Swap traditional pumpkin pie for these pumpkin bars with a gluten-free crust. They’ll be a hit throughout the fall and winter holidays.
(gluten free, staff favorite)
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Creamy Pumpkin Bars with Orange-Oat Crust
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Ingredients
- FOR THE CRUST
- 1¼ cups gluten-free rolled oats
- ½ cup pecan pieces
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 5 ounces medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
- FOR THE FILLING
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
- ⅓ cup whole-milk plain yogurt
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon grated orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°, and lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a food processor, combine oats, pecan pieces, ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and ¼ teaspoon salt; pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add dates, coconut oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and ½ teaspoon orange zest. Process until mixture comes together, scraping down sides as needed. (TIP: Mixture should stick together when pressed between your fingers.) Transfer to prepared pan, and press evenly into bottom. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside. Keep oven on.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring ½ cup syrup to a boil. Reduce heat to keep syrup at a simmer for 5 minutes. Continue to reduce until about 6 tablespoons of thickened syrup remain.
- While syrup is reducing, place pumpkin purée in a medium bowl. When syrup has reduced, measure ¼ cup and add to pumpkin; mix well and let cool slightly. Then, stir in yogurt, eggs, 1¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, ¼ teaspoon orange zest and salt. Whisk gently until smooth.
- Pour filling over crust, and smooth top with a spatula. Bake until filling is set, just beginning to pull from sides of pan and slightly browning on top, 25–30 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool; then transfer to refrigerator to chill at least 2 hours before cutting. (TIP: It’s important to chill bars completely before cutting to help them release from the baking dish.) Garnish with more orange zest or chopped pecans.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Pumpkin Bars with Orange-Oat Crust
Amount Per Serving
Calories 185
Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g
5%
Saturated Fat 2g
10%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 23mg
8%
Sodium 85mg
4%
Total Carbohydrates 14g
5%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 11g
Protein 2g
4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
PER SERVING (1 bar): 85 cal, 3g fat (1g mono, 0g poly, 2g sat), 23mg chol, 85mg sodium, 14g carb (1g fiber, 11g sugars), 2g protein
