Pecan Pie Bars (Vegan + GF)

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Overhead shot of vegan gluten-free pecan pie bars

Pecan pie lovers, this one’s for you! We’ve tried for some time to create the perfect vegan pecan pie, and after some pie struggles last year, we changed our vision a bit and boy are we happy with the result! Introducing: pecan pie bars with crunchy, buttery pecans and a shortbread-like crust.

With all the classic flavor of pecan pie, they’re undetectably gluten-free and vegan, and perfect for your holiday table. Even better? They’re made with simple methods (no food processor required!) and just 9 ingredients. Let’s make dessert!

Brown sugar, dairy-free milk, pecans, almond flour, maple syrup, tapioca starch, vanilla, salt, and vegan butter

Origins of Pecan Pie

In our search for the origins of pecan pie, we found a few theories. But the most common one is that it was invented by French settlers in New Orleans who were introduced to pecans by Native Americans. Recipes then appeared in cookbooks in Texas in the late 1800s. And by the 1920s, the company Karo began printing a recipe for pecan pie made with their corn syrup, turning the dessert into a nationwide sensation!

The following is not your usual pecan pie recipe but our inspired take on the classic dessert — made gluten-free, vegan, and without corn syrup.

How to Make Pecan Pie Bars

These pecan pie bars begin with a shortbread-like crust made by mixing almond flour, tapioca starch, and salt, then adding in vegan butter and maple syrup to form a dough.

Using a fork to mix the shortbread crust ingredients

The dough gets pressed into a baking dish and into the oven it goes!

Chopped pecans on a cutting board

While the crust bakes and cools, we make the filling with chopped pecans, melted vegan butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, dairy-free milk, and tapioca starch. It goes over the par-baked shortbread crust and back into the oven.

Pecan pie filling before baking

After baking, the filling transforms into a crispy, gooey, buttery, majorly addictive masterpiece. You’ve been warned!

Crispy, buttery pecan layer of pecan pie bars

Lastly, it must cool before being sliced into bars. We know, it’s the hardest part! But it makes them perfect for prepping the day ahead to free up oven space for other Thanksgiving recipes.

Stack of gluten-free vegan pecan pie bars

We hope you LOVE these pecan pie bars! They’re:

Sweet
Buttery
Rich
Classic
Decadent
& BURSTING with pecan flavor!

They’re the perfect dessert for the holiday table or any time you have an abundance of pecans! Top them with Coconut Whipped Cream or Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream for extra decadence.

More Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close up shot of a pecan pie bar

Pecan Pie Bars (Vegan + GF)

Rich, buttery, decadent pecan pie made vegan, gluten-free, and in bar form! All the classic flavors without the corn syrup. Simple methods and just 9 ingredients required!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Overhead photo showing crispy pecans on pecan pie bars
4.81 from 81 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 16 (Bars)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

CRUST

  • 1 ½ cups almond flour (can try subbing cashew flour, though we haven't tested it and can't guarantee the results)
  • 1 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 6 Tbsp vegan butter, cold and cubed (we used Miyoko’s)
  • 5-6 Tbsp maple syrup

FILLING

  • 1/3 cup melted vegan butter (we used Miyoko’s)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (see notes for substitutions)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp plain unsweetened dairy-free milk (we used almond milk)
  • 2 Tbsp tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
  • 2 cups raw pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C) and line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
  • CRUST: In a medium mixing bowl, combine almond flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Whisk to combine and break up any clumps. Add cold vegan butter to the flours, and use clean hands, a pastry cutter, or a fork to cut the butter and mix it with the flours until the mixture looks like wet sand. It should hold together when squeezed, and there should be no clumps of butter larger than a pea. Add the maple syrup (starting with the lesser amount) and stir well until the dough comes together.
  • Transfer mixture to the parchment-lined baking dish and spread evenly to distribute. If you are struggling to get it even, place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, like a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed. Place crust into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until it looks pale and dry in the center and the edges just start to look golden.
  • FILLING: While the crust bakes, make the filling. To a medium mixing bowl, add melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, dairy-free milk, and tapioca starch. Whisk to thoroughly combine, making sure to break up any clumps of tapioca starch. Add in the chopped pecans and give it a stir to evenly distribute. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
  • After the crust has cooled, add the filling to the crust, spreading it evenly and making sure the pecans are distributed throughout. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The edges should be bubbly and the filling slightly darkened in color. The middle should still be slightly wiggly when it’s done, so don’t worry! It firms up quite a bit when it cools.
  • Let the bars cool completely before slicing. Once cooled, cut into 16 equal squares and serve! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Not freezer friendly.

