I’ve gotta be honest, I’ve never even had pecan pie, let alone chocolate pecan pie! Alls I know is that this combo sounded like a classic Thanksgiving dessert and these chocolate pecan pie bars were born. While I personally love the idea of bars for ease, you could totally do this in a round or spring-foam pan as a pie situation.

And yes there are 3 layers involved, but each one is very simple; it’s worth the effort, promise! Whether you eat the whole pan yourself (no judgement) or bring these to your next (small) gathering, they’re sure to be a hit… without the sugar crash.

GLUTEN FREE VEGAN CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE BARS

Prep Time 30

Servings 16 bars

Ingredients

shortbread layer:

1 ½ cups almond flour
⅓ cup coconut flour
⅓ cup melted coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

chocolate layer:

½ cup chocolate chips
⅓ cup almond butter
¼ cup full-fat coco milk
½ tsp vanilla
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
pinch salt

pecan caramel layer:

½ cup full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup coconut sugar
pinch salt
¼ cup almond butter
½ tsp vanilla
1½ cups roasted pecans (unsalted)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix all shortbread ingredients into a bowl and cream together until combined. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over a bit on 2 sides. Pour mix in and press down to evenly spread. Bake for 8 minutes. Edges will be golden, and some bubbles may form. If that’s the case, just gently press them back down to flatten while still warm. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
To make chocolate layer, either microwave chocolate in 30 second increments or add to double boiler (glass bowl over a small pot with about an inch of boiling water) until melted. Remove from heat.
Add in almond butter, coconut milk, vanilla and generous pinch of salt. Mix well. Stir in room temperature maple syrup. If it’s cold, just heat up a bit so that it doesn’t seize the mixture.
Pour over shortbread layer and evenly spread. Add to freezer for 20-30 minutes. You want the chocolate no longer “sticky” to touch, but not completely frozen.
If your pecans are raw, dry roast them in a frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until fragrant. Transfer to bowl.
To make caramel, add coconut milk, coconut sugar and salt to a small pot. Cook on a low boil for about 13-15 minutes, whisking every couple minutes to prevent burning. Once reduced and slightly thickened, whisk in almond butter and vanilla. Pour over the bowl of pecans and mix together. Let cool for a few minutes.
Remove pan from freezer and pour pecan mix over the top. Gently spread evenly over the chocolate. Generously sprinkle flaky or coarse sea salt on top.
Freeze for another 30 minutes. Remove from the pan using parchment edges and slice into 16 bars.