Gluten & Dairy Free Pecan Pie Bars

 Shortbread Crust

2 cups vegan baking butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 t vanilla
1 t salt
4 cups GF flour with xanthan gum

Spray a metal half-sheet pan with GF spray, and line with a sheet of parchment paper.

Mix the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and mix until dough forms. Press firmly into the pan, following the pan up at the edges to help contain the pie filling. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top and roll it out with a rolling pin after it has been evenly distributed. Bake for 15 minutes.

 

Pecan Pie Filling

6 eggs
2 cups corn syrup
2 cups sugar
4 T melted vegan butter
2 t vanilla
3 cups pecan halves, chopped

Beat the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Chop the pecan halves into small pieces and evenly distribute over the shortbread. Pour the filling on top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache Topping

12 oz DF chocolate chips
½ cup almond milk

Melt chocolate and milk in a saucepan, mix well, and spread over the pecan pie filling. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Gluten & Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup coconut oil or vegan butter or a combination (a nut butter may be combined as well)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 t vanilla extract
1 t salt
2 eggs

2 ⅓ cups GF flour with xanthan gum
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda

2 cups DF chocolate chips
1 ½ cups nuts, optional

Beat coconut oil (etc.), sugars, vanilla, and salt until fluffy.

Beat in eggs, combining well.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl, breaking up any balls of baking powder or soda.

Beat the dry ingredients into the wet, and then add the chocolate chips, nuts, etc.

Ball into 1-tablespoon balls, and refrigerate or freeze. The fats should be solid in order to prevent the cookie from overspreading during baking. GF dough and baked goods last much better in the freezer, but thaw the dough before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350⁰F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (avoid the silicon sheets if they are used for regular baking). Bake the cookies until they just begin to brown, around 7-8 minutes. Remove, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

GF/DF Pecan Sticky Buns

Prepare the filling and topping before the dough.

Topping:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup vegan butter
2 Tbsp. almond milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups pecans

Spray or grease a 9"x13" pyrex generously (this will not work with parchment paper). Chop the pecans. Add brown sugar, vegan butter, almond milk, and vanilla to a saucepan. Heat on the stove over low, stirring until the brown sugar and butter have melted. Stir in pecans.

Pour into the 9"x13" pan and spread evenly being careful not to disturb the spray/grease. Set aside.

Filling:

1 cup vegan butter
1 ½ cup brown sugar
½ cup cinnamon (start with 4 T, and add more if desired)

Melt vegan butter. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl from the butter. Set both aside.

Dough:

2 Tbsp. yeast
½ cup warm water

7 cups GF flour
1 cup cornstarch or arrowroot starch/flour
2 tsp. salt
3 cups almond milk
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. oil
4 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
6 eggs

Mix yeast in warm water and set aside for 5 minutes. 

Using a stand mixer, blend 6 cups of flour, starch of your choice, and salt using the regular paddle. Warm the milk, and add it and the oil, honey, and cider vinegar to the dry ingredients. Switch to the dough hook and mix. Beat eggs and add to yeast mixture. Add this to the bowl and mix. Add flour and continuing mixing until the dough pulls away from the bowl and the hook.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Spread with the melted vegan butter (filling instructions) and evenly spread the brown sugar cinnamon mixture to the edges. Starting at the short end, roll up the dough into a log. Using unflavored floss or a serrated knife cut 2" rolls off and place them in the 9"x13" pan.

Boil water and fill a 11"x17" pyrex. Place the 9"x13" pyrex in the hot water bath. Cover loosely with sprayed plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise for an hour+ in a warm place. Try not to jostle it. Refill with warm water as needed. 

When the rolls have risen, heat oven to 350°F. Cover loosely with foil tent to prevent over browning and bake for 40 minutes. Flip onto a sheet pan or serving dish. 

To save for later, wrap in foil and freeze after they have cooled. To reheat, place foil wrapped rolls in a pan to prevent the topping from leaking and heat in 350-400°F oven until warm.