Video

Notes

*Coconut sugar is the next best option to replace brown sugar, but the filling will be less firm and more difficult to cut. We also tested dates blended with coconut milk, which had a delicious flavor, but the mixture made the filling dense and did not allow the pecans to get crispy.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of maple syrup.

Nutrition (1 of 16 servings)

Serving: 1 bar Calories: 309 Carbohydrates: 26.8 g Protein: 3.5 g Fat: 22.2 g Saturated Fat: 6.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 8.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 124 mg Potassium: 175 mg Fiber: 2.5 g Sugar: 15.1 g Vitamin A: 8 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 61 mg Iron: 0.7 mg

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  1. Ashley says

    Hi! I’m super excited to try this! Wondering if you think I could add the filling to a pre- made pie shell? Just to save time :) thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ashley, That should work! You may need to increase the filling by 1/2, or double it, to get enough to fill a pie pan, and then it will probably need to bake for longer. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  2. Jenny says

    Holy moly, this is THE BEST pecan pie I’ve eaten since I had to start eating gluten free 12 years ago! I made it last night for a fall festival bake sale at my daughter’s school, and I can’t stop eating these bars. I only packaged up half of the bars for the bake sale because I did not want to part with them! The only changes I made to the recipe were using dairy butter and milk. Amazing recipe!

  3. Salonika says

    I just wanted to let you know that I made this recipe for a dessert bake off at work & it won first place. It was soo good & everyone loved it. It was easy to follow & that crust alone is amazing. I’ll be making it more often.

  4. Scott says

    Very nice recipe; I’ve made it twice, and the groups I’ve made it for loved it. You do have to be careful to bake until it’s bubbling thoroughly.

    Just a note: it would be very helpful if you gave *all* ingredients by weight. Just as it’s easier to weigh out X grams of almond flour than measure Y cups, it’s much easier to weigh out maple syrup and similar liquids (the sea salt or similar teaspoon/tablespoon measures being the exception).

  5. Ayana B. says

    THIS. CAME. OUT. AMAZING. I’ve made pecan pie a couple of times in previous years, prior to going plant-based. I LOVE pecan pie, it’s my favorite, but I used to hate how much corn syrup went into it.

    Yesterday was my boyfriend’s birthday, and he also loves pecan pie, but never had one made from scratch before. I made this for him, instead of cake, and he had goosebumps (I’m not even kidding, he literally had goosebumps going ALLLL the way up his leg to the top of his thigh) after the first bite. Mind you, this was my first time making this recipe. I will FOREVER use this as my go-to pecan pie recipe.

    Some things I did different:
    1.) I made this into a pie in a 9-inch pie pan. It turned out BEYOND well.
    2.) When I started baking, I realized that I only had less than 1/2 cup of arrowroot powder left for the pie crust (I didn’t have tapicoa starch and used arrowroot instead) and ended up substituting the other half 1/2 cup with spelt flour. The pie crust mixed together perfect. I was nervous at first with the substitution, but I’m not even mad at the end result and may do the same again. I’m thinking it might’ve helped with the pie crust, being that I didn’t make this into pie bars.
    3.) I had coffee liqueur from Mexico that I bought during my trip there and poured a bit into the filling mix.
    4.) I substituted the maple syrup for agave, in the filling.

    All-in-all, an amazing pecan pie recipe for my first time not using corn syrup and going with better ingredients. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, YAY! We’re so glad it was such a success! Thank you for the wonderful review, Ayana! xo

    • Kirsten says

      Wow did this turn out great! My husband’s favorite dessert before going plant based was pecan pie. I also am plant based and gluten intolerant. I’ve made so many of your recipes at this point and I’ve never been disappointed so I figured I’d give this a try. My husband said it was a 10/10 and I agree! Perfect flavor and texture. Followed recipe to a tee.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Emma, We tried the crust with coconut oil and it works but it does have a slightly different final texture, and we preferred the taste of the vegan butter. We didn’t try it in the filling and aren’t sure if it would work, but it might! Hope this helps!

      • Emma says

        Okay thanks for letting me know. Will keep you posted with how it turns out once I have made it with the coconut oil!

  6. sandra forte says

    Ok, ok these are seriously delicious. Followed the recipe to a tee and they worked out perfectly!! When it comes to vegan recipes you are a an absolute goddess!! Love love love

  7. Amy Yoder says

    Has anyone made this recipe strictly gluten free and not vegan? If I use real butter and milk do you think the results will still be as good? Thanks for the help in advance

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Amy! Other readers have had success with dairy butter, but we aren’t sure about milk. We haven’t tried it ourselves but we think it would work! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Shelagh, we haven’t tested it with cornstarch so we can’t guarantee it will work. We’d suggest checking the comments to see what other readers’ experiences with it have been. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words in the post and comments. Hope that helps!

