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Today’s recipe went through several iterations to get it just right. I have to say that I’m pretty proud of the final result. So, even though the holidays are over, this one is just too good not to share with you. I’m sure these paleo pecan pie bars be a hit over the holidays next year, but I’d say they’re nutritious enough to sneak in this winter, too. Once you give them a try, I think you’ll agree.
The topping on these low carb pecan pie bars is just like your favorite pecan pie, with a salted caramel twist and pecan topping. Gooey and crunchy at the same time, these sugar-free dessert bars are the perfect replacement for pecan pie. Plus, they are so easy to make.
I have to confess, I’m also obsessed with the scrumptious shortbread crust on these bars, too. I’ll definitely be using that again for bars in the future. I love how easy it is! Those with egg allergies will also appreciate that the crust is egg-free, as is this entire recipe.
I served these paleo pecan pie bars at a family gathering over the holidays, and my cousin said they were “like crack”. Pretty funny, but also awesome to hear! No one would believe me when I told them they were low carb, paleo, and totally sugar-free. I love it when that happens.
The best part is that these paleo pecan pie bars are totally guilt-free. Each bar packs in calcium, iron, 10 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and healthy coconut oil, with only 2 grams net carbs and 1 gram of sugar! So even though January may be an epic “health month” for many people, with these bars you don’t have to skip dessert. Actually, I’ll admit I’ve even had them for breakfast several times.
Tools To Make Low Carb Pecan Pie Bars:
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- Parchment Paper – Parchment paper makes clean-up so easy when baking. It will keep these Pecan Pie Bars from sticking to the pan.
- Baking Pan – This baking pan is the perfect size to make this delicious pecan dessert recipe.
- Medium Bowl – You need a medium sized bowl for this recipe and this set has the perfect size.
Paleo Pecan Pie Bars (Low Carb, Gluten-free):
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RECIPE CARD
Paleo Pecan Pie Bars (Low Carb, Gluten-free)
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Shortbread Crust
Salted Caramel Pecan Filling
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Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line an 9x9 in (23x23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
To make the crust, stir the almond flour, melted coconut oil, erythritol, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl, until well combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly. Press the dough into the lined pan. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until set and golden on the edges.
Meanwhile, make the salted caramel filling. Combine all filling ingredients (except pecans) in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture thickens very slightly and turns caramel in color. Remove from heat. Stir in half of the chopped pecans. Set aside to cool.
When the crust is done, pour the filling over it and spread with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans on top and press down gently. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the filling is bubbly. Cool completely before cutting.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 bar
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Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. (Learn about net carbs here.) We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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82 Comments
Tiffany
This dessert was the high light of my Christmas season. While others in my family have sugar and carbs to fuel them I felt left out until I made these beauties. Thank you for the recipe. 10/10 will make forever but adjust the amount of sugar substitute because I would have liked it a bit sweeter. Also I used flax seed to thicken the sauce.
Betsy
Super easy to make. I made this as a 1/2 recipe, just in case we didn’t like it (yeah right!) and it was yummmy! I did sub out the arrowroot with Xanthan gum and used MCT oil instead of solid coconut oil. This is another keeper!
Kelly
Fantastic! I love pecan pie; could even say I’m a bit of a pecan pie snob. These low carb pecan pie bars were a pleasant surprise and did not disappoint! The entire family absolutely loved them. These are a keeper!
Gloria
These are wonderful. As per a couple of reviews, I added an egg to the crust. Super yummy! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Jennifer Whittaker
I am so excited I found this recipe! It came together easily and is delicious! I love pecan pie, just not the super sweet kind. This hit the mark for taste and level of sweetness! Thanks so much! I will add this to my “treat” rotation!
Herbert Kouba
Can I use butter instead of coconut oil.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Herbert, Yes butter will work just fine.
Kim
These are not Paleo, low carb, or sugar free! Molasses is a sugar and not allowed on Paleo or low carb diets.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kim, I understand your concern. The molasses add color and depth of flavor in the recipe, but it can easily be omitted. It’s worth noting that 1/4 teaspoon of molasses is negligible when spread between 16 servings of Pecan Pie Bars. I hope you choose to give this recipe a try with or without the molasses, it’s delicious!
Chris
Can you substitute monk fruit for erythritol?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Chris, Yes, you can use a monk fruit blend in place of erythritol. I would use slightly less, as the monk fruit blends are about 30% sweeter than erythritol is.
