family members. Thanks so much!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!
Sherri
Thank you, Rhian, for a wonderful Pecan Pie alternative!
My batch came out a little dry. But I suspect that had more to do with my substitutions than the actual recipe. I LOVED the flavor!
For the base, I used coconut flour instead of brown rice flour (because it is what I had on shelf). Will try again with brown rice flour.
I also subbed pecan meal for almond meal due to an almond allergy.
In my oven, I probably should have taken it out after 8 mins. Edges were starting to brown after 10 mins. So either due to coconut flour substitution or due to the bake or both (?) the base was a little too dry. But wonderful flavor!
For filling I subbed pecan butter for almond butter and bourbon for brandy. Loved the flavor! Not too sweet, with hint of bourbon- oh, so good!
By accident, I forgot the milk. And It needs the milk. I had planned to use coconut milk, but just forgot to add it. Will make sure to add next time.
Some people thought it was not sweet enough but I disagree. I loved the flavor and thought it was the perfect amount of sweetness. I will definitely make again, learning a bit from this first round. But those of us learning to live with significant food restrictions are used to that, aren’t we!?!?
I will say, I love this site, Rhian, and I thank you so much for sharing your recipes! Looking forward to trying others!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much for sharing! Using coconut flour instead of brown rice flour would be an issue because coconut flour absorbs a lot more moisture than other flours and therefore can't be used in the same quantities! Hope that helps.
Anonymous
This is seriously delicious!! Would make a cake for afternoon tea, or just a sweet energy treat on the go. Love the texture of the base layer and the you the topping.. Amazing! Xx
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!