    • Jessalyn Law says

      I used cornstarch and it worked flawlessly. Such a delicious recipe, just like everything else by Minimalist Baker!!!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jessalyn! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo

  8. Sara says

    This was amazing! I made it for my husband for Christmas and he has requested it for his birthday now. He is sensative to almonds so used cashew flour instead. Just put raw cashews in my vitamix. Super simple and delish!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Sara. So glad you both enjoy this recipe!

  9. Darcey says

    Seriously one of the top 5 things I made in 2021 and definitely the best dessert I made. Incredible flavor and texture.

  10. joya says

    let’s just say…..WINNER!
    i admittedly have a lot of baking experience and intuitive sense in the kitchen so felt perfectly fine going rogue in terms of using this as a starting point and then mixing and matching some of the ingredients. for example, i used real butter.
    they taste amazing and it wasn’t just me that thought so! a coworker and his wife corroborated the findings :)
    if you or someone you know likes pecan pie, you’re going to have a friend for life if you make them these.

  11. jude says

    I made these and they went down a storm. I didn’t add the brown sugar as I thought that was sugar overload. I also used 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup maple syrup.

  12. Robin says

    hi , tried to make the pecan bars, the filling was short on liquid, half a cup of maple syrup , this seems not enough?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Robin, Did you also add the 1/3 cup melted vegan butter and 2 Tbsp dairy-free milk to the filling? It should provide plenty of liquid that way. Did it cook up okay?

  13. linsey says

    I made these for Christmas Eve dinner and wow – so so good, but even better the next day after being refrigerated.

    My crust seemed a bit wetter than I expected and I ended up baking for a few extra minutes, and really could have gone with a couple more – about 7 extra in total probably would have been good. I did substitute real butter in the crust.

    Otherwise, but pure deliciousness as always and this will definitely be a regular go-to dessert in my home. The best part is I usually have all of the ingredients on hand already!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed these, Linsey. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!

  14. Lola says

    These are the BEST! Your best baking recipe ever! I never attempted pecan pie because i thought it was too hard to make. You showed that it is simple and can be made in a cruelty free way. Result – blown away! I ended up making this recipe as a pie for both Christmas and now New Year and everyone loved them. Most importantly I love them. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Off to check if you have a pumpkin pie recipe and buy your book to support you and your amazing work.

  15. Lisa says

    These are AMAZING!!! I used Bob’s Red Mill GF all purpose flour instead of the Tapioca starch in the crust. But I used tapioca in the filling. When I first tried it, It wasn’t great but after a night in the fridge, it was EXACTLY like eating pecan pie. I will make this every year (or more often). They were perfect and my whole family agrees.

  16. Pam S. says

    I made these to take to my daughter’s for Christmas. They taste very similar to Pecan Tassies that I used to make every year and are really good! My daughter has to eat dairy-free and I have to eat gluten and dairy-free. This same daughter introduced me to your website….so many wonderful recipes! Thank you for such delicious options. This recipe is simple and definitely ‘a keeper’!

  17. KC says

    I made this with the original ingredients without substituting in an 8×8 pan. Thankfully, I had a foiled covered cookie sheet under it because it bubbled out of the pan & went all over. It would’ve caused it to burn onto the bottom of the oven and made the smoke detector go off. You did not mention how deep the dish or pan needed to be at all. I wish I would have tried a 9×13 pan or very large & deep casserole dish. It was a very expensive lesson in what not to make again. Between pecans, vegan butter, pure maple syrup, & almond flour, trying it was a very costly mistake.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! So sorry to hear this happened, KC, and thanks so much for sharing your honest experience with us, it’s so helpful to us and other readers! Did you happen to make any modifications to the ingredients? And did the final bars turn out okay or could you not eat them? Our 8×8 is ~3″ deep, which we believe is fairly consistent, but we’re curious how tall yours is?

      • Karen L Colombo says

        The 8×8 pan I have is 2 inches high. It just never got done enough to eat or do anything with. I had to throw the entire thing away. It makes me sad. I normally have no problems & am a seasoned cook & baker. I used the exact ingredients listed, so I wasted quite a bit of money on something that didn’t work out at all. It may have in a bigger pan. The size of the dish in your photo does not look like it’s an 8×8. It looks longer for sure. I don’t want to wast a bunch more time & money trying it again.

  18. Anneliese says

    Made these for a holiday party and they were a hit! So easy to make and perfect sweetness versus savory with the biscuit.

  19. Sam says

    Hi! I love these bars and plan to make them for the holidays- but it would be the first time making them using real butter- will this be ok or should I go buy vegan butter? Thanks!

