These Keto Pecan Pie Bars are so gooey and decadent, you won’t believe they’re sugar free! There’s a reason readers love them! And with less than 5g of carbs, you can afford to indulge.
Looking for a truly special dessert for the holidays that won’t give you a sugar high? Look no further than these amazing Keto Pecan Pie Bars. They are sweet gooey pecan perfection.
This really is one of my holiday favorites, and they give my Keto Pecan Pie some stiff competition. One bite and you will see why they’ve been so popular for years and years. Because no one should have to go without such deliciousness in their lives.
I’ve long said that the greatest joy for me is taking an old favorite and making it low carb and sugar-free. These Keto Pecan Pie Bars are the perfect example of such joy.
Why this recipe is so amazing
I created keto pecan pie bars early on in my blogging career, which is approximately a bajillion years ago. Or November 2013, which amounts to the same thing. Back then, however, low carb ingredients were more limited. The wide range of sweeteners we have now, as well as the brands of good quality sugar free chocolate simply didn’t exist.
But it was time to give them another update. Because once again, the keto universe is changing. And I’ve learned a lot working with different keto sweeteners and different techniques.
Some of you will notice that this recipe is a little different now. Trust me, this update makes them even better than ever. They’re easier to make and have even more rich pecan pie flavor.
I used my favorite Keto Pie Crust for the shortbread base, and a slightly modified version of my famous Keto Caramel Sauce in the filling. I also added more chopped pecans because you can never have enough pecans.
The chocolate chips are optional but I think it takes these bars over the top!
Reader Reviews
“Very delicious, love the caramelised filling. I live in England and thought it would be a struggle to achieve perfect taste due to difference in ingredients but it’s absolutely delicious. Thank you.” — Silvija
“These were absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Definitely will be making them again and again!!” — Karen L.
“So yummy! Probably own of my favorite treats to date! Thank you for making my life a little bit easier by having good treats to feed my family.” — Raechel
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: I used almond flour for the crust but you could also use pecan flour. It would go very well with these bars! I used it in my Keto Caramel Cheesecake Bars.
- Sweetener: You do need a mix of sweeteners for this recipe. The crust requires an erythritol sweetener, and the filling requires brown sugar substitute and allulose. Please see the Tips for Success section for more information.
- Butter: Butter is an essential ingredient in both the crust and the pecan filling.
- Heavy whipping cream: Heavy cream helps give the caramel sauce the right consistency.
- Eggs: You will need eggs to help set the filling and create a gooey pecan pie filling.
- Pecans: You can’t have pecan pie bars without pecans! I recommend chopping them up a little to make the bars easier to cut.
- Dark chocolate chips: I love the addition of chocolate chips in these bars. But if you prefer to omit them, I recommend adding another ⅓ cup of pecans to take their place.
- Pantry staples: Vanilla extract and salt.
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Prepare the crust: Whisk together almond flour, sweetener, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter until well combined.
2. Par-bake the crust: Press evenly into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch square pan and bake at 325ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. Remove and let cool in the pan.
3. Prepare the caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar replacement, and allulose. Bring to a boil and cook 2 to 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it so that it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and add the cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
4. Whisk in the eggs: Once the caramel sauce is cool, whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
5. Bake the bars: Scatter the pecans and chocolate chips over the crust and pour the filling overtop. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is mostly set but still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken.
6. Let cool: Remove and let cool for about 30 minutes before cutting into bars.
Tips for Success
I highly recommend a metal baking pan for these bars to bake through properly and for the crust to firm up. Just know that if you use glass or ceramic, they may not turn out quite as well.
You can also use an 8×8-inch baking pan, but keep in mind that your bars will be thicker and thus will take longer to cook through. You may need to bake the crust a bit longer as well.
If you would prefer to skip the chocolate chips, I recommend adding another ⅓ cup of chopped pecans to help give the filling the right volume.
Sweetener Options
This recipe uses a combination of erythritol and allulose based sweeteners. Erythritol is required important the crust if you want it to firm up properly. The filling takes a combination of a keto brown sugar (made with erythritol) and allulose, to keep it gooier.
If you can’t get allulose, you can use xylitol instead. You can also use mostly allulose in the filling, but it may have a different consistency and not set for a long time. I also find that there is a slightly sour taste when I make my caramel sauce with just allulose, and I don’t enjoy it.
Read more about how keto sweeteners work.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like these keto pecan pie bars gooey and room temperature so I store them in a covered container on the counter. They are good for up to 4 days. They can also be kept in the fridge for a week.
Many readers have had good luck freezing these bars. I recommend storing them between layers of waxed paper so they don’t stick together. They will be good for 2 or 3 months.
This keto chocolate ricotta cake recipe has 4.9g of carbs and 2.2g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.7g net carbs per bar.
More delicious keto pecan recipes
Keto Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup granular Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter melted
Pecan Pie Filling
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar replacement
- ¼ cup allulose
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup pecans chopped
- ¼ cup sugar free chocolate chips
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and lightly grease a 9-inch square metal baking pan.
- Whisk together almond flour, sweetener, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter until well combined.
- Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake at 325ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. Remove and let cool in the pan.
Pecan Pie Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar replacement, and allulose. Bring to a boil and cook 2 to 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it so that it doesn't burn.
- Remove from heat and add the cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
- Once the caramel sauce is cool, whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Scatter the pecans and chocolate chips over the crust and pour the filling overtop. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is mostly set but still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken.
- Remove and let cool for about 30 minutes before cutting into bars.
Robin says
Please help me understand what the glycerin is for, and what happens if it’s left out? Are there substitutes? If I have to get it, I guess I can use it to make DIY items for holiday gifts.
I appreciate you taking time to answer my questions.
mary-ellen says
So happy to have found this recipe – and only 6 net carbs – I am ALL in on this
Jan says
Hi, I just made the Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars. Dang, they are wonderful ! I have tried other low carb, gluten free pecan pie recipes and have been disappointed. These are so good that they are now on the menu for Thanksgiving and every other holiday (forever). Thank you.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it Jan!
Chris says
These sound lovely…any substitute for xyiltol? Hoping your donation drive continues to go well. 🙂
Carolyn says
You can just skip the xylitol and add more Swerve, but your filling may harden up a bit more.
EA-The Spicy RD says
Love that you’re doing this Carolyn, and what you said about eating well being a privilege, not a right, is so true! I came for the pecan pie bars-pecan pie is one of my all time favorites and these bars look amazing- but, even though I think you are well over the $300 mark, I also wanted to thank you for your generosity with your donation to Feeding America! Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family 🙂
Carolyn says
Thanks, EA!
Allyson says
Let’s try to reach your max of 300 people. Doing my -small- part to help out. Reminds me… I need to donate some canned goods at work.
These pecan bars look to die for. Can’t wait to try them out.
Chris in Oregon says
These look amazing! Have to try them soon!
Sandi @ Sandi'sAllergyFreeRecipes says
Love the pecan pie bars!! Definitely need to try them 😉
Hill says
Thank you for this!! It was perfect timing. I just made a pecan pie for my boyfriend to take to work and I was craving it. I came to your site to look through your pie recipes, and this was on the first page! I whipped it up, and ate more than I should have! This might be my favorite recipe I’ve made from your site. Thank you for all of your work to recreate and share all of these amazing recipes!!
Evan says
I’m always hesitant to enter giveaways, because I can never tell if they’re open to international entrants! It looks like a stellar prize, and I hope whoever wins them goes bananas cooking all of your lovely recipes! I’m attempting your lasagna as we speak. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Carmen says
These looks so good! I’m making these for work.
Ilyse says
Thanks so much for the suggestions! I am definitely going to give them a try!
Melissa says
YUMMY! 🙂
Sharlene says
I love pecan pie and can’t wait to try this.
Ruth E. Chidley says
Thank you Carolyn for your wonderful recipes. Having to start eating GF has been a new adventure for me these last 6 months. Your recipes have taken the fear and frustration about changing the way I eat.
I appreciate your caring spirit toward those in need. This, too, is a new area for me. I am disabled and my husband is retired USAF and has recently had his hours cut to 6 hours a week. Until the last few months we have never really felt “real need” in our lives. We were always blessed to be able to share with others. We have hope for the days ahead and in the meantime we are so thankful we have each other.
Wishing you and your family a most blessed Thanksgiving!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Ruth. Honestly, I was writing this post and thought I needed to do something. I’d love to do something for you! Can you email me at carketch29@yahoo.com?
Ruth E. Chidley says
Hi Deborah, at the end of Carolyn’s recipe I see where you can order the vegetable glycerin on Amazon. You may have it before Thanksgiving if you order right away. Good luck! : )
Deborah says
Very sweet of you, Ruth, to point that out, but I don’t live in America, which is why that wouldn’t have worked for me. However, my husband (who is American) ended up flying over this week to see his sick grandmother, and I ordered some glycerin for him to bring back, so I will actually have it before Thanksgiving! Having said which, my husband hates Turkey, I’m British, we don’t live in America, and we have a wedding to go to on Thursday evening. So, no Thanksgiving for us. But I may still make these this week nevertheless!
Sherry says
I can’t wait to try this out!
Maryjane says
This looks amazing and able to have smaller pieces is great. I have read all the comments. I have not gotten into the substitute sugars yet. Just going gluten free, because of sensitivity, has been mind boggling to me. I was wondering if I would be able to use organic cane sugar to replace the swerve & xylitol and vegetable glycerin. If so how much should I use?
Carolyn says
Hi Maryjane! YEs, use the cane sugar and do exactly 1 cup to replace both the erythritol and the xylitol in the caramel. Then you can skip the veg glycerin altogether. In the crust, just put in as much cane sugar as I do Swerve. And you should be all set!
Stacy says
These look amazing, and thanks for your generous donation!
Sally says
Could you substitute all the sweeteners with Splenda? And if so, do you leave out the vegetable glycerine then? Thank you! This looks sooooo good!
Carolyn says
Hi Sally. No, splenda is not a good sweetener for this recipe. It wont’ caramelize and it won’t give you the right flavour or texture. Sorry about that.