These fudgy vegan chocolate pecan bars are a rich traybake with a buttery pecan base and a smooth chocolate topping that sets firmly and slices cleanly every time. Silken tofu works as the egg replacer in this recipe giving a reliable creamy set without disrupting the flavour.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Base
- Lightly toasted pecans for a soft, buttery crunch.
- Plain Flour
- Caster sugar
- Vegan butter such as Flora baking block
- A pinch of salt.
For the Topping
- Instead of eggs, silken tofu is blended until completely smooth and stirred in. It should look like gently whipped cream. If it’s not blended enough you may get a lumpy topping.
- A small amount of cornflour reinforces that set, so the bars slice neatly once chilled.
- Cocoa powder, caster sugar, butter and vanilla are cooked to create a chocolate syrup.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Pecan Bars
Start by preheating your oven and preparing your tin. Line a 20cm (8 inch) square tin with baking paper, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the bars out easily later.
Make the pecan base
Mix the flour, caster sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Rub in the vegan butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir through the chopped pecans.
Tip the mixture into your prepared tin and press it down firmly and evenly. Bake until lightly golden at the edges, then set aside to cool slightly while you make the topping.
Make the chocolate topping
Gently heat the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and water in a saucepan, stirring until glossy. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, blend the silken tofu, vanilla, and salt together until completely smooth.
Once the chocolate mixture has cooled a little (it should still be fluid but not hot), whisk in the tofu mixture until fully combined. The texture should be thick and pourable, like a loose custard.
If it looks slightly thin, whisk 1 teaspoon cornflour with a little water to make a slurry and stir it through to help it thicken.
If you’re unsure about using silken tofu, it blends completely smooth and sets cleanly in baked recipes like this, much like it does in savoury dishes such as quiches and tarts.
Assemble and bake
Pour the chocolate mixture over the slightly cooled base and spread evenly.
Bake until the edges are set and slightly browned and the centre is slightly matte with a soft wobble, like set custard.
Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature before transferring to the fridge to chill and set fully.
Slice and serve
Once chilled (this will take at least two hours) lift out of the tin and cut into squares using a sharp knife dipped in hot water for clean edges.
Substitutions and Variations
Nuts
Pecans can be swapped for walnuts if preferred. Walnuts will give a slightly more robust, slightly less sweet base, but the structure stays the same.
Flour
Plain flour can be replaced with a good gluten-free plain flour blend. The texture will be slightly more delicate, but it still holds together well.
Sweetness
You can reduce the sugar in the topping slightly if you prefer a darker chocolate flavour, but reducing it too much may affect how well it sets.
How To Store Chocolate Pecan Bars
Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep well for up to 4 days.
For best results, place layers of baking parchment between the squares to prevent them sticking together.
The texture is best when chilled. If you prefer a slightly softer bite, let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving.
You can also freeze the bars for longer storage. Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months, then defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.
You Might Also Like
If you enjoyed these chocolate pecan bars you might like:
- Chocolate Tahini Bars, another no bake bar
- Easy Vegan Fridge Cake if you want a less sticky lunch box option, try these.
Fudgy Vegan Chocolate Pecan Bars (Easy Traybake recipe)
Equipment
- 1 blender/foodprocessor
- 1 20cm/8 inch square baking tin
- Baking parchment
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Base
- 55 g pecans toasted
- 60 g caster sugar
- 110 g plain flour
- 85 g unsalted vegan butter or margarine chilled
- pinch of salt
For the Topping
- 30 g vegan butter or margarine
- 85 ml water
- 30 g cocoa powder
- 100 g caster sugar
- 125 g silken tofu
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cornflour
Instructions
For the Base
- Preheat oven to 180C/ 350F. Grease and line the tin with baking parchment. Leave a slight overhang to help you remove the bake from the tin.
- Grind the pecans and combine with the sugar and flour in a large bowl.
- Rub in the butter or process in a food processor until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
- Press into the prepared tin, firmly and evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden (about 25 minutes).
- Cool for 10 - 15 minutes. Make the topping while it cools.
For the Topping
- Reduce the oven temperature to 170C/340F
- Blend or whisk the tofu, vanilla and salt together until smooth and creamy.
- Add butter, water, sugar and cocoa to a pan and heat gently until smooth, glossy and just starting to thicken slightly.
- Remove from heat.
- Whisk in the tofu mixture and the cornflour until you have a thick, pourable chocolate custard.
- Pour the custard evenly over the base.
- Bake at 170C/340F for 18-25 minutes until edges are set, centre still has a slight wobble like a set custard.
- Cool in stages. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Serve. For neat slices heat your knife slightly before slicing.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- For best results, make sure the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly before adding the tofu. It should still be fluid, but not hot, or the texture can loosen.
- The final mixture should be thick and pourable, like a loose custard. If it seems too thin, whisk 1 teaspoon cornflour with a little water and stir it through before baking.
- The bars are ready when the edges are set and the centre is lightly matte with a soft wobble, similar to set custard. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Cooking times may vary depending on your oven, so use visual cues as your main guide rather than the clock.
- For clean slices, chill fully before cutting and use a sharp knife dipped in hot water.
- These bars keep best in the fridge and taste even better the next day once fully set.