Linda
These are delicious. I made the recipe exactly as written, except I sprinkled a pinch of flaked sea salt on top. My husband (who is not keto) loved them so I made an altered version for him because I didn’t want to share! For his batch, I added a tbl of espresso powder to the filling and replaced about 25 g of the nuts with 25 grams of coconut. Instead of arrowroot powder as thickener, I used xanthan gum and gelatin to get a more-traditional pecan pie texture. They were fabulous, and technically still keto although of course the macros & calories changed due to the substitutions. (I didn’t bother calculating the difference because they weren’t for me.)
Shannon S
Did you measure the coconut oil with a fluid ounce measuring cup?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Shannon, Yes, measure out the amount needed melted with a fluid measuring cup.
Orly
Do you think it would work without arrowroot flour? My husband is on SCD diet so can’t use any starches!
Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Orly, The arrowroot is used to thicken the filling. I suspect you could substitute the arrowroot for gelatin and will achieve a similar texture. Be sure to let it cool throughly before cutting to make sure the gelatin has fully set.
Sonya
I made a whole keto Thanksgiving this year including stuffing, cauli-mash and gravy. I made these for dessert and they were by far the star of the show! I have tried keto pecan pie before and the sweeteners made it taste awful to the point were I threw them out. I did use xylitol instead of erythritol in this recipe because erythritol/stevia gives off that cooling aftertaste to me. I have been craving pecan pie for a while and am thrilled with how this came out. My kids loved them too! Thank you for this easy recipe. I will make this again and again.
Dee
The filling barely covers the crust… looks like a pecan glaze icing on shortbread. Is this correct? Feel like maybe I should have doubled the filling. I was thinking I would have a pecan pie type dessert. It is still cooling so haven’t tasted it yet. Any suggestions?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Dee, The filling will just barely cover the crust. If you have a moment, watch the video in the recipe card. The pecan layer is very thin in the finished product.
Sue
Can I use corn starch instead of Arrowroot? Would it be the same amount? I don’t have any Arrowroot.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Sue, Yes, you can, but it might spike blood sugar a bit. Arrowroot is a resistant starch.
Maria
Can we omit or substitute with xanthan gum?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Maria, Yes, but you will need less. Use 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum in place of the arrowroot.
Jodi Bennett
So excited to have these for Thanksgiving! Do I need to refrigerate overnight since I am making them 1 day ahead of time?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Jodi! You can keep them on the counter or the fridge, either is fine for just a day. If you wanted multiple days, fridge would be better.
Kerri Porter
Can I substitute butter for the coconut oil? I am allergic to coconut
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kerri, Yes! That should work just fine. Enjoy!
Abbie
Hi. These were great. I doubled the recipe and used a cookie sheet (with sides) and everything came out well. I did add 2 eggs to the crust and used 2 TBSP tapioca flour with other ingredients, instead of arrowroot powder, and the crust is far less crumbly. I cut 2×2 squares with only losing one as I cut it (my spouse made sure it and 2 others weren’t ignored). I also used coconut milk vs almond milk and a teaspoon of real maple syrup vs the extract and added 1 season of Brandy extract as well. Since the recipe made 40 bars, there wasn’t a huge nutritional boost by the added or substituted ingredients-maybe 29 calories, .92carb, .35 protein 1.95 fat (please note the decimal points), and because more bars (40) were created than double the recipe (32) I’m sure my numbers for a total nutrition will be a little lower when added to the nutrition info provided for the recipe. If you add a little unsweetened coconut and dark chocolate to the toppings, you pretty much have magic cookie bars. I’ll be making this again.
Vero E.
Can I trade arrowroot for something else?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Vero, Xanthan gum (in the same amount) is a good substitution for arrowroot.
Maria
Got my answer, Thank you
Britt
Thanks for the recipe, its a good one! I do think adding 2 eggs really makes a difference though and makes it closer to pecan pie. Also used heavy cream instead of almond milk, but they turned out fabulous! Just wanted to share.
Michelle Foerster
So these were a hit! My co-worker said, “There is no way those are low carb”. I used butter in place of cocunut oil, whole milk in place of almond milk and I didn’t have maple extract or molasses so I just omitted. I imagine those would make the color a little more “caramelly”…mine were kind of a weird color. I did throw a few dark chocolate chips in since I was saving carbs on the molasses…but I looked at the nutrition of both so it was basically a wash. My coworkers thought chocolate was a good replacement for molasses lol. Thank you so much for another great recipe!
