These vegan pumpkin bars are perfect for Fall! Loaded with rich pumpkin flavor and topped with a creamy vegan frosting. Yum!
These easy-to-make vegan pumpkin pie bars are perfect for a family-friendly Fall dessert. It's all the delicious flavor we love from pumpkin pie - but you can eat it with your fingers!
Recipe Tips
Using fresh pumpkin: I use canned pumpkin because it's convenient and easy, and I know the texture will be consistent. But if you prefer, you can also make your own homemade pumpkin puree.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitution: If you do not have pumpkin pie spice, you may substitute: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of ground clove.
Oat Flour: You can easily grind rolled oats into flour by using any blender; high-speed blenders produce the finest flour, but any blender will do. That's what I did for this recipe - but you can also use pre-ground oat flour.
Pans: I use an 8×8-inch Pyrex pan here, but you can also use a lined pie or cake pan, and then cut the pieces to look like pumpkin pie slices.
More Vegan Recipes
If you love these vegan pumpkin bars, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:
Recipe and photos contributed by Cathy Fisher at Straight Up Food. Check out her blog for more tasty ideas.
Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- 12 medjool dates pitted and diced (about 1-¼ cups or 8 ounces)
- 1 cup unsweetened nondairy milk can use vanilla flavor if preferred, such as almond or soy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups rolled oats ground into flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 15 oz pumpkin puree canned
- ½ cup pecans chopped, optional
Nutty Frosting
- ¾ cup raw cashews unsalted, about 4 ounces
- 7 Medjool dates pitted and chopped (about 5 ounces)
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Pumpkin Bars
- Place the pitted, chopped dates into a blender with the non-dairy milk and vanilla, and set aside for at least 30 minutes so that the dates may soften.
- Combine the flour and spices in a mixing bowl.
- After soaking, blend the dates, non-dairy milk and vanilla until smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Pour this mixture, along with the pumpkin, into the bowl of flour and spices. Mix until smooth with an electric beater, tossing in the nuts last. (The batter will be thick.)
- Scrape into an 8 by 8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper (or use a silicone baking pan). Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing the squares and serving. The longer they cool, the firmer they will become. Optional: add Nutty Frosting below just before serving.
Nutty Frosting
- Place all ingredients into a blender jar and let sit for at least 30 minutes, so the nuts and dates can soften.
- After soaking, blend all ingredients until smooth. Use immediately or chill for a couple hours or overnight to thicken.
Ella Smith says
This recipe interests me greatly, and I cannot wait to prepare it!
Globella says
Do you have the calorie count for your yummy recipes? I am trying to lose weight and am conscious of the amt of calories in all my foods.
Nava says
Hi Giobella, it would be prohibitive for me to get analyses done on the recipes, but once VegKitchen is redesigned, I plan to install a widget that will allow readers to easily analyze each recipe, depending on servings. Hopefully within a month or so!
Pamela Bitar says
This was not so great... It needs a frosting otherwise it was very bland. Having to rely on frosting to make something taste good... I'd skip this.
Sarah says
I really wish I wasn't allergic to dates. What do you think I could use instead?
Lynda Doerner says
So glad to have found this website! I have enjoyed the recipes from my favorite cookbook, Vegetarian Express, and look forward to even more wholesome cooking!
Nava says
Thanks so much, Lynda! Vegetarian Express is 20 years old this year, so you've stuck with it for a long time. Glad you found us on the web, as well.