Vegan Pecan Pie Bars

Sliced vegan pecan bars on parchment paper with a bite on a fork.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Cooling time 2

Total Time 2 55

Servings:9 servings

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

These vegan pecan pie bars have all the gooey, sweet goodness of pecan pie in an easy 8x8-inch pan. Instead of a classic shortbread crust, this recipe combines oats and almond flour for a tender yet sturdy crust, with no vegan butter or oil needed. Just 11 simple ingredients and about 20 minutes of hands-on time.

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

For the Crust:

1¼ cups rolled oats - see Notes
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
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.
Spoon the crust mixture evenly around the pan, then use your hands to press it down. Make sure the crust goes all the way to the edges and into the corners.
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.
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 absorebed 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 and be higher than the middle. This is normal. Lightly press on a few of the pecans near the center. The filling should feel set, even if a bit jiggly in the center.
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

Oats - Brands of rolled oats vary in thickness. If your rolled oats are on the thicker side, or labeled as thick-cut, reduce the amount in the filling to ½ cup.

Storage - Store vegan pecan bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I haven't tried freezing these yet, but it should be fine.

Nutrition