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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Special Diet ยป Egg Free ยป Pecan Pie Bars

    Pecan Pie Bars

    Published: Nov 11, 2015 ยท Updated: Sep 28, 2019 ยท This post contains affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    plate of pecan pie bars

    With a crumbly shortbread crust and a sweet, gooey pecan mixture, these Pecan Pie Bars are a tasty addition to your holiday spread. They're a delicious, light dessert that are gluten free, egg free, and low in added sugar.

    white plate of pecan pie bars, pecans and dates

    About Healthy Pecan Pie Bars

    Dessert on Thanksgiving is probably the only time I don't really want dessert... I am SO full!

    The only exception I'll make is warm pecan pie with vanilla bean ice cream on top. I'll save room for that fo sho!

    Inevitably though I feel like a stuffed turkey if I have a big Thanksgiving meal plus my slice of pecan pie plus ice cream.

    That's a little too much for me to feel like I don't need to be rolled away from the dinner table. And being rolled away from the table is not my end goal, ever. [Be sure to check out these tips for mindfully eating on Thanksgiving!]

    But life without dessert is not one I want to live, so I make Pecan Pie Bars. I used to make these Maple Pecan Bars, but I wanted to try to make them without too much added sugar and gluten-free friendly.

    Pecan Pie Bars on foil before being cut into bars

    Making Healthy Pecan Pie Bars

    Enter my favorite helpers for cutting back on the sugar: dates

    I love using dates in desserts (brownies, cookies, more cookies, cookie dough dip) because they give the sweetness you want without a bunch of added sugar.

    Yes, dates are high in sugar compared to other fruit, but they make me feel better as opposed to using something like granulated sugar, brown sugar, etc. Plus, dates have fiber, potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium, and Vitamin B6. You definitely won't find that in granulated sugar.

    wooden table with white plate of Pecan Pie Bars

    Low Sugar Pecan Pie Bar

    When I am adding sugar, I like it to be a more natural sugar like maple syrup or honey. [Note: I am not against sugar, but I find that I personally feel better if I use something like dates, honey, or maple syrup as opposed to granulated sugar or brown sugar]

    No, I'm not under the impression that this makes it super healthy, but I do feel a little bit better about enjoying desserts that are made with natural sugars. I usually have less of a sugar crash.

    Basically, I took my original maple pecan bar recipe and made it gluten free and with only dates & maple syrup.

    You can also easily make them dairy free by using dairy free butter and either unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk in place of the butter and milk.

    Note on the milk if you're using dairy milk: do not use skim milk or 1% milk. Use whole milk or 2% milk.

    Final thoughts:

    I'm happy to report that the results were just as tasty!

    There's a crumbly shortbread crust, topped with a sweet, gooey (but not too gooey) pecan mixture. Baked to perfection and sliced into squares, these bars are a great addition to a Thanksgiving spread.

    Pecan Pie Bars from Living Well Kitchen

    Pecan Pie Bars

    With a crumbly shortbread crust & sweet, gooey pecan mixture, these Pecan Pie Bars are a great addition to your holidays. Low in added sugar, gluten free
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 24 minutes
    Total Time: 44 minutes
    Servings: 16 bars
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    For the crust:

    • 1 cup almond meal or almond flour
    • 3 TBSP cornstarch
    • 3 TBSP butter cold, cut into pieces
    • 1 TBSP maple syrup
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

    For the filling:

    • 1/2 cup dates tightly packed into measuring cup
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 TBSP butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 TBSP milk 2% or whole, not skim; or unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk
    • 1 cup pecans chopped
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350*F. Line an 8-inch baking dish with foil and grease foil. Set aside.
    • Make the crust by stirring together the almond meal, cornstarch, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. It's easiest to use your hands to incorporate the butter into the almond meal. Pat mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, blend the dates and vanilla extract in a food processor until relatively smooth. Add to a saucepan with butter and maple syrup. Heat over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly, until mixture thickens a little (about 5 minutes). Stir in milk. Remove from heat and stir in chopped pecans.
    • Top the crust with the pecan mixture and bake for 12 minutes until the filling is bubbly and set. Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan and cutting into squares. Enjoy!

    Notes

    *If your dates are not soft, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes before blending.
    *1 cup of almond meal was 98g almond meal.
    *Use dairy free butter and milk (unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk) for dairy free version. 
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo
    Click here for Nutrition Facts

    *
    Nutrition Facts
    Pecan Pie Bars
    Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
    Calories 152 Calories from Fat 99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11g17%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Cholesterol 9mg3%
    Sodium 32mg1%
    Potassium 69mg2%
    Carbohydrates 11g4%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 115IU2%
    Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
    Calcium 29mg3%
    Iron 0.5mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    *

    What to use in this recipe:


    Meme

    Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably pin it for later:

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge) says

      November 17, 2015 at 7:45 am

      5 stars
      These look AMAZING!!!!! Cannot wait to make this and see YOU this week! Emailing you soon ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Meme says

        November 18, 2015 at 3:37 pm

        Ah! Thank you! SO EXCITED

        Reply
    2. Tawnie Kroll says

      November 07, 2018 at 4:22 pm

      5 stars
      I loved how easy this was to make - it was a perfect dessert to bring to my family dinner! Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Liz Shaw says

      November 09, 2018 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love how the dates add more complexity to the bars- the flavor was incredible!

      Reply
    4. Lindsey says

      November 11, 2018 at 7:52 am

      5 stars
      These look delicious! I'm allergic to pecans and I've always wondered if I could make a pecan pie but with almonds - what do you think?

      Reply
    5. Lorie says

      November 11, 2018 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      Oh hello there beauties!! Iโ€™m so in love with the fact that you used dates in these. I love sweet but sometimes pecan pie recipes can be just way too sweet for me. But these are perfect!

      Reply
    6. Natalie says

      November 12, 2018 at 10:17 am

      5 stars
      I love using dates in desserts. These look amazing!

      Reply
    7. Emily says

      November 13, 2018 at 12:44 pm

      5 stars
      The dates and maple syrup come together so perfectly - delicious!

      Reply
    8. Holly Pelton says

      November 14, 2018 at 8:25 am

      5 stars
      One of my favorite nuts is pecans and I love dessert so this was just what I needed! Super yummy!

      Reply

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    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme -- a thirty-something girl from Alabama living in San Diego! Join me as I prove that living a guilt-free, healthy lifestyle can be budget friendly, delicious & fun!
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