Try these easy keto pecan pie bars with a French twist! They have an almond flour shortbread crust and a soft pecan filling. Even better, they are only 2.5g net carbs per bar.
As soon as autumn begins, I start craving the buttery, mellow flavours of pecan pie. And this is exactly where this recipe comes in. With only 10 minutes prep and 30 minutes of oven time, it is a quicker and simpler version of my Keto Pecan Pie!
I served these gluten-free keto pecan bars to American friends recently who absolutely loved them. There was not a single crumb left at the end of the afternoon!
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Why This Recipe Works
I lived in the United States for a while, so I have first-hand expertise in baking authentic Thanksgiving cakes, pies and bars. However, this recipe is not only buttery, nutty, sweet and delicious... it is exciting because it has a French twist!
Well, instead of simply topping the pie crust with pecan halves and caramel as you would for classic pecan pie, I made a pecan frangipane. Frangipane is a traditional French pastry cream containing ground nuts, butter, egg and sugar (in our case, sweetener).
It really makes the bars taste so delicious. Let's take a look at the ingredients:
Ingredients
- Pecans - I bought pecan halves. I grind some into a flour and use the rest for topping the bars.
- Almond flour or ground almonds - for the crust
- Egg - should be room temperature
- Butter - very soft for the crust and melted for the filling
- Sweetener - I used allulose, but a golden monk fruit sweetener would also be delicious.
- Salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract and almond extract - For autumn flavour!
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
It is really easy to make keto pecan pie bars.
First, you'll want to preheat the oven and line a rectangular baking pan (mine measured 25 x 15 cm) with parchment paper.
Step 1: Place the almond flour, sweetener and salt in the food processor and pulse briefly.
Step 2: Add the soft butter and egg and blend until the mixture forms a ball. Alternatively, stir together with a fork in a bowl, then knead until a smooth dough.
Step 3: Press the dough into the cake pan with your hands. Option to roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper and have it thinner, reaching up the sides of the pan like a pie.
Step 4: Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden, stirring continuously. Let it cool to lukewarm.
Step 5: Next, blend the pecans in a food processor to a flour. Add the cooled browned butter, sweetener, egg and egg yolk, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
Step 6: Add the filling on top of the crust and smooth with the back of a spoon or a spatula.
Step 7: Last, top with pecan halves and bake for 30 minutes or until browned. You want the top to be firm, but the inside to be still jiggly.
Expert Tip
The bars are very fragile straight out of the oven. Let them cool completely before cutting!
Recipe FAQs
It's possible to pre-bake the crust for 12 minutes if you want it extra crisp. I've omitted this step because I wanted to keep the recipe as simple as possible.
I made a test without browning the butter. It works as well. However, I really liked the additional flavor from the browned butter.
No, this would change the recipe too much.
Variations
Get it ready for Christmas: On top of the cinnamon, also add ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice and a pinch of cloves.
More pecan flavor: Sub half the almond flour in the base for pecan flour.
Make it dairy-free: For a dairy free version, swap out the butter for coconut oil.
Add a streusel topping: Hold back ⅓ of the base mix. Make a thinner crust with ⅔ of the mix (it'll still be plenty) and crumble the rest on top of the frangipane filling.
Add a caramel sauce: Make a batch of my Keto Caramel Sauce. Add the pecan halves for the topping and stir, then add on top of the bars.
Or, top the bars with keto candied pecans!
Storage
Refrigerator: Keto Pecan Pie bars are fine at room temperature for a day or two. I always prefer to store them in an airtight container in the fridge - for up to 6 days.
Freezer: Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight.
More Keto Desserts For Fall
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Pecan Pie Bars
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups almond flour 200g
- 2 tbsp allulose or a brown sugar substitute
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 3 tablespoon butter room temperature
- 1 tsp almond extract optional
Pecan Filling
- ½ cup butter 114g
- 1.5 cups pecan halves 150g
- ⅔ cup allulose 130g, or ½ cup-⅔ cup golden erythritol
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- ½ cup pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. Line a 25x15 cm rectangular pan with parchment paper.
Crust
- Place the flour, sweetener, cinnamon and salt in the food processor and pulse briefly. Add the butter, almond extract and egg and blend until the mixture forms a ball. Alternatively, stir together with a fork, then knead until a smooth dough.
- Press the dough into the cake pan with your hands. (Option to roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and have it thinner, reaching up the sides of the pan like when making a pie.)
Pecan Filling
- Optional step: Brown the butter in a saucepan until golden, stirring continuously. About 5 minutes. Take care that it does not burn! Let it cool to lukewarm.
- Blend the pecans in a food processor to a flour. Add the cooled butter, sweetener, 1 egg and 1 additional egg yolk, vanilla extract and cinnamon and mix until well-combined. Add the filling on top of the crust and smooth with the back of a spoon or a spatula.
- Top with pecan halves and bake for 30 minutes or until browned. You want the top to be set and the inside to be still jiggly. Let cool before cutting.
anna.karenina
I made it yesterday and it’s delicious
dinah
Hi, would this work if I used Xylitol?
thanks
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that would work just as well.
Katrin Nürnberger
It's 9x5 inch, measured at the base.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi there, I use cinnamon in both the topping and base. Glad you like the recipes - and thanks for the feedback 🙂
Carla
I love your recipes and always look forward to a new one,, in my Inbox! I wonder what Golden Erythritol is and if I can substitute Maple syrup? Or just use Stevia powder?
Thanks for a great blog!
Regards from Carla
Katrin Nürnberger
Many brands have a golden erythritol, it is a brown sugar alternative. I find that it works well with the nutty flavours of the recipe. However, you can use any sweetener in this recipe.
Marie Steffen
I live in Switzerland and can't find any of these ingredients like golden erythritol or sugar free maple syrup or allulose or monk fruit. Your recipes always look and sound so good ad it's disappointing that I can't make them.
Kristi K Payne
May I just use golden erythritol in the crust too?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes of course, but I would recommend that you blend it in a food processor first to powder it. Otherwise you may be able to taste the granules in the filling.
Ioana
Hi Katrin, this is not a review since I haven't made them yet - though I'm sure I'll be back with five stars like all your recipes that I've tried so far.
I do have a huge question- your recipe calls for allulose and I can't seem to be able to get it in Canada. Is there anything I can substitute for it please? I think I read somewhere that when a recipe calls for allulose you can use something else.
Would you please let me know your thoughts on this?
Thank you!
Katrin Nürnberger
Of course! You can use any sweetener in this recipe. I chose allulose because I like that it melts like sugar. You could also go for Bocha Sweet, check if you can get it on Amazon Canada. It's available here in the UK now as well. It's also possible to use powdered erythritol or an erythritol blend. Erythritol does not melt like sugar does, that's why a powdered variety would work better so you're getting a smooth result.
Sullivan Family
delish & so easy