An accidentally V/GF pie bar that everyone at your table will dream about.
Jump to RecipeIn the world of recipe development, there are lots of ups and downs.
Some recipe you try require countless iterations, remakes and tweaks…and you still might not get them right. There’s nothing worse than throwing out a recipe that you really *wanted* to work!
But then there are other recipes that you try once and nail…and these Dreamy Pumpkin Pie Bars are one of those.
When I was cooking up desserts for the gals at RedBull Rampage a few weeks ago, I wanted something that was “like pie,” but not. Something we could pack up in boxes for them and send home so they could eat while they recovered from days of digging. The farm had pumpkins, and so a vegan, gluten-free twist on pumpkin pie became my mission.
Great success. And I was shocked that it wasn’t that hard to get a pie to stand up without eggs AND still have a lovely texture. So proud!
The result was a dense yet creamy pie bar, with a crunchy, maple-infused crust; the crust stood up like a shortbread cookie against the velvety pumpkin layer, amped with spices. It was good the night we enjoyed it (which happened to be Canadian Thanksgiving,) but they were good for days afterwards…and I might have had one for breakfast with yogurt and granola the next day.
Heaven.
This recipe is a PERFECT place to use those cute little pumpkin pie pumpkins you see at the market. To DIY your pumpkin pureé, do as I do:
Crank the oven up to 350°F and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place the whole pumpkin atop the foil, and prick it in a few places with the tip of a knife. Pop the pan in the oven on the center rack and walk away for a few hours. Maybe 3? Then come back and poke it with a knife again. The flesh will yield to the knife, and the pumpkin will be ready.
Pull the pan with the pumpkin from the oven and allow it to cool until you can handle the pumpkin with bare hands. Then tear off the top, dig out the seeds (easily!) with a spoon, and scoop the sweet flesh away from the skin.
Toss all of the pumpkin flesh into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and blend until smooth, making sure there aren’t any seeds in there!
Now, you’ve got your own homemade pumpkin puree!
….don’t need much introduction, really. They’re simple, but smart and will please everyone at your table. Gluten-free without weird flours or gums, vegan and dairy free without any non-butter substances or weird malks. The straightforwardness of the ingredients lend themselves to a truly unf*ckable bar that’s light, decadent and thoughtful…and never heavy or “too much.”
You will have the best results if you allow these to set up overnight, hands down. Cutting into them a bit too early won’t ruin dessert, but the bars won’t be as stout and will definitely be a bit more creamy.
The recipe notes below give you a few tips on substituting the small stuff, but enjoy this one!
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