These vegan pecan pie bars are seriously hard to resist. The filling is sweet, gooey, and topped with a layer of crunchy pecans. The 4-ingredient oat crust is tender yet sturdy enough to hold all of that deliciousness!
To keep prep simple, the crust and filling use several of the same ingredients. No vegan butter, oil, or coconut needed, and only 11 ingredients and 20 minutes of hands-on prep time.
Don't be fooled by the fact that these pecan pie bars are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and made without added oils. They are rich, decadent, and absolutely irresistible! No matter who you share these with this holiday season, they're sure to be a hit.
I've made vegan pecan pie in about every which way possible over the years, from healthy to decadent, classic to flavored. So I expected these bars to be good, but I was not prepared! 🙌
With just 11 ingredients (plus salt and water), this is very much a "more than the sum of its parts" kind of recipe.
I took the oatmeal trick from my healthy pecan pie recipe and switched up the sweeteners to make these bars extra gooey, decadent, and amazing.
And for the crust, I combined two of my favorites - this vegan gluten-free pie crust made with almond flour and my oatmeal pie crust - for a surprisingly simple, oil-free crust option.
The oats make the crust just tender and chewy enough, while the natural fat in the almond flour gives it structure and serves as a binder.
How to Make Vegan Pecan Bars
This is a quick visual overview so you can see the process. Find the full recipe just below.
First, preheat the oven to 350°F (175C), and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
To make the crust, combine the oats, almond flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the water and pulse again. The mixture should be just moist enough to stick together.
Spoon the crust mixture into the pan, and press it in as evenly as possible. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350°F.
Tip: After pressing the crust in with my hands, I like to use a measuring cup or something else with a flat bottom to even out the surface.
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For the filling, cook the oats in non-dairy milk until soft and thick, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a blender, combine the oatmeal with the remaining filling ingredients (don't include the pecans). Blend until completely smooth.
Pour the filling over the par-baked crust, and top with an even layer of chopped pecans. Bake for 36-40 minutes or until the center is set.
Hint: The edges may puff up slightly in the oven but the middle won't. This is normal and doesn't mean the center isn't done. Lightly press on a few pecans in the middle. The bars should feel set, even if a bit jiggly.
Chilling and Serving
The only difficult thing about these vegan pecan bars is waiting for them to cool so you can slice them! After pulling the pan from the oven, let it rest at room temp for 20-30 minutes, then place it in the fridge.
Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours, preferably three. Then lift out by the parchment paper, and place on a cutting board. Ugh, finally!
Use a large sharp knife to cut into 9 squares. Since the bars are very sweet, you can even cut them into smaller squares if you like.
Can I make them in advance?
Yes, vegan pecan pie bars are a great make-ahead dessert. The crust holds up surprisingly well, especially considering it's oil-free.
Store leftover pecan bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I haven't tried freezing these yet, but it should be fine.
More Vegan Pecan Desserts
Recipe
Vegan Pecan Pie Bars With Oatmeal Crust & Filling
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1¼ cups rolled oats
- 1¼ cups blanched almond flour - packed
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons water
For the Filling:
- ⅔ cup rolled oats - see Notes
- 1¼ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk - such as oat, almond, or soy
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch - or arrowroot
- 2 tablespoons smooth almond butter - or ¼ cup pecans
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1¼ cups chopped raw pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make the crust: Combine the oats, almond flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large food processor. Pulse 5 or 6 times to incorporate the ingredients. Drizzle in the water, and pulse 3 or 4 times until combined. The mixture should be just moist enough to stick together.
- Spread the crust mixture evenly around the pan, then use your hands to press it in. Make sure the crust goes all the way to the edges and into the corners. After pressing in the crust with my fingers, I like to use the flat bottom of a measuring cup, to pack it down a little more and even out the thickness.Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350°F.
- Make the filling: In a small sauce pan, bring the oats and non-dairy milk to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes or until all of the milk has been absorbed and the oats are soft. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In a blender combine the cooked oatmeal, sugar, maple syrup, starch, almond butter, vanilla, and salt. Starting on low speed, gradually increase to high, and blend until completely smooth. Scrape down the blender as needed. Pour the filling over the crust, and spread it to the edges. Sprinkle the pecans evenly across the entire surface.
- Bake for 36-40 minutes, or until the center is set. The edges may puff up slightly in the oven. This is normal. Lightly press on a few of the pecans near the center. The filling should feel set but will be less firm than at the edges.
- Let the bars cool for 20-30 minutes, then transfer the entire pan to the refrigerator. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours, preferably three, before slicing into squares.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
KRISTIN NEUBAUER says
These pecan bars are fantastic! I substituted the oats with buckwheat flakes (digestive issues) and the maple syrup with honey (maple gives me migraines). And still, the flavor and texture was first rate. My husband says it definitely falls into the “make again” category. Thanks, Lori!
Lori Rasmussen says
I'm so glad they worked out for you, Kristin. Thank you for the review!
Dana says
Hi Lori, this looks delicious and I’m going to try it soon (need to eat your banana bread recipe that’s currently in the oven and smelling delicious first). I do have one question in advance please, is it possible to replace some or all of the sugar with dates, to make it a bit more whole food plant based?
Lori Rasmussen says
Yes, absolutely. Dates will be great. I use them in one of my other pecan pie recipes (although that one isn't oil-free). You could start with about 2/3 cup packed pitted dates. Then blend and give it a taste to decide if it needs more of anything. You might need a little more liquid (whatever milk you're using), to help with blending. The consistency will be a little different. I hope that helps!