These 5-ingredient no-bake pecan bars are the perfect heart-healthy treat to satisfy your sweet tooth after a nutritious meal!
My favorite kind of dessert is the no bake kind. And I’m OBSESSED with these no-bake pecan bars this season. Made with only five ingredients, they’re incredibly easy to make and totally guilt free. And the best part? They’re heart healthy – meeting the dessert criteria set by the American Heart Association for a heart healthy recipe!
I like to cut these bars into small squares – enough to satisfy a sweet tooth after a meal. However, I have also cut these bars into larger squares (15 per recipe) for a more substantial bar to give away as gifts around the holidays.
What makes these sweet and chewy bars good for the heart? They…
- Are fiber-rich with rolled oats
- Have healthy unsaturated fat and protein from pecans
- Are low in sugar – each bar only has 1 tsp of added sugar per serving
- Are only 200 calories per bar
No-Bake Pecan Bars
These bars are the perfect mini size for a quick snack or to satisfy your sweet tooth after a healthy meal! Recipe inspired by Cookie + Kate.
No-Bake Maple Cinnamon Pecan Bars
Makes 30
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 1/4 cups pecan halves (divided)
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp maple syrup
Method:
- In a high-speed blender, pulse rolled oats until roughly chopped (but not ground into a flour). Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add cinnamon and salt, and stir to combine.
- In a large skillet, toast pecans over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until fragrant – careful not to burn.
- Transfer 4 cups of pecans to a high-speed blender and let cool.
- Transfer the remaining 1 1/4 cups of pecans to a cutting board and chop.
- In high-speed blender, blend the cooled 4 cups of pecans until smooth, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides and push the mixture toward the blade.
- Whisk together pecan butter and maple syrup. Add to mixing bowl with oats and stir until well-combined and no dry oats remain. You may need to use your hands to combine.
- Fold in chopped pecans.
- Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper. Firmly press bar mixture into pan, using a spatula or pastry roller to make sure it’s even throughout and packed down tightly.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Slice bars into 30 even squares.
- Store in the fridge or at room temperature.
Optional: Press additional pecan halves into the top of the bars for a fancy look.
More No-Bake Bars:
- Avocado Grasshopper Bars
- Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Bars
- No Bake Meyer Lemon Cashew Cheesecake (can be cut into bars)
- Chocolate Chia Energy Bars
These look so amazing! Here’s a recipe I think you might like: Thai Style Coconut Chicken