  20. Jena says

    Wow I am so impressed with how this recipe turned out! I do a lot of GF / DF baking and this is one of my favorite recipes I’ve ever made. I used brown coconut sugar (instead of regular brown sugar) and I ran out of maple syrup half way through (so I used 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup honey for the filling). It turned out perfect. Will be my new go-to for entertaining! So easy and delicious.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jena! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Susan, We haven’t tried it, but it should work. For the crust, we’d suggest replacing both the almond flour and tapioca starch with 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour. If it is too crumbly or dry after adding the butter and maple syrup, you can add 1-2 Tbsp cold water until it just comes together. Let us know if you try it!

  21. Stacie says

    oh. my. goodness. These are incredible!! I’m not a huge pecan pie person, but had some to use up… made these instead and WOW do I want to make them for everyone I know. The caramel mixture is perfection and the crust is so easy to make!! Definitely one of those “wouldn’t know these are vegan”… Thank you for the recipe!

  22. Teri Taylor says

    These look so delicious! Has anyone tried making them ahead of a holiday and freezing them? I was wonderfing if that would work or if the crust would get too soft. Thank you!

  23. Megan Haase says

    Omg! These were incredible. My whole family loved them. They were moist and flavorful and I will definitely be making them again soon.

  24. Sam says

    So yummy! I subbed arrowroot for the tapioca and it worked just fine. I didn’t need to bake it as long, it was done after 10 minutes. Perhaps my pan was a little bigger and this is why. I also did slightly less syrup and sugar in the filling, and used coconut sugar, it was perfectly sweet. So happy I can eat some kind of pecan pie dessert! So easy too.

  25. Anne says

    I’m a big fan and have made many of your recipes successfully.

    Can you help me modify this recipe to work in my oven? The top was really runny after 35 minutes, so I baked it 15 minutes longer – then the perimeter was overcooked and hard and the middle still runny. It still tasted good though so I’d like to try again.

    Can I make it as mini or regular cupcake size? Then it seems the parchment paper would be too bulky. Any other ideas! Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Anne! Was the center part still runny after cooling/chilling? And did you happen to make any modifications to the ingredients?

      • Anne says

        The middle ended up just right. I didn’t modify anything but wonder if using a pyrex pan and baking on the the lowest rack in the oven makes a difference.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Glad to hear it worked out, Anne! A glass pan works well for this recipe, but perhaps moving to the top rack (unless you’re using convection) would be helpful next time around!

  26. Steph says

    This was the favorite dessert at Thanksgiving dinner by far. Thank you! Going to make it again for Christmas dinner.

  27. Angela says

    Oh my word these are so amazingly addicting. Followed recipe exactly. My house smelled divine and everyone gobbled them all up! Thanks for another successful recipe, it’s definitely our new fave!

  28. Vanessa says

    Dana! When you posted these on IG I knew I needed to make them for a family gathering yesterday. They were a big hit!!

    I was out of arrowroot so had to use cornstarch and also had to sub turbinado sugar in place of brown sugar but these still made for delicious bars!

    Due to time constraints, I served them pretty warm so they could have cooled a bit longer to firm up but having cold leftovers today from the fridge was great too! They are so rich and delicious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Vanessa!

      • Vanessa says

        Whoops! One mistake – I confused two of your recipes I made that day. The arrowroot / cornstarch was in the pumpkin cream sauce! Also tasty! So I only subbed out the sugar in these bars :)
        Thanks again for so many delicious recipes!!

    • Shelagh says

      Hi Vanessa,

      I don’t have Tapioca Flour but do have corn starch, How much did you use to replace the tapioca flour?

      Thanks!
      Shelagh

      • Vanessa says

        Hi Shelagh!
        My comment had a mistake, I used the cornstarch/arrowroot sub in a different MB recipe for some sauce the same day.
        Good luck!
        Vanessa

  29. Andie says

    These were so simple and yet so decadent and delicious! They stole the show at our ThanksVegan table! My husband loves pecan pie, but hasn’t had a decent version since we went vegan in 2011. He was ECSTATIC! I’m not even a big pecan pie fan and loved them! We followed the recipe exactly and had great results. Definitely a make again (and again and again)!

  30. Jen V says

    These bars are absolutely incredible! Just like pecan pie but even better. The shortbread crust was perfect and the filling had such a decadent flavor. Next time I’m doubling the recipe and keeping a whole pan for myself ;-)

  31. Maria Constantine says

    I only had half the maple syrup so I used honey for the difference. It was FANTASTIC! Tip: give yourself plenty of cooling time to be sure that it’s firm before you cut it.

