Like the pie, but with perks!
Pecan pie has to be one of the best pies out there, hands down.
These bars have all the delicious flavor of the pie but are slightly easier to present and eat as they don’t require a fork and plate, just a napkin.
Pecan pie bars are rich, gooey, and oh so satisfying. Each bar is so full of flavor that you’ll want to gobble it right up!
My favorite part about making these bars is actually the smell. When you bake them, their enticing scent permeates the kitchen air and makes your home smell like a delicious, fancy bakery.
One bowl for maximum simplicity
Pecan pie bars have an elegance and decadence to them that might make it seem like they’re difficult to make, but that is just not true.
All you need is one bowl, first for the shortbread crust and then that same bowl again for the filling while the crust is baking.
Easy, simple, delicious!
“Cutting in the butter”
While these bars are very simple to make, the step of “cutting in the butter” may be a little confusing at first.
This phrase refers to the step of adding cold butter to the flour mixture in order to create a delicious, buttery shortbread crust.
The butter needs to be very cold so that it doesn’t melt when you cut it in, making it much easier to work with.
I recommend using sticks of butter, as they come pre-measured and will save the hassle of scooping in butter from a container into measuring cups prior to cutting.
Start out with cubing the butter sticks into small cubes and adding them into the flour.
Then, to cut in the butter, you can do one of three things:
- Use a pastry cutter for straightforward mixing
- With a knife in each hand, move in opposite directions to cut the cubes into small slivers of butter throughout the mixture
- Engage your fingertips to combine the flour and butter
The mixture should resemble coarse crumbles like the image below:
Now you’re ready to press the shortbread mixture into the pan!
When the shortbread crust bakes, the small pieces of butter melt around the flour mixture to create the rich, buttery texture of the crust.
Cornstarch and water, huh?
Making the pecan pie filling is very straightforward.
Just combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, and then fold in the pecans!
You will notice that I mix the cornstarch with water here. The cornstarch gives the bars their signature gooey texture.
However, it can initially clump up when added to the mixture and stay clumped while it bakes.
We don’t need that drama in our lives.
Therefore, I recommend combining the cornstarch with equal parts water in a small cup before adding it into the filling. This will help prevent it from clumping up in the mixture.
Phew, crisis avoided!
Setting in the filling
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of this recipe is waiting for the bars to chill!
They will smell so good when they come out of the oven with the filling bubbling up on top. However, you cannot eat them just yet!
You need to let them cool for at least thirty minutes. Then, refrigerate the pecan bars for at least 3 hours before you cut them into squares. The pecan pie filling needs to cool and thicken into yummy, gooey pie bars.
I promise you, these are worth the wait!
If you made these, let me know in the comments below! Also, be sure to show me your photos on Instagram by using #sconesandscrubs
One Bowl Vegan Pecan Pie Bars
Rich, gooey, and aromatic vegan pecan pie bars made in one bowl with no crazy ingredients, a hit for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple or agave syrup
- 3 tbsp nondairy milk
- 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp melted vegan butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line
a 9x9 inch cake pan with parchment paper - Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt in a
large bowl - Cut in the vegan butter into the flour mixture
using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips - Press the shortbread mixture into the bottom of
your cake pan and bake for 10 minutes - While the crust is baking, using the same bowl
mix together your pecan pie filling ingredients. Finally, fold in the chopped
pecans - Bake for 25 minutes or until the filling starts
to bubble - Cool for thirty minutes, then cover and
refrigerate for at least three hours - Slice into bars and enjoy! Keep refrigerated for
up to a week
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 bars Serving Size: 1 barAmount Per Serving: Calories: 266Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 131mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 2g