Healthy Pumpkin Bars
Here’s what you need for healthy pumpkin pie bars:
DRY INGREDIENTS
- Almond flour – I like to use ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour. If you are using super-fine almond flour, reduce the amount by ¼ cup or 25 grams.
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice mix – You can use 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon allspice instead.
- Powdered sweetener – I used an erythritol monk fruit sweetener blend. You can also use pure erythritol, allulose, Bocha Sweet or another 1:1 sugar substitute. If carbs are not a concern, you can also use coconut sugar.
- Chopped pecans
WET INGREDIENTS
- Eggs – must be large and at room temperature. Separate the yolks from the whites.
- Butter – Melted, then cooled
- Vanilla extract
- Almond milk
- Pumpkin puree – I used Libby’s canned, unsweetened pumpkin puree.
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
1.) Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2.) In a second bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Beating the egg whites until stiff and folding them in last yields a lighter crumb.
3.) In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale and fluffy. Then, add the remaining wet ingredients and blend. Last, add the dry ingredients and blend until a smooth batter forms.
4.) Fold the egg whites into the batter using a spatula.
5.) Fill the pumpkin batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown.
While the pumpkin bars are in the oven, make the cream cheese frosting:
Whip the butter and cream cheese until thick. Add the sweetener and vanilla. Then place the frosting in the fridge to cool.
7.) Once the bars are fully cooled, spread the frosting on top. Sprinkle with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice before serving.
Expert Tip
Room temperature ingredients. All ingredients must be at room temperature, for both the cake batter and especially for the frosting. This helps create a fluffy cake texture and it prevents the frosting mixture from splitting.
Variations
Dairy-free: Replace the butter with coconut oil and use coconut cream in the frosting.
Nut free: Try using a 50 / 50 blend of sunflower seed flour and sesame seed flour.
Coconut flour pumpkin bars: Replace the almond flour with 150g / 1 ¼ cup coconut flour.
Use different nuts: Instead of pecans, try walnuts or hazelnuts. Or add a handful of sugar free chocolate chips!