These bars were designed as a transitional dessert, moving away from conventional options laden with dairy and refined flour. They have developed a devout following among those aiming to phase out nutrient-devoid sweets and progress to healthier options.
Tip: Sticky situation
These guys are really sticky, so don’t skip the parchment paper. Lining your baking pan will make it easy to remove the baked bars and cut down on your cleanup.
Pecan Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- ⅓ cup organic dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ cup vegan butter
- 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 ½ cups organic dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup coconut nectar
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter
- 2 tsp pure rum extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories424
- protein3g
- fat22g
- carbs77g
- sugar36g
- fiber2g
- sodium231mg
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 13 x 9 x 2 in baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 in overhang on 2 sides.
To make crust:
In large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Use pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into prepared baking pan and press down evenly and very firmly, making sure to press crumbs all the way to edges of pan.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until firm and very lightly browned. Let cool on rack.
To make topping:
Spread pecans evenly over crust. In medium saucepan, heat brown sugar, coconut nectar, cornstarch, butter, rum extract and salt, stirring, until just bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in almond milk. Pour over pecans, making sure topping is spread evenly.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let cool on rack, then refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan and cut into 15 bars.
Brendan Brazier
Brendan Brazier is the Editor-in-Chief of alive magazine. He’s also the bestselling author of the Thrive book series, creator and host of the Thrive Forward web series and creator of the Thrive Fitness Fitplan app. As a former professional Ironman triathlete and a two-time Canadian 50 km Ultra Marathon Champion, Brendan is regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities on plant-based performance.
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