Description
Salted maple bourbon pecan and walnut bars seemed a bit excessive for a recipe title, so we're just going to call them vegan pecan pie bars! These bars are INSANELY delicious, packed with flavor, easier to make with pie, and nobody will be able to tell that they're vegan and gluten free.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold vegan butter, diced into pea-sized pieces
- 3-4 tbsp ice water
Filling:
- 3 5.4 oz cans coconut cream, cream only (discard the liquid)*
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 medjool dates, pitted, halved and soaked in room temp water
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped raw pecans
- 1 cup chopped raw walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F and line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. Remove pits from dates and soak in room temperature water while you make the crust.
- Make the crust: Stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Use your hands or a pastry cutter/dough blender to incorporate the cold butter (don't over-mix!). Add in the ice water and lightly knead until the dough comes together in a ball.
- Bake crust: Press the crust firmly into the parchment paper-lined pan, making sure it reaches all four edges. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it in evenly and flatly. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven.
- Make filling: Drain the dates and add to a blender with coconut cream, maple, coconut oil, arrowroot, bourbon, vanilla and salt. Once creamy, pour into a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk frequently to prevent burning and simmer until mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in walnuts and pecans.
- Bake: Pour the filling over the partially-baked crust. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool at room temperature for an hour to set, then transfer to refrigerator for 1 hour. Slice and enjoy!
- Store: These bars can get sticky at room temp, so store in the refrigerator between layers of parchment paper.
Notes
*Different from full fat coconut milk, coconut cream is often sold in small 5oz cans. Only use the top layer of cream in this recipe (discard any liquid). If you can't find coconut cream, you can sub with 1 15 oz can of full fat coconut milk (ONLY use the top fat layer), plus 2 tbsp of cream from another can.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: 267
- Sugar: 13.6 g
- Sodium: 147.9 mg
- Fat: 16.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.5 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
