Description
These gluten-free pumpkin pie bars are quick, easy, and made with simple ingredients. A buttery almond-oat crust and silky pumpkin filling create a crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for fall gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups almond flour (finely ground, blanched)
- ½ cup oat flour (certified gluten-free if needed)
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- Pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup cottage cheese (small curd, full-fat)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (or maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, oat flour, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and work into the flour mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter bits. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Blend the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until completely smooth, about 30-45 seconds.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, blended cottage cheese, eggs, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined and silky smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin filling over the pre-baked crust. Gently tilt the pan to spread evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until edges are set and center jiggles slightly when shaken. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight is best) until fully chilled.
- Use parchment handles to lift the block out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into 9 or 16 squares with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between cuts.
Notes
Don’t skip pre-baking the crust to avoid sogginess. Use room temperature eggs for a smooth filling. Chill overnight for best flavor and texture. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil and cottage cheese with silken tofu or full-fat coconut cream. For paleo, use coconut flour instead of oat flour and maple syrup instead of coconut sugar.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (based on 9 se
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 7
Keywords: gluten-free pumpkin bars, pumpkin pie bars, gluten-free dessert, fall dessert, pumpkin recipe, easy pumpkin bars