These Paleo and Vegan Berry Pecan Bars are easy to make while being irresistible. They are a twist on a holiday classic with a yummy crunchy topping!
Pecans are my favorite nuts to add to desserts. Even during the holidays, pecan pies and pecan bars are what I’m immediately drawn to, and the buttery and crunchy flavor and texture of these nuts are just so irresistible. With the warmer weather upon us, I decided to use berries to make a delicious paleo and vegan pecan dessert, and the result is fantastic and so addicting.
Berry Pecan Bars Recipe
These paleo pecan bars recipe is one that I’ll probably make over and over again. The contrast of the sweet and tart is so delicious, and I just love the crunchiness of pecans with the soft and gooey berry layer. The bottom crust is also sturdy, while tasting buttery and amazing.
I just love that this is a recipe that can be enjoyed all year round. While berries are usually in season during the summer months, you can totally use frozen berries which can be found any time of the year.
Are Pecans Healthy?
Heck yes. Pecans are one of my favorite nuts because they are nutrient dense, packed with monounsaturated fats, fiber, and essential minerals like copper, manganese and zinc. I always find that because they are low in carbs and high in good fats, I feel satiated longer when I snack on them so they are a great addition to my low carb lifestyle.
On top of that, I love that they are one of the only popular nuts that are indigenous to the US and are harvested in over a dozen Southern states. As someone who tries to eat local and tries to reduce her carbon footprint, this is important to me!
Lastly, they are just so tasty! They are great to eat on their own, or topped on yogurt bowls or in a trail mix. Their natural sweet and buttery flavor makes them perfect for baked treats like these paleo pecan bars.
Tips for Making These Berry Pecan Bars
This yummy paleo and vegan pecan dessert is made up of 3 components: the crust, berry filling, and the crunchy pecan topping. It’s a relatively easy recipe to make, but these tips will help you get great results every time!
- Once you bake the crust, it’s important to LET IT COOL COMPLETELY before adding the filling and the topping. If not, it won’t hard enough and will turn mushy when you add the wet berries. The cooling time should take about 30-40 minutes.
- You can use just one kind of berries or a mix of your favorite ones for the filling! I’ve made these with both fresh and frozen berries and they both turned out delicious.
- Make sure to cool these paleo pecan bars completely once it finishes baking in the oven before cutting in to them, so all the layers set.
- Serve alone, or I love it with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It’s fantastic cold or heated in the microwave!
Other recipes you may love…
- White Chocolate Glaze Paleo Brownies
- Strawberry No Bake Cheesecake Bars (Paleo, Vegan)
- Coconut Mixed Berry Paleo Popsicles (Vegan)
- Mini Pumpkin Tarts
Berry Pecan Bars (Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- 3 tbsp coconut oil or ghee, melted
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Berry Filling
- 3 cups fresh or frozen berries of your choice I used a mix of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Crunchy Pecan Topping
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 4 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Set oven to 375 degrees F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper so the edges hang off the sides.
- Place crust ingredients in a large bowl and mix together until it forms a dough when pinched together.
- Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Cool completely.
- While the crust is cooling, place the filling ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the berries are roughly chopped. Set aside.
- Combine ingredients for the pecan topping in the food processor and pulse until a crumble has formed.
- Once the crust has cooled, pour the filling topping on top and then top with the pecan topping mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the berries are bubbling and the pecan crumble topping is golden brown.
- Cool completely before slicing.
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This was so delicious! Hubby and I had to go for more.
Could you sub Stevia for the maple syrup and coconut sugar
I haven’t tried, but you can try using liquid stevia for maple syrup and powdered for coconut sugar. Otherwise, messing with the liquid ratio might alter the texture.
Wow these are SO good. You cannot tell they are paleo at all – they taste like a delicious berry pie! I used a frozen triple berry mix (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries), and subbed monk fruit for the coconut sugar. I’ll be making these for years to come. Thank you so much for sharing!
Yay, that makes me so happy! Thanks for trying it out and so glad that monk fruit worked!!