Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Pecan Bars
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These Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Pecan Bars are perfect for pecan pie lovers! With their brown sugar shortbread crust and salted caramel pecan filling, these yummy gluten-free pecan pie bars are as delicious as they are gorgeous.
I didn’t know I loved pecan pie or pecan pie bars until I took high school geometry.
That might sound like an unlikely meet-cute for me and pecan bars, but, well, isn’t that the way with most love stories?
We celebrated Pi Day (March 4th aka 3.14) by everyone bringing in pies to share and in a sea of chocolate cream, pumpkin, apple, and cherry, one of my classmates brought in a traditional pecan pie, which I’d never tried before. I ate WAY more than my fair share of pecan pie that day, and I’ll forever be grateful to Susie K. who totally changed my life with that pie. (THANKS Suse!)
Pecan pie has been a regular staple at my holiday table in some shape or form ever since. These Gluten-Free Caramel Pecan Pie Bars are a perfect example. They channel the flavor of classic pecan pie, but they’re SO MUCH EASIER to make!
We skip pie crust in favor of a simple gluten-free buttery shortbread crust, then top it with a gooey pecan pie filling and plenty of crunchy pecans. They’re easy to make, and even easier to eat! But best of all, they start with simple ingredients…
Gather Your Ingredients
We make our pecan pie bar recipe without corn syrup, trading it out for a gorgeous salted caramel filling that’s unbelievable with toasty pecans and a flaky brown sugar shortbread crust. Would you believe that all that goodness starts with simple ingredients?
- Butter. You’ll use butter in both the brown sugar shortbread crust + the pecan filling. It’s like magic.
- Brown Sugar & White Sugar. I use a mix of light brown sugar & granulated sugar in the crust to give it a unique and subtly caramel-y taste that’s gorgeous with the crunchy pecans. Our filling uses only brown sugar and I love the flavor it adds!
- Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. We’re BIG fans of King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour blend for baking and HIGHLY recommend using it for these easy pecan pie bars. It gives great texture to crusts and works like a dream for most other GF baking projects! If you use another 1:1 flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill), make sure it contains xanthan gum!
- Honey. One of the ways we can make pecan bars without corn syrup is swapping it out for honey and brown sugar. It still caramelizes and thickens to make gorgeous salted caramel pecan filling you’ll dream about.
- Coconut Cream, Heavy Cream, or Half-and-Half. Our family eats limited dairy, so I usually make the filling with coconut cream, but heavy cream or half and half adds a silky richness to the filling that’s gorgeous.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract. To balance that flavor! You’ll need salt for the crust & filling, and vanilla for the filling only.
- Pecans. Can’t make pecan bars without pecans! I like roughly chopping the pecans so they’re easier to distribute over the flaky crust. It also makes them a little easier to cut into squares later.
How To Make Salted Caramel Pecan Bars, Step-By-Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
Start With The Shortbread Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a square metal 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Mix Up The Crust. In a stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat 1-2 minutes, or until light, creamy, and fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix on low speed just until the flour is moistened and there are small crumbly pieces of dough. (Don’t overbeat to make the mixture come together–it should be crumbly)
- Prepare For Baking. Pour the crumbly crust mixture out into your prepared pan. Using the back of a flexible spatula, your fingers, or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, pat out the shortbread crust mixture until it’s smooth on top, making sure the crust extends all the way to the borders of the pan. (So the filling doesn’t seep through later). Use a fork to gently prick the crust 9-12 times or so to allow air to escape as it bakes (so it doesn’t puff up in the oven).
- Bake crust in preheated oven 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are just golden brown and the center looks set. Set aside to cool for a few minutes while you mix up the salted caramel pecan filling.
Then, Make The Salted Caramel Pecan Filling
- Make The Caramel Mixture. While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, cream, and salt. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil just 3 minutes, whisking regularly. (The surface should look foamy and slightly lighter in color than before.)
