Pumpkin is a traditional fall ingredient and I love creating new recipes that involve this versatile vegetable! These grain-free pumpkin bars are a delicious fall dessert recipe. I love that they are grain-free, gluten free, and nut free. They are also easy to create and make a lot so that you don’t end up eating the whole batch all at once! Grain-free pumpkin pie bars are the perfect recipe for fall baking!
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Modern Pioneer Recipe
These grain-free pumpkin pie bars are an amazing modern pioneer recipe! Pumpkin pie is definitely a traditional pioneer recipe, and these pumpkin bars are just a spin off of that recipe! This recipe uses wholesome ingredients, some of which you can easily source from around your homestead.
If you grow your own pie pumpkins, this recipe is the perfect way to use up some of that fresh pumpkin! Since I can’t grow pumpkins on my homestead, I like supporting the local Farmer’s Market and farm stand by buying pie pumpkins locally.
Of course, I use fresh eggs from my homestead flock in this recipe, which makes it just that more delicious!
Aside from being made with wholesome, simple ingredients, these pumpkin pie bars are also allergy-friendly! While they are not egg-free, these pumpkin bars are free from other common allergens and can easily be enjoyed by modern pioneers who have dietary restrictions due to food allergies, gut health, or inflammation. Pumpkin pie bars are….
- gluten-free
- grain-free
- tree nut free
- corn free
- refined sugar free
- dairy-free option
To make these pumpkin pie bars dairy-free, simply sub in your favorite dairy-free butter alternative!
The Versatile Vegetable
One thing that I love about pumpkin is how versatile it is! Pumpkin has many uses and benefits. If you look beyond the simple use of fall decorating you will find a nutrient- dense vegetable packed with benefits for both you and your chickens!
Once pumpkin season hits, I always like to stock up on pumpkin. Whole pumpkins can last for quite a long time when stored in a cool, dry, dark place. You can also can or freeze pumpkin. I find that freezing cooked pumpkin is an easy way to store pumpkin, and once you are stocked you can start using it in many ways!
Here are my three favorite ways to use pumpkin: baking, cooking, giving it to my chickens!
#1. Baking with Pumpkin
I love cooking and baking with ingredients that are in season, so that means once pumpkins start appearing at Farmers Market, I dig out all my pumpkin recipes! Sometimes I have to create new pumpkin recipes, which is always fun!
Here are some ideas to try in the kitchen:
- bars (like the recipe in this post!)
- pie (try our dairy-free pumpkin pie recipe)
- cookies (don’t forget the chocolate chips!)
- brownies (chocolate and pumpkin go together like PB&J)
- cake (hey, you can make pumpkin pie, why not cake?)
- bread (banana bread, pumpkin bread, same thing right?)
- pancakes (one of my favorite fall breakfasts!)
- baked oatmeal (add a touch of fall to a favorite menu option)
- cupcakes (like you don’t already have enough ideas!)
My personal favorites are pumpkin pie and these pumpkin pie bars! I love the smooth texture and delicious combination of spices in the dairy free pumpkin pie. These pumpkin pie bars replicate that same smooth texture in bar form, and who can’t beat a little whipped topping to compliment the pumpkin flavor!?
#2. Cooking with Pumpkin
Not only can you bake with pumpkin, but you can also cook with pumpkin too! Some delicious meals can be made using pumpkin and perfect fall appetizers use pumpkin as the star ingredient.
How about some of these ideas:
- Put pumpkin in chili- dice up some pumpkin and throw it in a chili for a warm, fall crockpot meal!
- Add pumpkin to sloppy joes- add some pureed pumpkin to your favorite sloppy joe mixture for a fall variation.
- Make quesadillas with pumpkin- create a veggie quesadilla and add some pureed pumpkin to the mix, it mixes great with cheese!
- Try pumpkin pizza- a great way to sneak in that versatile fall veggie is by covering it up with pizza!
- Mix pumpkin with gluten free or grain free pasta– make a pumpkin sauce to mix with your pasta.
- Add pumpkin to your stir fry- diced pumpkin is a great vegetable to add to stir fry mixes!
- Put pumpkin in a batch of gluten free mac ‘n’ cheese- yes, you can even add pureed pumpkin to mac ‘n’ cheese to enhance the creaminess!
- Make a pumpkin soup- I love butternut squash soup, so I would think that pumpkin soup would be just as flavorful and fallish.
As you can see, you can add pumpkin to just about any meal! Pumpkin puts that warm and cozy fall touch on any meal you serve. Just add pumpkin!
#3. Pumpkin for Chickens
Another way I use my pumpkin is by giving pumpkin to my homestead flock!