Edith
Anything you could use instead of the molasses? It’s really bad for me. Can’t have corn syrup either
Wholesome Yum A
Hi Edith, you could add more maple extract instead, though the flavor will be slightly different.
Brooke
These are pretty great! A breath of fresh air in the thickened stench from a mile long list of failed keto dessert recipes deaths⚰️☠️.. this my , is not. It takes a while to cool/firm up, even in fridge, so plan ahead. ⌛️(At least a good hr+) But, alas, pretty darn simple to make. I u/s a lot of folk omitted the maple extract.. I, like y’all, also lack such in me pantry. What I do have, is “Now ‘Better Stevia’ in Maple”.. which essentially is maple extract and Stevia. It’s super easy to locate. I got mine online, w/a few clicks, but have def seen in stores if one prefers to do such legwork. (Flavored Stevias are almost required when living sugar-free IMHO.) Idk the diff it really makes.. but, I put slightly less erythritol to accommodate. It is always a bit disappointing when you cut up a baked dish into (it’s 16) slices, discovering the actual size of your (1/16th) portion. But, thats a nod to Maya! These are a great to snack.. & they taste even better once they lose their chill. Solid 4-4.5⭐️
Susan
Is there really only 1/4 teaspoon of molasses? It seems like such a tiny amount!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Susan, It’s only there for flavor so you don’t need much. I didn’t add much since it does have sugar. We use the sweetener for the sweetness and the molasses is just for flavor.
Tammy
These were amazing…taste like pecan pie exactly without to much sweetness to put you in a coma….lol! Thank you for the recipe!
Lacey Green
Hi! Does the erythritol have the cooling sensation in this recipe? I’ve baked with it before and that seems to be there and is quite off putting for me.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lacey, I don’t detect it in this recipe. However, if you want to use a different sweetener, I have a low carb sweetener conversion calculator here.
Kimberly A Pina
The cooling will actually diminish over night when using erythritol. Any recipe made with erythritol will be better the next day.
Marcia McGinnity
Absolutely love this recipe though I will have to try adding egg to the crust since it always crumbles when I make it! Question on the blackstrap molasses – is it really 1/4 teaspoon and not 1/4 cup? 1/4 teaspoon seems like nothing so I used 1/4 cup. ; ) Marcia
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Marcia, I’m glad you love it! Oh my goodness, definitely don’t use 1/4 cup – it’s 1/4 tsp. Blackstrap molasses is very concentrated and the 1/4 tsp is for flavor only. The sweetener is what sweetens them. If you use 1/4 cup of molasses, the bars will no longer be low carb and actually contain quite a lot of sugar. They might also be a little bitter since molasses has a bitter flavor on its own.
Lynn
Made these for Christmas. Followed recipe as written and they were very good! I’d make them again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Lynn! I’m glad you liked them!
Jules
I added an egg and a tbsp of beef gelatin to the crust to see if it would help bind. Held together much better than other almond flour baked goods. I also added a tsp of gelatin to the caramel sauce too, since mine didn’t seem to thicken. Nice Christmas square! Thank you for the lovely recipe. It brings back memories of Christmas squares from childhood.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Jules! I’m glad you liked them!
Tricia
What would the shelf life of these be? I’m making for a gift for my daughter and would like to mail them to her.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Tricia, They last a few days on the counter or at least a week in the fridge. But, I’d be a little concerned about mailing them since they might crumble. Cookies might be more sturdy for mailing. If you do a search for cookies I have lots on the site, including a turtle cookies recipe that has caramel inside, similar to these bars.
Jess N
I have read that you can use tapioca flour in replacement for arrowroot powder in many recipes. I was wondering if this is one of those recipes that I could make that substitute as I own an abundance of tapioca flour but would have to purchase a bag of arrowroot for this recipe, which requires such a small amount.
Thanks in advance.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jess, I think that would work but haven’t tried it. Let me know how it goes if you try!
Susan
These look awesome! I’m a little confused about the arrowroot powder though. I’m doing a keto diet and it’s really high carbs! Can I use xanthan gum instead? Even corn starch has much less carbs. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Susan, The entire recipe (16 bars) has only a teaspoon of arrowroot powder, which would add only 2.2 grams net carbs for the WHOLE recipe, or 0.14 grams net carbs per serving. It’s negligible. Arrowroot powder does have fewer carbs than cornstarch. You can absolutely use xanthan gum instead – you only need a tiny bit, maybe 1/8 to 1/4 tsp.