  32. Rachelle says

    This is an amazing GF dessert. It is pecan pie meets shortbread. Even my gluten eating family thought the bars were amazing and that includes a very discriminating teenager. Do you think that you could use oat flour instead of the tapioca starch? Also, my parchment did not 100% cover the corners and I am glad I removed it from the pan when still warm as it would have taken some effort to get them out of the pan, due to the pecan toping being very adherent to the pan. Thank you for a wonderful recipe that will definitely go into the Thanksgiving rotation.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Love to hear this! Oat flour might work well in the crust, but we haven’t tried it. For the filling you do need some sort of starch (tapioca, arrowroot, or corn) to help it thicken and firm up correctly. Thanks for the great review, Rachelle!

  33. Lili says

    Made these for my Thanksgiving feast. They were delicious! For many years I’ve been attempting different vegan pecan pie type desserts, and these are, by far, the best I’ve found! I used Bobs Red Mill Natural almond flour, Country Crock plant based butter sticks, and Pearl unsweetened Soy Milk. I forgot to buy tapioca starch so I used corn starch instead, 1:1 for the crust and it was great. For the filling, just to be safe, I did 1.5 tbsp corn starch and .5 tbsp agar agar. That sub worked like a dream. This is my new favorite pecan dessert…and breakfast ;) thank you!

    • Lili says

      I forgot to say, I added a very small handful of Good Life semi sweet chocolate chips. It worked great for those of us chocolate addicts!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We LOVE hearing this, Lili! Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  34. Jamie P says

    Wowee! These bars were amazing! I made this for Thanksgiving and we gobbled them right up! Just like a yummy pecan pie but better! We added some whipped cream on top although you totally don’t need it! Thank you for sharing the recipe! Delicious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We love hearing this, Jamie! Thank you so much for the lovely review and hope you had a great Thanksgiving! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Angela, we aren’t sure on an exact bake time, but we’d suggest baking for slightly less time since the crust will be thinner with a bigger pan. Hope that helps!

  35. Katherine says

    These were amazing! I didn’t make any modifications. I made them for Thanksgiving and they blew the socks off of the vegan gf pumpkin pie somebody bought from a bakery.

  36. Crystal M. says

    I made these for Thanksgiving! I used Country Crock’s new plant based butter with olive oil, which I was impressed with. The bars were gooey and tasted like pecan pie for sure. The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because I felt the crust was a little mealy in texture from the almond flour. I used super fine almond flour, but maybe next time I would mix it with some of my regular gluten free Cup for Cup flour. Overall, a solid recipe. Looking forward to seeing what new recipes are coming out for Christmas!!

  37. Patty says

    Made these to take to my family Thanksgiving. They are so delicious and simple. Pecan pie without the stress of making a perfectly flaky crust. I think I could have let them bake a little longer but was afraid to burn it. Will be making them again!

  38. Cedella says

    I made these for thanksgiving, and got lots of good comments of these pecan bars! The only thing was the crust was very crumbly, but the top of the pecan bar was perfection! I’m going to try to make them again today to see if I can perfect the crust!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them! It sounds like they may have needed a little more coconut oil to prevent them from being crumbly. Or if you made any subs in the crust, that could also be the issue!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Sami, A 9 x 9 should be okay, but we’d say cook the crust for slightly less time and watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn. Hope that helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ali, we haven’t tried either so we aren’t sure! Another reader mentioned not having as much success with corn starch, unfortunately. Perhaps arrowroot?

  39. Jess says

    Loved this recipe and so did the fam for thanksgiving. Made it with coconut sugar and loved it. I baked it possibly a couple minutes too long but it was still fantastic! Everyone wants the recipe!

  40. Sheree Walters says

    Oh wow!!! Every bit as delicious and decadent as non-vegan pecan pie bars/pie. These were extremely popular and there were lots of moand and oohs and ahhs! Very easy to make. I will make them every year. And when I get a craving 🥰

  41. Jean says

    I made this using cornstarch instead of tapioca starch. All other ingredients were exactly the same as the recipe. My filling was very wet. It soaked the crust too much and made it soggy. It was very tasty but the texture wasn’t as I expected. I wonder if the cornstarch the problem?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jean, sorry to hear it didn’t turn out right! Yes, it’s likely the cornstarch. We’ve only tried this recipe with tapioca starch.

  42. Becky says

    Divine! Made these for Thanksgiving – I followed the recipe exactly other than instead of 2 tbsp milk I added 2 tbsp Bourbon which added a lovely rich element and ensured my kids won’t eat them.

  43. Delbert Plaisted says

    Wow, look’s delish! Have you tried to make a vegan burger like the taste in Hashtag Burgers and Waffles?