- Finish The Filling. Remove from the heat and stir in chopped pecans and vanilla, stirring well to coat the pecans fully in the salted caramel mixture. (You’ll notice the caramel mixture has thickened)
- Carefully pour the salted caramel pecan mixture out over the baked shortbread crust. Gently use a spatula to spread the mixture (be gentle so the pecans don’t dent or scrape the crust!).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the center is still slightly wobbly. (This wobbly center is important, since the bars will continue to cook for a few minutes once you pull them out of the oven. If your center doesn’t have any wobble at all, the bars may set up more stiff and chewy than soft and gooey.)
- Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired, and let the gluten-free pecan bars cool completely before cutting into squares so the filling doesn’t drip. (You can put them in the refrigerator to help speed up this process.) Enjoy right away, store in an airtight container 1-2 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
How To Tell When Pecan Bars Are Done
The edges should be set and the center should *just* wiggle in the center. The bars will continue to cook for a few minutes after you’ve pulled them out of the oven, so you want the center to be a little wiggly. If you over-bake them, the filling may end up stiff and chewy rather than soft and gooey.
Tips For The Best Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Bars
- Store Your Pecans In The Freezer! Most nuts have a high fat content, which means they’re prone to spoiling more quickly. You can keep your pecans tasting fresh by storing them in an airtight bag or container in the freezer. Pecans will stay fresh about 2 months at room temperature, 9 months in the refrigerator and up to 2 years in the freezer!
- Use Softened (Not Warm!) Butter For The Shortbread Crust. Butter temperature is critical for getting light, flaky gluten-free shortbread crust. You’re aiming for softened, which means the butter should still be cool to the touch and indent slightly when gently pressed with your finger. Your finger shouldn’t easily sink into the butter or look shiny or greasy (too warm!) and the butter shouldn’t be rock solid from the fridge.
- An Easy Trick To Pat Down Your Shortbread Crust. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup or the back of a flexible spatula to pat down your shortbread crust. (Fingertips also work, but they can make divots and usually don’t make things quite as smooth.)
- Don’t Over-Bake! Remember that especially when you make pecan bars without corn syrup, it’s important to pull them out of the oven when the center is still slightly wobbly, as they’ll keep cooking for a few minutes after being removed from the oven.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Chop Pecans Or Leave Them Whole For Pecan Bars? I prefer roughly chopping the pecans. Having some pieces that are larger and some smaller makes for a beautiful presentation and helps distribute the pecans more evenly than leaving them whole, which can make these delicious bars easier to slice later. Be sure not to mince the pecans though–you still want good-sized pieces!
Can You Freeze Pecan Bars? Yes! Cut the baked, cooled gluten-free pecan bars into squares, then transfer in a single layer to a freezer-safe airtight bag. If you must stack them, separate the layers with parchment or waxed paper to avoid them sticking together. They’ll keep up about 6-8 weeks in the freezer!
Can I Use Another Kind of Flour? I don’t recommend coconut flour, almond flour, oat flour, or any other single ingredient gluten-free flour for these pecan pie bars. They just don’t achieve the same delicate, flaky texture!
🌟 Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Bars recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Pecan Bars
Ingredients
For The Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust:
- ½ cup softened butter (113 grams/1 stick butter)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (50 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (25 grams)
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, (scooped & leveled or weighed) (180 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Salted Caramel Pecan Filling:
- 5 Tablespoons butter (71 grams)
- 6 Tablespoons packed brown sugar (75 grams)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons coconut cream heavy cream, or half-and-half
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups roughly chopped pecans (163 grams)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- To Garnish: 1/4 tsp. or so flaky sea salt like Maldon
Instructions
To Make The Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat & Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8″ baking dish with parchment paper.
- Cream Butter & Sugars. In a stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer), combine together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat 1-2 minutes, or until light, creamy, and fluffy.
