Getting healthy for the New Year doesn’t have to mean skipping dessert. Try these sugar free Keto Pecan Toffee Bars. You won’t regret it, I promise! Now with an instructional video.
One of my favorite keto holiday treats now has its own How To Video! Check out how easy it is to make these sugar free Pecan Toffee Bars.
There are two ways of looking at this New Year thing. Depending on your perspective, you might be saying:
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Woot woot, welcome to 2016!!!
Or, if this change of calendar year has snuck up on you, you’re all:
OH CRAP, IT’S ALREADY 2016, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!???!”
Where do you fall on that spectrum? I think I am somewhere in the middle. It’s astonishing how quickly time moves as you get older and no matter how aware I am that a new year is coming, I always feel a little caught off guard.
But at the same time, I always feel the excitement that a new year and a new start brings. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions anymore, as I know full well that life might throw me a curve ball and those grand plans will fall to the wayside. I have no interest in feeling guilty for not living up to my own grandiose expectations.
But I do have ideas and plans and dreams and I get pretty excited about getting after it in the year to come. Whether or not I can bring them all to fruition remains to be seen.
Proof that I am constantly surprised at the rapid passing of time are these low carb Pecan Toffee Bars. I developed this recipe well before the holidays with every intention of getting it up before Christmas. That didn’t happen, obviously.
But in the end, I am rather glad about that. I sensed a little “holiday sweets” ennui from my readers and I decided to hold these back for a bit. I would have hated to see them get lost in the shuffle of holiday cookie recipes. They are much too tasty to be overlooked! And besides, any time is a good time for pecans and toffee. Right? Right? Am I right?
Tips for Pecan Toffee Bars
The almond flour shortbread crust on these bars is simply divine. It’s crisp to bite into but also melt in your mouth delicious, as all good shortbread should be. Be sure to pre-bake it and let it cool before adding the topping. That process is part of what helps it crisp up so nicely.
The toffee is made with Swerve Sweetener, an erythritol based sweetener. Let’s be honest, low carb sweeteners do not behave exactly as sugar does. So while Swerve does caramelize, it takes a little coaxing. You need to make sure you boil the toffee mixture enough. Do not panic if it smokes a bit, as this is normal when caramelizing erythritol based sweeteners.
Be sure to stand near that pan while it caramelizes as it can over cook and burn, just like a sugar based toffee. Watch it carefully and when it deepens to amber, remove it from heat immediately.
When you add the vanilla, it will bubble vigorously. This is also normal for any toffee recipe.
Don’t pre-toast the pecans, as they will get plenty toasted during baking. I used pecan halves but you can use chopped pecans as well, as long as they are raw and unsalted. I’ve made these several times and I actually find that some chopped pecans makes the bars easier to cut in the end.
Let the bars cool completely before cutting, and use a very sharp large knife. Because of the hardness of the toffee, these can shatter a bit when cutting. A very good chef’s knife helps. Also be sure to cut straight up and down, without sawing.
These delicious keto Pecan Toffee Bars make a fabulous gift for anyone. If you can pry them from your own fingers!
More Fabulous Keto Pecan Recipes
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Keto Pecan Toffee Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter chilled and cut into small pieces
Topping:
- ¾ cup granulated Swerve Sweetener
- ½ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 ½ cups pecans (some chopped, some whole)
Instructions
Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat oven to 325F and line an 9x9 or 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine almond flour, powdered sweetener, and salt. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle with butter pieces and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Alternatively, you can cut in butter with a pastry cutter.
- Press into bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until just beginning to brown on the edges. Remove and let cool while preparing topping.
Topping:
- In a medium heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat, combine Swerve and butter and stir until Swerve is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook without stirring until mixture darkens to amber, about 5 to 7 minutes (time may vary depending on the quality of your cookware).
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt. If the mixture appears to be separating, stir in 2 tablespoon of powdered Swerve Sweetener until it comes back together.
