Rosemary Pecan Pie Bars
Move over sad, store-bought dessert—these vegan rosemary pecan pie bars are coming in hot and they are outrageously delicious! Buttery shortbread crust that’s studded with fresh rosemary and lemon zest is topped with a caramel pecan pie filling that’s delightfully chewy and rich in nutty flavor. Once sliced, you can enjoy these hand-held or with a fork and a big dollop of coconut whip. No one will know or care that they are vegan and they will definitely steal the show at any holiday gathering!
COMPONENTS FOR THESE VEGAN ROSEMARY PECAN PIE BARS
The crust for these vegan rosemary pecan pie bars couldn’t be easier! You simply mix the dough and press it into the baking dish and par-bake it before adding the filling. Also, what I love most about these bars is the filling-to-crust ratio (I’m a crust lover!). It’s just the right amount of filling making each bite incredibly satisfying. Another key point is the rosemary, which offers a lovely savory note.
As for the filling, well it’s quite simple, too! It does require a plant-based egg situation to help everything bind and set nicely. This involves silken tofu, cornstarch, flaxseed meal, and lastly, some coconut oil which really helps to improve the overall texture once chilled.
MAKING THE CRUST
The first step for making these bars is to make and par-bake the crust. However, you should finish this before you start to make the caramel. (Unless you are good at multi-tasking but don’t get a lip with me if you burn it while dealing with the crust!)
MAKING THE FILLING
The filling for these vegan rosemary pecan pie bars is easy! First, you blend together the silken tofu, milk, cornstarch, and flaxseed meal. These plant-based egg replacements work together nicely together. They create a thick and gooey, yet sturdy texture for slicing. (Remember, traditional pecan pie has eggs and that’s a no go over here, folks.) Next, you will cook some sugar with maple syrup until bubbly and then add the blended mixture.
BAKING THE VEGAN ROSEMARY PECAN PIE BARS
Once the filling is done and the crust is par-baked, you are ready to combine. I do love to use some kitchen clips to help keep the parchment paper out of the way. But do remember to remove them while baking! Next, these vegan rosemary pecan pie bars are baked until just slightly jiggly in the center.
CHILLING THE VEGAN ROSEMARY PECAN PIE BARS
Lastly, a crucial step for these bars is to let them cool down before placing them in the fridge. Equally important, I like for them to set overnight and to slice them while still cold to get nice, clean squares. Then you are ready to serve these vegan rosemary pecan pie bars!
SERVE AND ENJOY
In conclusion, there you have my vegan rosemary pecan pie bars! Fun fact, this was one of the first recipes ever published on my blog in 2017. The instructions needed some clarifications and the post itself desperately needed some new images. So here we are! I hope that you love the updated recipe. Lastly, if you do try them, please let me know in the reviews below. Happy baking, friends.
Warmly,
Timothy
FAQs FOR THIS RECIPE:
Yes! Once these vegan rosemary pecan pie bars are sliced, you can wrap them in parchment paper or place them in a tightly-sealed bag and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 4 months. They are delicious served chilled or frozen.
If you are confident using a GF flour that you know works well, I bet it would be great here. That said, I have not personally tested it. Sadly, there is no way to make these bars soy free. Apologies!
You can totally leave it out! No worries.
These bars slice up nicely into 8 pieces but they are very rich and you could totally get away with slicing them into smaller pieces, potentially serving 16 people. (Especially if you have a full spread of food!)
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY THESE HOLIDAY RECIPES:
Creole Chex Mix
White Truffle Mac and Cheese
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Rosemary Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
- 8 ounces (1 cup) salted, cultured plant butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240 g
Pecan Pie Filling:
- 1 (10.8 oz) pack shelf-stable silken tofu
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil, refined or unrefined
- 2 cups pecan halves
- Flaky salt, to garnish, optional
- Coconut whip, to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with two pieces of overlapping parchment paper, leaving extra length for easy removal. Set aside.
- Make the shortbread crust: Using a hand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and rosemary. Once the butter mixture is fluffy, add the flour in two parts, mixing until it is all just incorporated and being mindful not to overmix. Use a sturdy wooden spoon to mix in the dry bits from the bottom of the bowl and to scrape the sides.
- Using that same spoon, plop dollops of the dough equally spaced into the lined pan. Using your fingers, press the mixture into the lined pan evenly.
- Use a fork to delicately poke holes into the crust (but not to the bottom of the pan!).
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are just slightly golden. Once baked, remove and set aside while you make your filling. Leave the oven on at 350°F. (The bars will be baked at the same temperature.)
- Make the filling: Place the tofu, milk, cornstarch, flaxseed meal, vanilla, and salt in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides down and blend for an additional 10 seconds. Set aside.
- Note: Ideally the crust should be done and out the oven before you start making this caramel. You need to focus! To make the caramel, combine the sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a medium pot and place over medium-low heat. Use a wooden spoon to mix well and cook until it begins to gently bubble. Once bubbling, cook and stir for 8 minutes, mixing consistently. (This isn’t the time to step away so stay put.) Once the mixture is thick, turn off the heat and add the coconut oil. Stir to combine.
- Blend the set-aside mixture once more for a few seconds and pour directly into the hot sugar mixture. Mix well and fold in the pecans. Once incorporated, pour over the pre-baked shortbread crust. (If using, evenly sprinkle over just a few pinches of flaky salt before baking.)
- Bake and chill: Bake for 40-50 minutes in the center of the oven, until the center is only slightly jiggly. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool. Then cover and chill in the fridge overnight. Slice while cold and enjoy chilled or at room temperature. A dollop of coconut whip definitely doesn't hurt!
These are incredible! I love that I could throw these together last minute with pantry staples. They came out great even with a couple substitutions like firm tofu and dried rosemary. They’re the perfect mix of sweet and salty, and they’re decadent but not too heavy. So glad to have this recipe on hand as holiday get together season approaches.
Natalie! So, so happy to see your comment. Thank you for being here! Love that were able to use firm tofu and dried rosemary. Have a lovely day, friend.