  44. Emily says

    Looks great! Do you think it would work as a pie crust or how much more crust recipe would you anticipate needing to make to do so?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Emily! This crust is intended to be a “shortbread” style crust, which is tender and buttery, but not flaky. It would work in a pie pan (you would probably want to double it), but it will not be flaky and light like a traditional pie crust. Hope this helps!

  45. Janice M Miranda says

    Can you help me adjust the recipe for a 9×13 glass baking dish?! Please, help! Thanks in advance. It sounds great!! dairy and glutten free perfect for my Thankgiving day guests coming this week.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Janice! We think the easiest way to do this would be to increase the recipe by 50% by changing the servings to 24 (use the little arrows in the “servings” box). That should be a good amount for that size of pan! You could also double it but the crust might be quite thick and it would take longer to bake. Let us know how it goes!

  46. Darcey says

    I made this last night and it seriously might be the best thing I have ever made. I followed the directions exactly and it was perfect. I honestly can’t believe how easy it was for how complex and delicious it is.

  47. Jessie says

    I turned these into mini pecan pies using just the filling from this recipe and your coconut oil crust recipe. They were perfect! everyone loved them :)

  48. Diane says

    I cant wait to make these! I love chocolate pecan pie. I was wondering your thoughts on what kind of chocolate to use that wouldn’t interfere with the texture of the filling? I could always drizzle on some dark chocolate. As always your recipes never disappoint. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Diane! We aren’t sure that chocolate would work in the filling, but we think drizzling it on top would be amazing! Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      That should work! You may need to increase the filling by 1/2, or double it, to get enough to fill a pie pan, and then it will probably need to bake for longer. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

  49. The Vegan Goddess says

    This is decadent and tasty. I never eat pecan pie because it’s too rich for my taste but wanted to try this in honor of someone who used to love it.

    It’s richer than I would normally make for dessert with the brown sugar but to make myself feel a little better about it, I used light brown sugar. This was my first time using vegan butter (the brand you recommend) because I normally sub coconut oil for butter.

    I accidentally put potato starch instead of tapioca starch in the crust but it turned out fine. I put tapioca starch in the filling.

    I can’t wait to try the wild rice recipe and so many others. Thank you!

  50. Jesse S. says

    Do you think these would freeze well? I’m looking for a good GF treat to make for my sister that will keep… she was recently diagnosed with Celiac. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jesse! We think they’d freeze pretty well, but you’d want to make sure they were fully thawed before enjoying. Hope this helps!

  51. Robin says

    Can you replace tapioca starch with any other? For ex: corn starch, rice flour, all-purpose gluten-free flour? Thanks! Can’t wait to try this!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Robin! Arrowroot starch would be the best substitute here, or corn starch in a pinch. Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lee! Arrowroot starch would be the best substitute here, or corn starch in a pinch. Let us know how it goes!

  52. Nicole says

    Wow these are so decadent! I used regular butter as I’m not vegan, arrowroot starch as I don’t have tapioca starch, and unsweetened vanilla oat milk. Both the crust bake and final bake took longer (by 10-15 minutes) than the recipe stated, and my oven was definitely at 350 (I have an oven thermometer). Maybe something to do with the dairy vs vegan butter? Anyway they turned out really well and are delicious – thanks for the recipe! Also I didn’t read the instructions and put all the crust ingredients in the bowl before tackling them with a pastry cutter and it still turned out well, so it’s a very forgiving recipe.

  53. Judith says

    This looks like a wonderful answer to my GF-DF questions about this favourite. Could cassava flour be substituted for tapioca flour?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! Hope you love it, Judith! We think cassava would be too dense, but it might work. The next best option would be arrowroot starch. Hope that helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Raisa, we haven’t tried it, but we think either arrowroot or corn starch would be the best sub for tapioca. Let us know if you try it!

    • Chrys says

      This was so simple to make, yet so delicious! I loved the buttery shortbread texture of the crust and the nutty, sweet pecan pie filling. I will definitely be making it again!

  54. Jeannie says

    Hi, perhaps a silly question, but should the pecans be raw? dry roasted unsalted? or dry roasted and salted? Thinking roasted might add more depths. Salted could enhance flavor or be too much? Would love your guidance. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sarah, we haven’t tried it with arrowroot starch, but we think it should work. Let us know if you try it!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Carlotta, perhaps corn starch or arrowroot starch? But we haven’t tried either! Let us know how it goes!

  55. Suzanne says

    Questions – is there any substitute for vegan butter like coconut oil? It seems to be the main ingredient in vegan butter. I can’t do sunflower products. I suppose dairy butter could also be used in the same quantities – it would still be gluten free but not vegan. Thanks!

    • Suzanne says

      Sorry – I just saw you answered to coconut oil question already! However, if dairy butter is used, are the quantities the same?