- Sprinkle crust evenly with pecans. Pour toffee mixture evenly overtop. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until topping has darkened and bubbles thickly. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
Tammy says
So far this is my FAV recipe, I’ve made it several times. I’ve shared these bars with other (non-keto and sugar-loving peeps) and everyone has loved them! Thank you so much for this recipe. I would like to say that I have added shredded coconut and chocolate chips to keep the pecans company, and WOW-SO Yummy! 😀
JoAnn says
These look so good and i would love to make them but fot me, Swerve (erythritol in general) has a very stong and unpleasant cooling effect/taste. Is there something else that i could use?
Carolyn says
Only erythritol based sweeteners will make this hard like toffee.
Michelle Kane says
How come they don’t have pecan flour in them? Just asking because I come across soo many recipes that are “pecan” orientated and they never use pecan flour?
Carolyn says
Pecan flour is great but it doesn’t make for a nice, cohesive shortbread crust like blanched almond flour. I’ve got two crusts with pecan flour and they are delicious but they look a little weird: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-blueberry-jamboree/
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-cranberry-pecan-magic-bars/
Sherri says
I CAN NOT WAIT TO TRY THIS! Thanks for all your recipes♥️
Raine says
Followed the instructions and video but unfortunately it didn’t turn out for me. The almond flour base is way too sweet and most of the pecans fell off while I tried to cut the bars in pieces.
Phyllis says
I have to agree with the people that are saying nowhere Near enough sauce and 3 cups of pecans was a huge amount for the 9 x 9 pan. I followed everything to the letter, double checked measurements. There’s just not enough sauce. I watched the video as well and it looked like you used way less than 3 cups and had more sauce to distribute. I love love your recipes but this was an expensive “what the heck!”
Carolyn says
Sorry but I really do make it exactly this way and have done for years. It truly does work as written. I’m sorry you didn’t love it but as I say, it really does work. It’s not meant to have tons of the toffee – it’s supposed to be a coating that helps the pecans stick to the bars.
Lynda says
Hi Caroline,
When I watch the video it looks like granulated swerve in the crust and powdered in the topping. I did follow the recipe and used ordered in my crust and it was barely enough to cover the bottom of my 8by8 pan. Can you confirm, Thanks!!
Carolyn says
No in both the recipe and the video, it’s powdered in the crust and granulated in the topping – always trust the written recipe, as videos are hard to see exactly what’s used. The toffee is supposed to be a thin layer and it spreads as it cooks, too.
Angela B says
November 24, 2020
Made this tonight for my husband and he absolutely loved it!!!
You won’t miss a thing!
Lari Hagan says
Giving this five stars because the taste is amazing!!! I did not read all of the comments so this may have been suggested already. Freeze for a few minutes before cutting into bars. This helped mine not to fall apart. Freezing the bars between parchment paper for Thanksgiving. Thanks
Carolyn says
Great tip, thanks!
Jennifer Wood says
I bought a bag of Botha Sweet for your amazing caramel sauce. I’m wondering if it might work for this toffee?
Jennifer says
Bocha. Thanks auto-correct.
Carolyn says
No… toffee should be hard as it cools and BochaSweet will make it soft and it will never harden up.
Jenny says
Every time I make these I die cure enjoyment. They are always so excellent! However, I have the same problem that the crust is super crumbly and the pecans fall off. I don’t have a problem with it because I can just eat it with a fork but I don’t think I would make these for other people. I will try the 9 x 9 pan. I think mine might also be 8 x 8. YUMMMMM!!!
Jenny says
Sorry for commenting twice! It looks like you replied to my comment back in January, lol!!
Ashley says
How can I keep the topping from crystallizing? I used Lankato monk fruit.
Tish says
Hi Carolyn. The only sweetener I have is Lakanto Classic, Powdered, and Golden. It´s monk fruit with erythritol. Would that work instead of Swerve? It´s used 1:1 like sugar. Thanks in advance.
Carolyn says
Use the golden, that’s your best bet here.