Giving pumpkins to your flock is extremely beneficial for their health! One hot topic in the world of natural chicken keeping is the use of pumpkin seeds for de-worming chickens. While it is true that pumpkin seeds contain a substance that paralyzes worms, the seeds have to be used as part of a formula and with intention to be effective.
However, the whole pumpkin is just as valuable in terms of benefits and nutrition for your chickens. Let’s go over a few quick benefits for your flock!
- Vitamins and Minerals- both the flesh and the seeds contain good amounts of vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium and other beneficial vitamins and minerals
- Worming- the cucurbitan protein in pumpkin seeds help paralyze worms, and when used frequently with other anti-parasitic foods, it can be effective at eliminating mild internal parasite problems.
- Hydrating- pumpkin flesh is very hydrating because it is 95% water.
- Nutrition- pumpkin contains high levels of protein, fiber, and carotenoids.
Pumpkin is also good for other pets too! Both dogs and cats benefit from having pureed pumpkin in their diet. The fiber and other nutrients are beneficial for their fur, skin, nails, and digestive tract.
Recipe Tips
To ensure that these grain-free pumpkin pie bars turn out as good as I make them sound, I have compiled some recipe tips for you! As long as you follow the recipe, you should get delicious results, but these few tips may make your life easier when whipping up a batch of these bars!
- I used fresh pumpkin in this recipe. Canned pumpkin and frozen pumpkin will have slightly different consistencies, but both should work as long as you watch your moisture content.
- Raw honey will also work in place of the pure maple syrup.
- You can substitute out more tapioca flour instead of the arrowroot flour. However, I don’t recommend changing any of the other flours.
- To make these bars dairy free, simply use coconut oil instead of butter!
- In the pumpkin pie filling, you can use coconut sugar instead of the maple sugar.
- I used coconut milk from a carton in my bars, but canned coconut milk will work too. Just make sure you stir in the cream on the top of the can.
- I have made these bars and topped them with egg white frosting or cream cheese frosting! Both tastes great, however, the cream cheese frosting held its shape much better! I also love having these bars with a dollop of dairy-free ice cream or whipped cream!
I hope you are as excited to try these bars as I am to share them with you! These grain-free pumpkin pie bars are like having pie in a bar form! I’d say they are easier to make then a pie but just as rewarding. These pumpkin bars are delicious and make a great fall dessert or snack option!
Grain-free Pumpkin Pie Bars (nut free)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup organic butter or coconut oil, cold
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup Otto's Naturals cassava flour
- 1/2 cup Navitas coconut sugar
- 1 tsp. organic cinnamon
Pumpkin Filling
- 2 cups cooked pumpkin
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 1/4 cups organic coconut milk beverage
- 3 T. Otto's Naturals cassava flour
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground clove
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 large pasture-raised, organic eggs
Egg White Frosting
- 1 egg white
- 6 tblsp. raw honey
- 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 8 oz. Daiya cream cheese spread, room temp.
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 T. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 T. Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 glass baking pan with parchment paper.
- Put all of the crust ingredients into a food processor. Cut the butter up into teaspoon size pieces. Pulse until the dough turns to crumbles and bunches together slightly.
- Pat the dough into the 8×8 glass baking dish and press it out so that it covers the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes. I like to pat down the edges with a spoon as soon as the crust comes out of the oven to make the edges flatter and more even.
Pumpkin filling
- In a food processor, combine all of the pumpkin filling ingredients. Pulse until smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin filling on top of the crust. Make sure it spreads out evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes. The center should be firm and not jiggle. Allow the bars to cool before frosting.
Egg White Frosting
- In a small saucepan, bring the honey and apple cider vinegar to a boil over low heat. Stir occasionally.
- While the honey mixture is being brought to a boil, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.
- Once the egg white is stiff, slowly pour in the boiling honey mixture, beating constantly. Continue to beat the frosting until it holds it’s shape (approx. 3-4 minutes).
- Frost the pumpkin bars. Cut and serve! Store the bars in the fridge.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and thoroughly combined. Spread over the bars. Store in the fridge.
Notes
Where to Find the Ingredients
- Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- Bob’s Red Mill arrowroot flour
- Navitas coconut sugar
- Otto’s Naturals cassava flour
- SoDelicious unsweetened coconut milk
- Daiya cream cheese spread– I find this dairy-free, nut free cream cheese at my local Meijer!
- Supplies: 8×8 glass baking dish, Cuisinart food processor
Now that you know about these wonderful grain-free pumpkin pie bars it’s time for you to get baking! These easy pumpkin bars are gluten free, grain-free, nut free, low in sugar, and the perfect wholesome modern pioneer recipe. One bite of these delicious bars and they will remind you of fall! I love having these pumpkin pie bars as a dessert or afternoon snack. They are fun to make, delicious, and healthy!
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by Alexa
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