- Add Dry Ingredients. Add flour and salt and mix on low speed just until the flour is moistened and there are small crumbly pieces of dough. (Don’t over-beat to make the mixture come together–it should be crumbly)
- Pat The Crust Out. Pour the crumbly crust mixture out into your prepared baking dish. Using the back of a flexible spatula, your fingers, or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, pat out the shortbread crust mixture until it’s smooth on top, making sure the crust extends all the way to the borders of the pan. (So the filling doesn’t seep through later).
- Prick The Crust. Use a fork to gently prick the crust 9-12 times or so to allow air to escape as it bakes (so it doesn’t puff up in the oven).
- Bake the crust at 350 degrees 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are just golden and the center looks set. Set aside to cool for a few minutes while you mix up the salted caramel pecan filling.
For The Salted Caramel Pecan Filling:
- Combine. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, honey, cream, and salt.
- Cook. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil just 3 minutes, whisking regularly. (The surface should look foamy and slightly lighter in color than before.)
- Finish. Remove from the heat and stir in chopped pecans and vanilla, stirring well to coat the pecans fully in the salted caramel mixture. (You’ll notice the caramel mixture has thickened)
- Pour Filling Over Crust. Carefully pour the salted caramel pecan filling out over the baked shortbread crust. Gently use a spatula to spread the mixture (be gentle so the pecans don’t dent or scrape the crust!).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the center is still slightly wobbly. (This wobbly center is important, since the bars will continue to cook for a few minutes once you pull them out of the oven. If your center doesn’t have any wobble at all, the bars may set up more stiff and chewy than soft and gooey.)
- Serve & Store. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired, and let the gluten-free pecan bars cool completely before cutting into squares so the filling doesn’t drip. (You can put them in the refrigerator to help speed up this process.)
Notes
- Use The Right Pan! I only recommend a metal baking pan for this recipe, since glass & ceramic pans conduct heat differently. They’ll take longer to bake, which can cause an uneven set to the topping, AND the crust can “climb” the sides.
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/gluten-free-salted-caramel-pecan-bars/Originally published November 2021. Additional notes, new photos, and video added October 2025.
Delicious!! These were just amazing! When I made these I cut them into little square bites and added them to the holiday cookie plate to give to friends over Christmas. I got so many compliments on these perfect little pecan bites. These are a great substitute if you don’t want to make a full on pecan pie! Can’t wait to make these again!
Crystal – You COMPLETELY made my day with this review!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to leave it. I appreciate you so much! (And I’m so glad you loved these yummy bars as much as I do)
once I purchase all the ingredients I’m definitely making these. I love that it isn’t a huge amount. 8 inch pan is just enough for us. This recipe appears to be so much simpler than many other pecan bar recipes out there. And its gluten free! Just what I’m looking for.
Will share my results once I’ve made them.
Can’t wait to hear how it goes Jody!
These are so so yummy! I made them thinking I’d stash them in the freezer and nibble on them throughout Thanksgiving and Christmas to satisfy my pecan pie craving. They’re buttery, sweet, caramel-y, salty, nutty perfection! My family (who claims not to like pecan pie) DEVOURED them. I have to make another batch!
Sherry this REVIEW!!!! I can’t get over it! You’re the absolute best. Thank you!
These are soooo good! And easy! Thank you, Emily, for this awesome recipe!!!
haven’t made these yet but I’m getting to it…soon!
I can use regular all purpose flour right? It would still be 180g I’m guessing since i always measure 1 cup at 120g plus the half = 180g. Am I right?
I’m cheering for you! I can’t test them with regular all purpose flour, but YES the theory is that it’s a 1:1 substitute. 180 grams would be 1 1/2 cups. 🙂 Can’t wait to hear how it goes Jody!
can I use just regular all purpose flour if I don’t need them to be gluten free? would it be the same amount? 1 1/2 cups (180g)?
thanks
I can’t test them with regular all purpose flour, but YES the theory is that it’s a 1:1 substitute. 180 grams would be 1 1/2 cups. 🙂 Can’t wait to hear how it goes Jody!
I give these 10 stars!
I made them yesterday using all purpose flour and the family were fighting over them 😆
really really good!
