These Sweet Potato Bars have a creamy maple-sweetened filling and a pecan oat crumble that doubles as the crust for an easy (naturally gluten-free) dessert.
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Sweet potato pie is one of those desserts that always feels timeless, no matter the season. These bars take that nostalgic flavor and turn it into something easy to share. The crust and crumble topping are made from the same mixture of ground oats and pecans, blended in a food processor. This base bakes into something buttery and nutty, with just the right amount of crunch. The filling centers on the sweet potatoes, with maple syrup adding depth and warmth that complement the earthy flavor of the starchy potatoes.
Between the sweet potatoes, oats, and nuts, there’s something about these that feels a bit more wholesome than your average dessert. Maybe it’s the ingredients. Or maybe it’s the fact that my family has, more than once, eaten them for breakfast 🤗 Regardless of when or where you serve this, these sweet potato bars will always be a hit.
How to Make It
The sweet potatoes are the core of this recipe, so roast them until they are very soft, with bits of caramelization where the natural sugars bubble out. Roasting intensifies their flavor and evaporates excess moisture from the potato, giving the filling its proper texture.
Aside from roasting the potatoes, most of the prep happens in the food processor. There’s no need to wash it between steps, unless you prefer to do so. However, brush out any crumbs from the pecan oat mixture if you notice any before making the sweet potato filling.
Here is an overview of the steps:
Step 1: Process the oats, then add the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Step 2: With the food processor running, slowly pour in the melted butter until it is fully combined.
Step 3: Transfer ¾ cup of the pecan oat mixture to a bowl, stir in the remaining oats. This is the crumble; set it aside.
Step 4: Press the remaining mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan to form the crust.
Step 5: Bake the crust until the edges are lightly golden and the middle is matte.
Step 6: Scoop the sweet potato flesh into the food processor and blend until smooth.
Step 7: Add the cream, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, maple extract, and spices.
Step 8: Process until the mixture is smooth.
Step 9: Pour the sweet potato filling over the baked crust, spread it evenly, and sprinkle the reserved crumble on top.
Step 10: Bake until the filling is mostly set and puffed up on the edges. Cool the bars completely before slicing evenly into 9 servings.
Serving + Storing
Let the bars cool completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They’ll soften slightly over time.
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Full Recipe
Sweet Potato Bars with Pecan Oat Crumble
These sweet potato bars capture all the flavor of the classic pie in an easy, shareable format. The filling is flavored with maple syrup and warm spices, baked between layers of a buttery pecan oat crumble that serves as both crust and topping. The result is a dessert with contrasting textures and balanced sweetness.
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:55
- Total Time: 01:55
- Yield: 9 servings
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
For Oat-Pecan Crumble:
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for preparing the baking pan
- 1¾ cups (140 grams) old-fashioned oats, divided
- 1 cup (160 grams) pecans, toasted
- ⅓ cup packed (65 grams) dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
For Filling:
- 2 medium to large sweet potatoes (about 16 ounces total), roasted until tender
- ½ cup (65 grams) heavy cream
- ½ cup (160 grams) maple syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon maple extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Pinch ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and set the rack in the lower middle position. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line it with two pieces of parchment paper long enough to hang over the sides for easy removal.
- To the bowl of a food processor, add 1¼ cups (115 grams) oats and pulse until finely ground. Add the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse until the pecans are finely ground and the mixture resembles coarse sand. With the food processor running, pour in the melted butter until combined.
- Transfer ¾ cup of the pecan oat mixture to a small bowl, stir in the remaining ¼ cup oats, and set aside. Press the remaining mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan to form the crust. Wipe out the food processor bowl and set it aside for the filling.
- Bake the crust until it is lightly golden on the edges with a matte appearance, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the filling: Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and add it to the now-empty bowl of the food processor. Process until smooth, then add the cream, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, maple extract, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Blend until completely combined and smooth.
- Pour the filling over the baked crust and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved oat crumble over the top.
- Bake until the filling is set and puffed around the edges with a slight jiggle in the center, about 40–45 minutes. The internal temperature, as measured with an instant-read thermometer, should read approximately 190°F.
- Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into bars. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
Originally published in 2018, these Sweet Potato Bars have been updated with a few minor adjustments to the ingredients to improve the texture and the directions streamlined.
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If using Morton’s kosher salt or fine salt, you’ll need less by volume, so start with half and adjust to taste.
One small note about the oats: a portion is set aside to stay whole for the crumble topping. It’s a slightly fussy step, but I think it gives the topping a better texture and a more classic crumble look.
Roasting takes longer than boiling, but it’s worth it because it concentrates the flavor and prevents the filling from becoming watery. I’ve tested this recipe with canned sweet potato, and the results were disappointing. It turned out thin and bland, missing that deep, creamy sweet potato flavor.
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Cassie Walker
Hey! I have a bag of pureed roasted sweet potato in my freezer. How many cups/ounces of puree would I use in this pie? Thanks in advance.