  56. Jamie says

    Hi!
    So trust and love your guys’ recipes💖
    Do you think ghee would work? I know it’s not vegan but we are about to go on an elimination diet for medical issues and vegan butter is not allowed.
    Thanks!
    Jamie

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jamie! We haven’t tried this with ghee, so we can’t say if it would work or not, and the flavor might be too strong in the pecan pie bars? It could be worth a try, though! Regular dairy butter would definitely work, too! Let us know how it goes if you give the bars a try!

  57. Sara says

    Hello,

    Would I be able to use ghee or maybe palm shortening? If so, would the amount be the same?
    Thank you for sharing those recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sara! We haven’t tried this with ghee or palm shortening so we aren’t sure if it would work. We wonder if the flavor of ghee might be too strong for the bars? If you tried it, we’d suggest using ghee over shortening, and trying it with probably 1 Tbsp less in the crust, and the same amount in the filling. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Haleigh! We haven’t tried this with ghee, so we can’t say if it would work or not, and the flavor might be too strong in the pecan pie bars? It could be worth a try, though! Regular dairy butter would definitely work, too! Let us know how it goes if you give the bars a try!

  58. Michele says

    Is there a particular benefit from the tapioca in crust or filling, or just your go to thickener? Never use, but happy to be persuaded to switch!
    Similarly, is the maple in addition to the brown sugar to create a maple pecan pie vs a traditional pecan pie or for a food science reason?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Michele! The tapioca starch works in two ways here, it adds structure and “snap” to the crust, without it the almond flour would crumble apart. And it also helps thicken the filling – another starch such as arrowroot or corn would probably work, but we haven’t tried it. The maple is included in part because it helped us achieve our desired texture of filling (pre-bake), but also to try and balance the sweetness with a more natural sweetener. That said, you want to use all sugar, we think it would work well! Let us know how it goes if you give the bars a try!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Brenda, We tried the crust with coconut oil and it works but it does have a slightly different final texture, and we preferred the taste of the vegan butter. We didn’t try it in the filling and aren’t sure if it would work, but it might! Hope this helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jyoti! You can probably sub the coconut sugar without the molasses, but when we tried it the texture wasn’t as caramel-y and firm as with brown sugar. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!

    • Seema says

      Can I sub whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour for the almond flour? If so, do you know how much of each and I would need to add more liquid?

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Seema, We haven’t tried it, but it should work. For the crust, we’d suggest replacing both the almond flour and tapioca starch with 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour. If it is too crumbly or dry after adding the butter and maple syrup, you can add 1-2 Tbsp cold water until it just comes together. Let us know if you try it!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, the final texture might be slightly different, as brown sugar is ideal for firming up the bars and get the right texture of caramel, but we think sucanat would work fairly well!

  59. Karin Gensel says

    Hi! I was wondering if you could have recipes that are plant paradox, Dr. Gundry approved? Lectin free recipes would be soooooo awesome for me!!! Thank you, I love you guys , but have gone lectin free & need new recipes!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Karin, That’s not a dietary approach we’re very familiar with, but we’ll add it to our requests list.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Sarah, we haven’t tried that, but it could work in place of the almond flour! Since pecans naturally have more oil than almonds, you may want to scale back on the vegan butter. Let us know if you try it!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Yei, we haven’t tried it but we think it might work! Perhaps use a Tbsp or two less of butter, since walnuts are more oily than almonds. Let us know how it goes!

  60. Mayen Ruiz says

    This looks awesome and probably easier to make than pie! In place of almond flour ( because I’m allergic) can I use your gluten free flour blend? Please let me know as I’d love to make this for thanksgiving!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Mayen! We haven’t tried this without almond flour, but it’s possible it could work with oat flour or a lesser amount of coconut flour. We don’t think our GF blend would work here, but it could. Let us know how it goes if you try any substitutions!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Mayen, perhaps a 50/50 blend of the two, but we haven’t tried it so can’t guarantee it will work the same. Let us know if you try it!

          • Mayen Ruiz says

            What if I were to do all cassava flour and then of course combined with the tapioca starch in the recipe? Also, *IF* I were to use your GF flour blend, would I still need to use the amount of tapioca starch called for in the recipe along with it? Thanks! I have SO many allergies and really want this to work out as it would be my own thanksgiving dessert! It’s been a while since I’ve had my favorite pecan pie!

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Hm, it’s hard to say how it will turn out as we haven’t tried it with other flours! If using a grain flour or cassava flour in place of almond, just know they’ll be more drying so you’ll likely need less of them. For the crust, a blend of a starch and heartier flour (cassava, brown rice) would likely create the best texture vs. just using a starch or just using cassava. Does that make sense? For the filling, you’ll still need to use tapioca or another starch.

