Why You’ll Love Them
This recipe comes from my first cookbook, and it’s still one of my favorites because it’s so fast and delicious! The crust and crumble are prepared at the same time, so you don’t have to take the extra time to make 3 separate layers. The crust and crumble layers are also 100% fruit sweetened (using dates!), and the chocolate layer is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup. The beauty of this no-bake recipe is you can taste everything as you go, too. If the chocolate layer isn’t sweet enough for you, you can always add an extra splash of maple syrup to help sweeten it up. Or, if you want something darker, you can use less maple syrup to begin with. The crust layer will add sweetness to the overall flavor, so you don’t need too much added sweetener in this recipe. Looking for a more traditional pie recipe? Try my Vegan Pecan Pie or Vegan Pumpkin Pie. Or for a chocolate dessert, try my Vegan French Silk Pie, which tastes like the real thing!
How to Make Them
To make these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, you’ll start by pulsing together 4 simple ingredients for the crust.
It may take up to 60 seconds of processing to get the dough to come together. I like to pulse the ingredients several times, to make sure everything gets processed uniformly. When the dough sticks together between your fingers, it’s ready to go! Reserve 1 loosely-packed cup of the mixture to save for the crumble topping. The cup does NOT need to be tightly packed, or you’ll have too much topping.
I like some of the chocolate to peek-through in the final bars, so a scant, loosely-packed cup of topping is more than enough. Press the rest of the mixture into the bottom of a lined 8- or 9-inch square dish lined with parchment paper.
How to Make the Vegan Chocolate Layer
To make the chocolate layer, we’re using my go-to formula for making a chocolate that will harden when chilled. All you need is 3 simple ingredients to make a homemade chocolate:
Coconut oil (this hardens when chilled) Cacao powder Maple Syrup (at room temperature)
Whisk the ingredients together, and you’ll see a magic chocolate sauce come together! Important Note: For best results, make sure your maple syrup is NOT cold from the fridge. If it is cold, it will thicken the coconut oil when they touch, making it much harder to spread out later. Measure out the maple syrup you need, then let it sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before getting started.
Spread the chocolate layer evenly over the crust in the pan. Then sprinkle the remaining crumble from the cup you reserved over top of the chocolate. Lightly press the crumble into the chocolate layer, so it will stay in place. Transfer the pan to the freezer and let it set for 2 hours, until firm. Slice into 16 bars, and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. These bars are best served chilled, because they will get soft at room temperature.
Top with coconut whipped cream if you want to serve these on a plate with a fork! If you try these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like them! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience. — Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite holiday dessert? If you love more traditional pie, be sure to check out
