This Pecan Blondie recipe makes a dense, moist and chewy vegan bar due to it's use of flax meal, coconut oil and brown rice syrup. Rolled oats, vanilla and pecans enhance the caramel notes. Use refined coconut oil if you want an overall balanced flavor or unrefined coconut oil if you want a slight coconut flavor that will tend to enhance the flavor more overall.

¼ cup non-dairy milk
2 Tablespoons golden flax meal
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats

½ cup pecans, chopped

1)
Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the non-dairy milk, golden flax meal and apple cider vinegar with a fork and let it sit for about 10 minutes so the mixture gets goopy. Set aside.

2)
In a medium mixing bowl, add the coconut oil, brown rice syrup, sugar, vanilla extract, salt and the flax meal and non-dairy milk mixture and mix until smooth. 

3)
In another medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and rolled oats.

4)
Add the first half of the dry ingredients to the bowl containing the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly with a mixer for about one minute.  Add the pecans, remaining dry ingredients and hand mix with a spoon.  Place the batter into the prepared pan and push it into formation.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Set on a rack to cool.  When cooled, remove from baking pan and slice with a pizza slicer into desired squares. Please note that it's normal for the center to cave in a little. Store Vegan Pecan Blondies in a covered container at room temperature for about 1 week or in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.