I’ve been on a fall-themed dessert kick recently and am showing no signs of stopping with these Pumpkin Pie Bars. I’m so excited to share this paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free recipe with you guys.
If you’re a fan of pumpkin pie and easy-to-make sweet treats, this is for you. Perfect for a Thanksgiving dessert spread, or just because you have a pumpkin pie obsession (no justification necessary!), these delicious bars will not disappoint.
A TASTY TWIST ON A SEASONAL TREAT
I’m thinking my seasonal dessert kick started when I recently made a batch of my Pumpkin Twix Bars, and now I can’t get enough.
While, technically, you could make fall-flavored things any time of year if you’d like, it’s way more fun to lean in to the seasonality of it all. I love having this time of year to look forward to where I *finally* get to make all the pumpkin, cinnamon, and apple goodies. Anyone else agree?!
And while there’s nothing like a classic pumpkin pie, I figured why not switch it up with these Pumpkin Pie Bars. They’re equally as delicious as the original, made with all the healthier ingredients like an almond flour-based crust, and just the cutest little dessert bars.
Probably my favorite tasty twist on this already incredible seasonal treat, is that the crust is also made with my favorite Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins (they’re grain-free/made of a nut and seed-flour blend).
Pro tip: the recipe calls for one box, but I’d suggest buying two because these Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins are a delish dessert bite all on their own.
PERFECT PUMPKIN PIE BARS
Ok, before I give you the deets on how to make these Pumpkin Pie Bars, I feel like it’s my job as a registered dietitian to share a couple foodie facts on the main ingredient here.
Pumpkin makes for a yummy addition to so many desserts, baked goods and soups because of its mildly sweet and savory, lightly nutty flavor, but did you know how nutrient-rich it is?
Containing immune-promoting nutrients like vitamins A, C and E, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, iron and magnesium, you can thank pumpkins for potentially keeping you from getting sick this season.
Plus, since they’re naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and maple syrup, and made with dairy-free coconut milk, they’re just the most perfect Pumpkin Pie Bars of all our dessert dreams. Hope you love ‘em!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
For the Crust:
- Box of Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins
- Almond flour
- Coconut sugar
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Melted coconut oil
- Egg
For the filling:
- Pumpkin puree
- Eggs
- Maple syrup
- Coconut sugar
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Tapioca flour
To Serve:
- Coconut whipped cream (I used dairy-free So Delicious)
- Toasted pepitas
HOW TO MAKE MY PUMPKIN PIE BARS
For the Crust:
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 9×9 square pan with a parchment paper sling and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, add the Sweet Thins. Pulse in 30-second increments until the cookies are ground down to a crumb. Transfer to a medium bowl.
To the bowl with the cookie crumbs, add the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Create a well in the dry ingredients, adding the beaten egg and coconut oil into the well. Using a spoon, mix to combine until a dough forms.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Press the dough into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Transfer to the oven and bake on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool entirely before adding the filling.
For the Filling:
In a medium bowl, add the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt. Whisk to combine until smooth.
In a small bowl, add the coconut milk and tapioca flour. Whisk until there are no clumps. Pour the coconut milk mixture into the pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine.
Once the crust has totally cooled, pour the pumpkin filling into the pan. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes until the center of the bars no longer jiggles. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Once cooled, cut into 16 squares. To serve, top each bar with 2 tablespoons of coconut whipped cream and toasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS
So I’ve only made this recipe as-is, , but I can give a few ideas for some swaps that may work.
If there’s another brand/box of honey cinnamon-flavored sweet thin type cookie you prefer, you could give it a try, just make sure to use the same amount. If dairy is not an issue, instead of the melted coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut whipped cream, you could use melted butter (to swap for coconut oil), and regular dairy milk and whipped cream. Also, honey may work as a sub for maple syrup.
Let me know if you give any of these a try or come up with any other subs that work well!
IS PUMPKIN PUREE THE SAME AS CANNED PUMPKIN?
Yes! Pumpkin puree is the same as/can be labeled a few different ways, such as: canned pumpkin, pumpkin puree, 100% pure pumpkin, solid-pack pumpkin, or even just “pumpkin”. All of those terms are used interchangeably, but mean the same thing regardless of what it’s called – that what you’re getting is 100% steamed and pureed pumpkins, aka just cooked and mashed.
It should also contain no seasonings, sugars, or add-ins, even in the canned kind. That’s it!
DOES ALMOND FLOUR WORK WELL IN BAKING?
Almond flour is a great flour substitute for those following a paleo, gluten-free style of eating, or are simply looking to make healthier swaps.
Though it’s not always a 1:1 sub for regular flour (sometimes you’ll need to add more almond flour depending on the recipe), almond flour adds great texture and flavor, and is used in tons of different baking, and cooking, recipes – from pie crusts, cookies and breads, to dishes that require a breading, like chicken cutlets or meatballs, for example.
MORE TASTY SEASONAL TREATS YOU’LL LOVE:
Click here to watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Equipment
- 9 x 9 square pan
- blender or food processor
- small + medium-sized bowls
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 (4.25 oz.) box Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins
- 1 ¼ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg, beaten
For the filling:
- 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoons tapioca flour
To Serve:
- 2 cups coconut whipped cream, I used dairy-free So Delicious
- ½ cup toasted pepitas
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 9×9 square pan with a parchment paper sling and set aside.
- In a blender or food processor, add the Sweet Thins. Pulse in 30-second increments until the cookies are ground down to a crumb. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- To the bowl with the cookie crumbs, add the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Create a well in the dry ingredients, adding the beaten egg and coconut oil into the well. Using a spoon, mix to combine until a dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Press the dough into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Transfer to the oven and bake on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool entirely before adding the filling.
For the Filling:
- In a medium bowl, add the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt. Whisk to combine until smooth.
- In a small bowl, add the coconut milk and tapioca flour. Whisk until there are no clumps. Pour the coconut milk mixture into the pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine.
- Once the crust has totally cooled, pour the pumpkin filling into the pan. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes until the center of the bars no longer jiggles. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Once cooled, cut into 16 squares. To serve, top each bar with 2 tablespoons of coconut whipped cream and toasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
Can almond flour be subbed for tapioca flour?
These were fantastic!
Made this for Thanksgiving and it’s yummy! I love the texture of the pumpkin pie filling! However, I do think some tweaks could be made to make this even better. I think next time I would half the amount of ginger called for, and maybe add a little more sweetness to the crust, and cook it a little less in the oven for the first bake of just the crust. The crust came out a little overcooked in the end. It’s delicious with whipped cream, and my toddler gobbled this up! Thank you, Rachael! Happy Thanksgiving!
Okay, I had to come back and update my review! They were in the fridge overnight and I just pulled them out of the fridge and tried again, and they are sooo good! I prefer them the next day rather than warm and fresh! I wouldn’t change a thing now! So good.
This was just okay, didn’t wow me, the crust is kind of burnt and I feel like the ginger is very dominant. Probably would not make again compared to other recipes
Could you possibly swap the coconut milk for almond milk?
Hey Michael is there a brand you can recommend? I can’t seem to find one without seed oils but with descent ingredients.
Thank you
These look good but please dump your partnership with Simple Mills if you are truly all about health and clean eating. They are now starting to put seed oils in all of their products, and are totally corrupt.