Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
By Anita Chu of Dessert First
Pecan pie is a staple of holiday tables, and here’s a vegan version so you don’t have to miss out. These chocolate pecan pie bars are simpler and faster to make than a pie, but they’re just as tasty and addictive as the original.
The bars start with a simple press-in crust made with flour, sugar, and vegan butter. If you’re making these for the holidays, you can try adding some spices of your choice to the crust mixture, like ground cinnamon or nutmeg, for some festive flavor. Make sure you press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan to make a solid base for the pecan pie filling.
Although most traditional pecan pie recipes use corn syrup, eggs, and butter for the filling, this version changes them out for maple syrup (which is healthier), vegan butter, and a bit of non-dairy milk and cornstarch. Combined with brown sugar, you get the same sweet. decadent caramel-butterscotch flavor in a luscious gooey topping enrobing the fragrant, buttery nuts.
After the bars are baked, let them cool on a wire rack for a few hours before putting them in the refrigerator to further firm up overnight. As a finishing touch, and to make them even prettier and tastier, drizzle the bars with melted chocolate and let set for a few minutes before serving. The combination of chocolate, nuts, and brown sugar is a winning combination for a holiday treat, or an anytime treat.
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) vegan butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper so that it overhangs two sides of the pan, and grease it well.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Press into bottom of prepared pan.
Bake for 20 minutes and let cool while you leave the oven on and make the filling.
Filling:
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons vegan butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecan pieces
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
Combine all ingredients except for the pecans in a large saucepan and whisk together over medium heat until smooth and combined. Add pecans and stir to coat.
Pour filling over the baked crust, then place pan back in the 350-degree oven and bake for 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling.
Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Chill pan overnight in the refrigerator.
To serve, remove from the refrigerator and cut into 16 bars. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the bars. Serve immediately.
