Description
Cinnamon pecan bars blend creamy cashew filling with a nutty graham cracker crust for a delightful vegan dessert. Spiced with warm cinnamon and topped with toasted pecans, these bars offer rich flavors you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) almond flour
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped pecans
- ¼ cup (30 g) coconut flour
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) creamy cashew butter or almond butter
- 2 flax eggs (2 tbsps flax meal mixed with 6 tbsps water)
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened almond milk
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegan cream cheese or thick coconut yogurt
- 12 tbsps (180 ml) coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Prepare Binding Agent: Whisk flax meal with water, allowing the mixture to develop a gelatinous consistency for 5 minutes.
- Create Wet Base: Combine coconut oil, cashew butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and flax eggs, whisking until achieving a smooth, homogeneous liquid.
- Mix Dry Components: Sift together almond flour, coconut flour, ground cinnamon, and baking soda, ensuring no clumps remain.
- Develop Batter: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, then incorporate chopped pecans, maintaining a light and even distribution.
- Prepare Baking Environment: Preheat oven to 350F (175C), line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, creating slight overhangs for easy extraction.
- Bake and Set: Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the surface, then bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick emerges clean and edges turn golden brown.
- Cool and Rest: Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely at room temperature, ensuring structural integrity.
- Craft Frosting: Blend vegan cream cheese, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup until achieving a silky, spreadable consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Spread frosting evenly across cooled bars, slice into portions, and serve immediately or refrigerate for enhanced texture.
- Storage: Preserve remaining bars in an airtight container within the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Manage Flax Egg Consistency: Ensure flax meal and water blend completely, waiting full 5 minutes to achieve proper gelatinous texture which acts as critical egg replacement.
- Prevent Dry Bars: Mix wet and dry ingredients gently to avoid overmixing, which can create dense, tough texture in gluten-free vegan baking.
- Control Baking Temperature: Watch bars closely during final 5-10 minutes of baking, as almond and coconut flour can quickly transition from perfectly golden to burnt.
- Optimize Cooling Process: Allow bars to cool entirely at room temperature before frosting to prevent melting and maintain structural integrity of the dessert.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 17
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg