Gluten free and paleo pecan pie bars that taste like the real deal! The crunchy, sticky filling sits on a flaky shortbread crust, and it’s a perfect holiday treat.
Pecan desserts are my weakness over the holidays, or just anytime of the year. There’s something so wonderful about that nutty sweet flavor, and the amazing crunchy texture. While pecan pie is delicious, I love the idea of pecan pie bars with an easier, simpler crust. It still has that same gooey filling with amazing flavors, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.
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Gluten Free Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
I decided to make classic pecan pie bars paleo and gluten free with this simple and delicious recipe. A sturdy grain free crust is made using coconut flour, then par-baked after being pressed into a baking dish. Then the pecan filling is made with eggs, ghee, and sweeteners to top the crust, then baked until golden brown. The result is fantastic paleo pecan pie bars that are so addicting and wonderful.
Ingredients in Grain Free Pecan Pie Bars
If you don’t count salt, there are just 7 ingredients in this gluten free pecan pie bars recipe:
- coconut flour: Coconut flour works very differently from other grain free flours so I wouldn’t substitute it with anything else.
- maple syrup: Honey will also work, but it will alter the flavor a little bit with its distinct flavor. It’ll still be delicious!
- ghee: I like to make my own ghee, or this is my favorite brand to purchase. You can also use butter for this recipe. If you have an extreme sensitivity to dairy, coconut oil will also work.
- coconut sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- pecan halves
How to Make Pecan Pie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Stir together all ingredients for the crust in large bowl. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are golden, then cool for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is cooling, whisk together ghee and coconut sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth and creamy.
- Remove from heat. Stir in maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- In a large bowl, crack the eggs and whisk.
- Pour the heated filling mixture into the eggs slowly while continuously whisking so the eggs don’t cook.
- Stir in pecans, then pour the whole thing over the crust.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the filling is set.
- Cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Slice into 16 squares, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make them a night or 2 ahead of time. Since they need to be chilled to set, it’s actually a great idea to make them ahead, and then take them out when you are ready to eat them!
You can definitely heat them up in the microwave or the air fryer, but the texture will get more soft and crumbly when warm. If you don’t mind that, then go ahead! They’ll still be delicious, especially topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
These grain free pecan pie bars will last for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. To make them last longer, you can also freeze them.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like…
- Berry Pecan Bars (Paleo, Vegan)
- Paleo & Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake (No Bake)
- Chocolate Chip Pretzel Pecan Pie (Gluten Free, Paleo)
- Paleo Pumpkin Pecan Pie
- Homemade Twix Bars Recipe (Paleo, Vegan)
Gluten Free & Paleo Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1¼ cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup ghee or coconut oil, softened
Pecan Filling
- 1/2 cup ghee or coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 cup pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides that aren't covered.
- In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients for the crust. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are golden, then cool for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is cooling, whisk together ghee and coconut sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth and creamy.
- Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- In a mixing bowl, crack the eggs and whisk.
- Pour the heated filling mixture into the eggs slowly while continuously whisking so the eggs don't cook.
- Stir in pecans, then pour over the crust.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the filling is set without being jiggly.
- Cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Slice into 16 squares, and enjoy!
Video
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These look so yum! Will definitely be making these!
These are so delicious! Way better than typical pecan pie because they aren’t too sweet and heavy. Just a side note: I let the ghee and coconut sugar heat too long and the sugar seized up into a ball. So don’t let it go more than a few minutes!