          • Mayen Ruiz says

            Thank you Dana, I will try doing a blend of cassava and brown rice flour! Would you say a 50/50 ratio? And of course for the crust, I will still need the one cup of tapioca flour in addition to the blend correct? Thanks! If I try it I will report back!

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Yes, a 50/50 ratio or perhaps 1:2 ratio (we’d say start with 1/4 cup cassava and 1/2 cup brown rice flour). And yes, still use 1 cup tapioca starch. Then work your way up on the brown rice/cassava until the consistency resembles a dough.

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Hi Liz, We haven’t tried it, but it should work. For the crust, we’d suggest replacing both the almond flour and tapioca starch with 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour. If it is too crumbly or dry after adding the butter and maple syrup, you can add 1-2 Tbsp cold water until it just comes together. For the filling, you will still need some type of thickener such as tapioca, arrowroot, or corn starch. Let us know how it goes!

  61. Andy says

    Nutrition info says 16 servings with 9g of sugar each, thats 144g. There’s more than 3/4 cup maple syrup and a 1/2 cup of brown sugar – should be almost double the sugar in these

    Either way, delicious

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention, Andy! Since the maple syrup is in there twice, we missed one of the measurements. We’ll get it updated right away!

  62. Casey says

    Hi! I am so excited to make this. However, do you think I would be able to substitute the tapioca starch with cornstarch (2:1, respectively)?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Casey! We haven’t tried this with cornstarch but we think a 1-to-1 replacement of corn starch should work. Let us know how it goes!

  63. Nicole says

    Oops I just saw in the comments that arrowroot works, which I forgot I also have, and that corn starch works too. Disregard – thanks!

  64. Lisa says

    can i use arrowroot or cornstarch instead of tapioca starch? or can i use tapioca flour? really just any sub for tapioca starch?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lisa! Tapioca flour is the same thing as tapioca starch (in our experience). It should look similar in color/texture to your other starches, if it doesn’t, arrowroot should work well. Hope this helps!

  65. Nicole says

    I would love to try this but don’t think I have tapioca starch. Would corn or potato starch work as a substitute for it? Thanks!

  66. js says

    hi, is it possible to skip the crust and just bake the filling? i’m trying to keep carbs to a minimum and don’t really need the crust — i’m more than happy eating the filling by the spoonful :-) if attempting such an approach, what would be the baking instructions (time and temp)?

    thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi there! We haven’t tried this and aren’t sure what the result would be, it might just burn to a crisp without the crust underneath it. You could try baking it on its own for ~20 minutes and checking to see if its bubbling. Once it’s bubbling and edges look golden/crispy, you may be able to let it cool and firm up. Let us know how it goes!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Possibly! These are sweet bars, but we’d say not quite as sweet as traditional, so it could work. Let us know if you try it!

  67. Senait says

    Recipe looks great! Can’t wait to try, could I use regular butter if preferred? Would the amounts be the same, and would you say unsalted better than salted butter? (I don’t bake much lol)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Senait! Regular butter should work well, we’d suggest using unsalted! Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Katherine! What kind of sugar free do you need them to be? Could they be naturally sweetened or do you want to use stevia?

      • Katherine says

        Stevia would best as trying to do a sugar free diet right now and its terribly hard! Sugar is in EVERYTHING and tastes so good!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Gotcha! Unfortunately for this recipe the sugar is pretty essential, stevia won’t be able to create the same caramel-y texture. We did try this with some blended up dates and coconut milk, which could be a better option for you than the brown sugar. We didn’t enjoy the flavor quite as much but could be a worth a try!

      • Ellie says

        I forgot to update that I indeed made it – it was utterly divine! The crust puffed up in the oven in a way I hadn’t expected and then seemed to collapse a bit after the final bake with the filling. That said, it made no impact on the enjoyment :). Thanks again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Liz! We haven’t tried it, but it’s possible that oat flour would work, or if your daughter can have coconut flour, you could try ~3/4 cup of coconut flour for the crust. Hope this helps!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Amanda! We tried the crust with coconut oil and it works but it does have a slightly different final texture, and we preferred the taste of the vegan butter. We didn’t try it in the filling and aren’t sure if it would work, but it might! Hope this helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lacey! For the crust, we’d suggest replacing both the almond flour and tapioca starch with 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, if it is too crumbly or dry after adding the butter and maple syrup you can add 1-2 Tbsp cold water until it just comes together. We haven’t tried it, but it should work. For the filling, you will still need some type of thickener such as tapioca, arrowroot, or corn starch. Let us know how it goes!