Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars (V + GF)

Prep Time 4 30

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 5 45

Servings (bars)

Course Dessert

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 3 Days

Ingredients

CRUST

1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free as needed)
1 ½ cups almond flour* (not meal // or 1 cup raw almonds*)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
4-5 Tbsp melted coconut oil

FILLING

2 ¾ cups pumpkin purée (DIY here)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
2 ½ Tbsp cornstarch*
1 ¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or sub mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves)
1/4 tsp sea salt

FOR SERVING optional

Coconut Whipped Cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper (adjust number/size of dish if altering batch size).
Make crust by adding oats to a blender (or food processor) and blending/mixing until you reach the consistency of oat flour (if using raw almonds, blend them with the oats at this time).
Add almond flour (not meal*), sea salt, coconut sugar and mix once more. Then add maple syrup and melted coconut oil and mix/pulse to combine. Depending on device, you may need to use a spoon to scrape around the edges to ensure the crust is completely mixed. If it appears or feels too dry, add more coconut oil.
Add crust to the parchment-lined baking dish and shake to evenly disperse, then lay down parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object (such as a liquid measuring cup or drinking glass) and press down to pack the crust into place, making an even, firmly packed layer.
Bake for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool.
In the meantime, add all filling ingredients to the blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more maple syrup or coconut sugar for sweetness, or pumpkin pie spice for flavor. I also added a pinch of ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Once the crust is baked, pour the filling into the crust and tap on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 50 minutes - 1 hour. The filling will still be just a bit jiggly, dark orange in color, and have some cracks on the top - this is normal.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before loosely covering with plastic wrap or foil and transferring to the refrigerator to fully set for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
Once cooled, gently lift bars out of dish and slice into 9 bars (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I also sliced the edges off mine for appearance, but this is optional.
Serve with coconut whipped cream and an additional sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or pumpkin pie spice (optional). Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days, though best when fresh.

Notes

*I've found almond flour to be generally more expensive than almond meal, but I've found it's worth it for the better texture and flavor. Plus, if you order a 2-lb. bag of WellBee's from Amazon you get a better price. I prefer almond flour in this recipe for lighter texture and flavor, but you can also just sub 1 cup whole almonds or 1 ½ cups almond meal (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
*Cornstarch is best in this recipe as arrowroot can give a gummy texture. Stick with cornstarch if at all possible, or try another thickener of choice.
*Crust adapted from my go-to Almond Oat Crust.
*Filling adapted from my Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without coconut whipped cream.

Nutrition (1 of 9 servings)

Serving: 1 bar Calories: 284 Carbohydrates: 28.7 g Protein: 5.9 g Fat: 18 g Saturated Fat: 7.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 60 mg Fiber: 4.9 g Sugar: 15.6 g