Maple Pecan Shortbread Bars (paleo & gluten free!)

Almond flour shortbread gets topped with a caramel-like topping featuring vanilla bean paste, maple syrup, butter, coconut sugar, and pecans.

These babies are naturally paleo and gluten free! (No weird flours required.)

Where in the world is Chapi’s Kitchen?

I’m sending lots of Christmas greetings and warmest wishes for the new year from Jakarta, Indonesia! We’re spending Christmas in Jakarta, before we work our way across Java and end up in Bali. Jakarta isn’t my first choice of where to spend Christmas, but due to the logistics of planning around a holiday, it’s how things worked out. To make the best of it, I booked an AirBNB with a kitchen so I could make something special for Christmas. I was so ready for some homemade macaroni and cheese and chocolate chip cookies! In normal travel news, things didn’t go as planned.

The “kitchen” that our AirBNB mentions does not include an oven or a microwave. I wasn’t going to let that stop me, because we still had a stove (for homemade stovetop mac, and no-bake cookies). We stocked up on plenty of items that we could cook on our stove. The only problem? The stove is out of gas! Have you ever heard of this? I didn’t even realize that was a possibility. The owner is out of town, and trying to get things done in Indonesia on Christmas is just not working out.

At least our dysfunctional AirBNB came with a good view! And, there’s no cooking required to have amazing tropical fruit, yogurt, and granola for breakfast.

Most of our Christmas celebrations involved eating cold sandwiches (avocado and cheese? Or banana and peanut butter?). It could certainly be worse, but what a Christmas to remember! At one point I went to use the pool at our complex, and it’s under construction. Come on Jakarta, work with me! The silver lining? For Christmas dinner we found some delicious Indonesian food, and at least there’s a friendly CrossFit gym here!

Now, moving on to the reason you’re here in the first place… these bars. 

About These Maple Pecan Shortbread Bars

These bars taste so rich and flavorful even the biggest dessert fiends will have no idea they’re naturally paleo and gluten free. Have you ever realized halfway through a new recipe that it was going to be way better than you hoped? That happened with these bars. I could barely wait for them to finish baking because the anticipation was killing me.

It turns out, my hunch was right. These didn’t last more than a few days at my house. They’re sweet, salty, crunchy, and gooey. It doesn’t matter if you’re eating them fresh from the oven, or directly from the freezer, because they are good in all forms. The bottom layer is made with almond flour, and the top layer is an addictive combo of maple syrup, butter, pecans, and vanilla bean. It’s a bit like pecan pie… but better.

Vanilla Bean Paste

I love using vanilla bean paste. You can substitute it for vanilla extract in almost any circumstance (I usually save it for extra special treats). It adds an amazing flavor, and lots of vanilla bean specks! I buy my vanilla bean paste online, because sometimes it’s hard to find in stores. I’ve baked a lot with this brand and this brand, and recommend either one!

I hope you love these bars as much as I do!

Happy New Year to all of my wonderful readers! Thanks for sticking with this newb while I figure out how to blog. 

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Maple Pecan Shortbread Bars (paleo & gluten free)

Almond flour shortbread gets topped with a caramel-like topping featuring vanilla bean paste, maple syrup, butter, coconut sugar, and pecans. These are sweet, salty, crunchy, gooey, and darn delicious!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 16 bars

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp salted butter (I prefer Kerrygold)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Maple Pecan Topping

• 1/3 cup salted butter
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 (or 8x8) pan with parchment paper and spray with a non-stick spray. Set aside.

2. Once oven is heated, put pecans on ungreased baking sheet and heat until toasted and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside.

For Shortbread Crust:

1. Combine all crust ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until a dough-like texture forms. Press the crust into the pan, evenly distributing. Place in the oven and bake for 12 mins. Set aside to cool. Leave oven on.

For Gooey Pecan Topping:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat butter, coconut sugar, and maple syrup over medium low heat. Mixture should begin to bubble, let simmer for 2-3 minutes while whisking (careful not to let it burn). Remove from heat.

2. Stir in vanilla bean paste and cinnamon. Once mixture has cooled slightly, mix in egg until completely combined. Finally, stir in toasted pecans and sea salt. Then pour on top of cooled crust, spreading evenly.

3. Bake for 27-30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars (or it will be a delicious and gooey mess!). These will keep in the fridge for 1 week, but also taste amazing straight from the freezer. 😉

Recipe Notes

Vanilla bean paste is worth every penny! I buy this brand and absolutely love it. 

Adapted from this recipe.

Be sure to try out these sweet, salty, and crunchy cookies next!