Pecan Pie Bars
The whole family will love these easy pecan pie bars! They're a wholesome twist on classic pecan pie made with a short list of real ingredients.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cups blanched almond flour
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 20 Medjool dates pitted (soft)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water* up to 1/4 cup
- 1 cup chopped raw pecans divided
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Make the crust. Place all of the crust ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. Use a spatula (or your hands) and mix until combined. Form the dough into a ball and place into the prepared baking pan.
- Spread the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan using a spatula or your hands.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust has slightly browned.
- While the crust is baking, make the filling. Place the pitted dates and vanilla into a high powdered food processor. Blend until smooth. Add in one tablespoon of water at a time until the date mixture turns into a paste and is easily spreadable. Add 1/4 cup of pecans and pulse the mixture a few times to break up the pecans. Set aside.
- Once the crust is done baking, transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool for 10 minutes - do not skip this step. Keep the oven on while the crust cools.
- Transfer the date filling to the cooled crust. Use a spatula to carefully spread the filling into an even layer over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans over the filling.
- Bake the assembled bars for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool completely before cutting into small bars.
Video
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="QvWTZqVb" upload-date="2018-11-19T02:55:20.000Z" name="Easy Pecan Pie Bars with Date Caramel" description="These easy pecan pie bars are a healthy dessert that the whole family will love! They are made with date caramel, pecans, and a delicious almond shortbread crust. This is not your typical granny pecan pie recipe, but it's healthy and tasty. Make them today!"]
Notes
- Storage: Once completely cool, enjoy them immediately or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freezing Instructions: Once fully cooled, cut the pan of bars into squares, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze until fully frozen. Remove the bars from the freezer, wrap individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn, and place into freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, transfer frozen bars to the refrigerator to thaw, then enjoy cold or at room temperature.
- Water: The amount of water varies depending on how juicy your dates are. If your dates are on the drier side, use closer to 1/4 cup of water. If your dates are pretty moist, you'll need less water - about 2 tablespoons. Use your best judgement - the filling is moist enough when it is easily spreadable.
Nutrition
Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 56g