Am going to make again using Bibs Red Mill 1 to 1 all purpose gluten free. Hope that brand works! I ended up baking mine about 5 min longer as the centre wasn’t quite ready.
Jody this review COMPLETELY made my day!!! I’m so glad you loved them!
When the caramel mixture is “boiling for 3 min” are you stirring during that 3 min or leave it without stirring?
Hi, Jody! I usually stir during that time. I’ll update the instructions so that’s clear!
I’m making these again for about the 4th time lol. They’re so good.
I don’t have enough butter so would using some margarine in the crust or filling work ok in place of butter?
thanks 😊
Hi Jody! I’m SO GLAD you’re loving these bars!
Butter is always my first choice, but when you don’t have it, I’d say that margarine would probably be your best substitute (over something like shortening or oil). Wishing you so much luck!
I made these as the only gluten-free dessert option this Thanksgiving. Everyone loved them and thought that they did not seem gluten-free. I did substitute dark maple syrup for honey, which worked out well.
I’m SO glad they were a win for you, Laurie! We’re the only gluten-free people in my extended family, but EVERYONE always raves about these bars!
OMG! These are amazing!!! I was frustrated with Ethel´s bakery- shrinkflation with the size of their pecan dandies, so I decided to make these myself. My first go at them was with a different maple syrup recipe- they were good, but after more research, found that I should use honey. Tried this recipe and I thought they were better than Ethel´s and my non-GF family members couldn get anough of them. I plan do 4x or 5x the recipe and try to make them on a cookie sheet for the holiday festivities. I plan to freeze if any remain. Love having an easy supply of delicousness on hand for myself. I used King Arthur 1 for 1 GF flour from Costco (love the big bag!) and heavy whipping cream. Thank you for this recipe. Will never buy Ethel´s again!
I’m SO GLAD you loved them Nikki! I felt like they were a GREAT swap for Ethel’s, too!
These are fantastic! I don’t love the taste honey and I was worried after I tasted the mixture in the pan but I baked them and, wow, so good! My crust was very sandy but I patted it in the pan and it baked just fine and is holding together. This was easy to throw together and I like the 8 inch pan size. Thanks for another keeper!
I’m so glad you loved them, Robin! (And THANK YOU for leaving a review–I appreciate them so much!)
I love these bars. I look forward to them every fall. They are sweet and just the right amount of salty. Delightful
I’ve made these a few times now, and everyone always loves them. I use the gluten free flour even though I’m not gluten free because I wouldn’t change a thing about this recipe. My family was already requesting I bring them for Christmas in July. I’m not experienced at baking, but this recipe is easy to follow. Thanks for sharing!
Katie – THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review! You completely made my day. I’m so glad they’re a win for your family!
I made two batches- one gluten free and one not gluten free with AP Flour and both were absolutely divine! No notes! I thought the cookie part would be too crumbly based on how it looked when I poured it in the pan but they held together well! Will definitely be making them again!
Danielle you totally made my day! SO glad they were a win for you! (And I know what you mean about the crust! It doesn’t *seem* like it’s going to work, but the oven does its magic!)
The Salted Caramel Pecan Bars are perfect! Delicious and easier than making a pie.
So glad you loved them Carolyn!
Can you freeze these if I make a few days in advanced?
Yes! They freeze like a dream.
Came out excellent- and i used a ceramic baking dish. I love the homemade caramel w coconut milk. So much better than traditional high fructose syrup.
Delicious! So glad you enjoyed it!
I made these last year and they were sooo good and easy. They popped up on my FB memories to remind me to make them again for a ladies social for 20 gals next week and I know they’ll be a hit. Also, kudos for answering every comment……very rare!
Denise
Denise! You completely made my day. I’m so glad they were a win for you and so appreciate your kind words. I read and appreciate every single review! Happy holidays and enjoy your ladies social next week!
Delicious!
Do you use salted or unsalted pecans in the recipe?
Hi Carrie! Raw, unsalted pecans.