Healthy pecan pie treats, made in a muffin tin with only 4 ingredients! Easy and delicious, they are vegan and gluten-free.

These shouldn’t be so easy.

These shouldn’t be so decadent.

But oh, how they are.

To confuse you further, they are also a healthy, energy-inducing snack.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, it’s pecan pie energy bites!

I am closing in on my final muffin tin recipe recipes, so I thought it was a golden opportunity to re-imagine some holiday favorites as on-the-go fitness snacks. You’ll find plenty of pumpkin love here on power hungry, but I recently realized my lack of attention to my other favorite late autumn and winter pie, pecan. This recipe is my first (of many) aimed at remedying my oversight.

Once you make these (you must; they take mere minutes to assemble); I have hope (and confidence) that you will forgive me.

Four ingredients (excluding salt) is all it takes to render the deep toasted pecan and caramel flavor of classic pecan pie. The key to make these stick together is two fold: (1) chop some of the pecans, finely grind the rest; and (2) use a combination of molasses (for distinctive flavor) and brown rice syrup (to glue the nuts together). That’s it!

Don’t fret about the total amount of sugar; 8 teaspoons is divided by 10 servings, which is more than reasonable for a treat. Plus, it’s a season of treats and decadence, so it’s better to plan ahead with balanced snacks that do the double-duty of satisfying sweet cravings and fueling a walk or run through the park, or a long day at the office.

Happy eats, everyone! Tomorrow, I’ve got some grain-free gingerbread that will make you leap for joy.

Healthy Pecan Pie Bites {4 ingredients, vegan}

Author: Camilla
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 14 mins
Total Time: 19 mins
Yield: 10 muffin size "bites" 1x

Description

Healthy pecan pie treats, made in a muffin tin with only 4 ingredients! Easy and delicious, they are vegan and gluten-free.

Scale

Ingredients

1–1/4 cups pecans, divided
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup (important for making these stick! other syrups do not work)
2 teaspoons dark molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F. Spray or grease 10 cups of a standard muffin tin .
In a food processor, process 1/4 cup pecans until finely chopped (texture of meal, not flour); Transfer to a medium bowl. Chop the remaining pecans (not too fine) and add to bowl along with the remaining ingredients, Divide evenly among prepared cups. With moistened fingertips. lightly press mixture into cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes until pecans are fragrant and deep golden brown. Transfer tin to a cooling rack and cool completely in pan. Place the cooled tin in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Using the tip of a butter knife, remove pecan pie bites from pan.. Eat!

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days (unless it is hot and humid), the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.