Plant-Based Pumpkin Bars

It’s October, so it’s time for pumpkin-flavored everything! These bars are perfect for those with dietary needs because they’re gluten free and can be easily made vegan as well. The only non-vegan ingredient we used was butter, but if replaced with coconut oil, the recipe is entirely plant based - dessert has never been so healthy!

We invented this recipe as we went - its a hybrid of many different recipes - we wanted it to be simple,

Crust:

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup almond flour

2 tbsp. maple syrup

4 tbsp. melted butter (or coconut oil to make it vegan)

2 tsp. sea salt

Filling:

Two 15oz cans of pure pumpkin puree

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

3 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the crust ingredients in a mixing bowl until combined. Line the bottom of baking pan with crust- press down with fingers to make it even. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crust starts to brown.

While the crust bakes, stir the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl. Combine until all ingredients are evenly integrated. When the crust is ready, pour filling over the crust and smooth with a spatula to create an even surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes. The top of the bars may looked cracked- this is totally normal! Remove from the oven and cool in the refridgerator to set- don’t skip this step! Cool for at least 2 hours, but preferable overnight. Once the bars are set, you’re ready to slice and serve!

Enjoy this paleo, gluten-free, vegan dessert with friends of all dietary needs! Happy fall! Top it with whipped cream or coconut cream for extra creaminess.