Note from Mommypotamus: Today’s guest post comes from Dr. Meghan, who is a chiropractor and also the founder of Just Enjoy Food. Thank you, Dr. Meghan!
When I say pecan pie, doesn’t your brain instantly go to the fall and Thanksgiving dinner? For our family, Thanksgiving was the only time that we had pecan pie. It was tradition. But I missed pecan desserts throughout the rest of the year. These bars bring the amazing flavors and the taste of pecan pie into easy-to-make, decadent bars.
This pecan bar recipe is free of grains, made with only almond and coconut flour. There is also an ample amount of butter, almost two sticks, so it is full of healthy fat. The butter also creates a caramel flavor when mixed with the raw honey used to sweeten the bars. Maybe they should have been named caramel pecan pie bars, because to me, that’s exactly what they taste like!
When baking the bars, there’s one tip I’ve learned from making them that I wanted to share with you. Make sure you bake them long enough to fully bake the middle of the bars. The middle cooks slowly and I took them out too early once and the two middle pieces weren’t done enough (Although they were still good enough to eat). Enjoy!
Pecan Bar Recipe (Grain-Free)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 7 tbsp organic butter (melted)
- 1 ¾ cup blanched almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ tsp pink salt
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or make homemade vanilla extract with this recipe)
For the pecan filling:
- ½ cup organic butter (melted)
- ⅓ cup raw honey
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or coconut milk)
- 4 organic eggs
- ½ tsp pink salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper
For the Crust:
- In a small saucepan melt the butter
- In a small bowl add the almond flour, coconut flour and pink salt and pour the melted butter into the bowl. Mix gently until combined with a hand mixer
- Add the raw honey and vanilla extract and mix again until the dough is completely mixed together
- Press the dough in the bottom of the baking pan and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown
For the Pecan Filling:
- While the crust is baking prepare the pecan filling. Using the same small saucepan melt the stick of butter
- In a medium bowl beat the raw honey, heavy cream and 4 eggs with a hand mixer for 30 seconds until the eggs are completely beaten
- Slowly add a small amount of the melted butter to the egg mixture while still mixing to temper the eggs. This is important because you don’t want to cook the eggs by adding in all of the melted butter. Add the remaining butter along with the salt and vanilla extract and mix again until everything is mixed together
- Gently stir in the pecans by hand
- Pour the pecan filling into the baked crust (the crust can be hot or cooled) for another 25-28 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean
- Let the bars cool before cutting and serving
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator
Nutrition
About Dr. Meghan
Dr. Meghan is a chiropractor and the founder and creator of Just Enjoy Food, a resource and recipe blog created to support a healthier lifestyle. She believes every individual has the opportunity to live their healthiest life possible, which can be achieved through natural approaches. She overcame her own health challenges and throughout the process has gained valuable education in how our bodies work and heal.
Want more delicious, easy recipes?
No problem, I’ve created a free ebook for you – 35+ Gluten-Free Desserts – as a gift for signing up for my newsletter. Every Sunday you’ll get recipes, actionable health tips, and highly-vetted product recommendations delivered fresh to your inbox.
Sign up using the form below.
This looks so fantastic! I have GOT to try this recipe ASAP! Yummy!
How did you read my mind?!!!! Just an hour ago I had a craving for pecan bars and nearly bought a gluten-filled, sugar-filled bar from a coffee shop but resisted (thankfully). Thank you for posting, can’t wait to try it out 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. Pecan pies are one of my favorites. Thought I’d never be able to enjoy it again!
This sounds delish! However, due to recently-diagnosed food allergies I can’t use almond flour now (and I love almonds so this was sad!). Is there something I can sub and have it still turn out okay? I can eat walnuts and pecans. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Is there a substitute for the eggs for those of us who can’t eat them yet? I’m wondering about gelatin or applesauce? Thanks!
And Sandra, you can probably grind up some walnuts or pecans and use them in place of the almond flour.
Thanks, Sara – and ditto on the eggs…I’m reactive to egg white though yolk is fine. I don’t know that there’s any way to fully separate the white/yolk at home – I love to eat eggs so I’m pretty bummed. I have Great Lakes gelatin & can get applesauce so I’ll be watching for more comments re baking substitutes.
I use Cashew flour instead
I know, it’s SO hard to not be able to eat eggs, I LOVE them so!!! But I have heard that we crave what we are allergic to, so maybe that’s why I love them THAT much!?!? 🙂 I substitute gelatin for eggs in alot of recipes, so I hope that works, I think it’s 1T to 1/4 c water equals one egg, but I’m not exactly sure. I hope we find out if it will work for this recipe soon, I’ve dreamed of eating pecan pie for YEARS!!! 🙂
Just wanted to add that there are a couple thing that are not clear in the recipe 1) It is not clear whether the pecan filling should be baked in the oven after removing the crust or if it’s just supposed to “sit”. 2) It isn’t clear if the pecans should be whole or semi-chopped. Anyway, it’s almost done so I look forward to trying this recipe! 🙂
Is there a substitute for the almond flour, that is not nut/seed flour? Thank you.
Can regular sea salt be used instead of the pink salt?
And for those with egg allergies maybe using flaxseed meal as replacement?
i see three layers in the photo. Does the cream and pecan mixture separate during baking? Also, I’m wondering if I could sub reg flour for the coconut flour?
How is an ample amount of butter considered a “healthy fat”???
Because butter is a health food! 🙂 http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-butter-health-food/
I was so excited for these, and stayed up until midnight making them for Thanksgiving so I could wow my family with a grain-free, refined-sugar-free dessert. I was sadly disappointed though. The crust was VERY thick, almost half way up the side of the 8×8 pan even though I pressed it down firmly. And the pecan mixture just tasted like nothing but soggy pecans. There was no flavor or sweetness at all. Overall it was a mouth full of almond flour and soggy pecans 🙁 I only ate one small square and did not let my family taste them at all.
Hi, just made these and delicious! One question, is the crust supposed to be crispy or soft? My crust turned soft, maybe I did something wrong? Thank you.