Melissa
I’ve made them twice and both times the filling is pretty runny after baking and cooking. Could using powdered erythritol have caused that? They are still delicious, just not pretty like the picture!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Melissa, I use a granular sweetener for this recipe so that may have had an effect on them. I’m glad they still tasted good!
Indie
Can I make it with coconut flour? And coconut milk?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Coconut flour and almond flour aren’t 1:1 replacements so I wouldn’t recommend that. You can replace the almond milk with coconut though.
Kari
Can I sub baking blend to lower the calorie count. A 2×2 is a very small serving!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kari, I’m assuming you mean THM Baking Blend? Unfortunately that wouldn’t work the same way because it contains coconut flour, which absorbs more moisture. You could use it but the recipe would need other modifications and I can’t say for sure what those would be without testing. These are pretty filling, though, and taste rich so only a little feels satisfying.
Jan
I want to try these, but a new person on the paleo journey does not know what type of erythritol is required. There is powdered, liquid and granular and it is sure hard to know what the recipe calls for. People publishing these recipes be sure and state the form please.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jan, I’ve never seen liquid erythritol. Powdered sweetener is always stated explicitly, otherwise you can assume it’s granulated. The recipe card also has links to the specific ingredients if you need them.
Linda
Could one substitute monk fruit sugar for the erythritol?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Linda, I haven’t tried in this particular recipe but you probably can. The amount will depend on the brand and what else is in it. Check my sweetener conversion chart.
Deb Sills
What size is a portion? 2×2?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Deb, yes, each bar should be about 2″ by 2″.
Peggy McGee
Can maple syrup be used in place of blackstrap molasses?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Peggy, Yes, but you’ll get a much deeper flavor with molasses.
Low Carb with Jennifer
Hi! I featured this recipe in my post 15 Low Carb Desserts that are Absolutely Delicious! https://jenniferbanz.com/15-low-carb-desserts
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Jennifer! I’ll go check out the post.
Janet
Thanks so much for the clarification about the maple syrup, Maya. I assumed that I would receive an email notification telling me that you responded to my question, but I don’t think I ever did. I just now remembered to check this webpage for your reply!
I am hesitant to use the maple extract, since I heard that the base in pure extracts comes from wheat, and my daughter and I are highly sensitive to gluten. I’m not sure if there is a chance of any traces of gluten remaining after the distillation process.
I think I might err on the side of caution and try looking for an artificial maple flavoring, rather than omit the addition of maple altogether. I’m guessing the maple really imparts a great flavor to these bars!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Janet, Thanks for checking back! You should receive an email notification of a reply, but I think occasionally it doesn’t work correctly. Sorry about that! According to the seller, the maple extract linked in the recipe is gluten-free, but I understand your desire to err on the side of caution. I think you’ll enjoy these bars either way, even if you choose to omit it or try to find a substitution. 🙂
Rebecca {foodie with family}
Oh BOY do these ever look tempting!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Rebecca!
megunprocessed
I love that this is egg free and dairy free! Wish I had some of this now!
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Paleo perfection!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Jennifer!
Janet
Could maple syrup be used in place of the maple extract (maybe twice as much for a strong enough flavor)?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Janet, You can, but you’d probably have the same effect if you just omit the maple extract. Even doubling the maple syrup won’t provide as much concentrated flavor as the maple extract, but adding more would add too much liquid. The maple extract is available here if you want to buy it, but otherwise I think the bars would still be good without it, too.
Donna in Inwood
Actually, it occurred to me my pan might be part of the problem. Recipe calls for 9×9, but I think mine is 8×8. That means the crust ends up being a bit too thick.
Donna in Inwood
Oh boy, these are delish! Just made a batch.
I used one teaspoon rum instead of maple extract (couldn’t find maple extract with decent ingredient list), and it turned out great. The caramel-ly filling combined with pecans is a great combo.
I will say, however, that the crust tends to fall apart. This is a chronic problem with almond-flour baked goods — no gluten to bind it together. I’d hoped the arrowroot might do the trick, and maybe it did help, but not enough.
The recipe is good enough that I will probably make it again anyway. But if anyone has a fix for the overly crumble-ly problem, I would love to hear it. Thanks.
Chris W
If you don’t have a diet restriction, you can always add an egg to help hold the crust together.