Pumpkin Pecan Oat Bars
These pumpkin pecan oat bars are naturally vegan, free of sugar and flour, nutritious and delicious, and perfect when that urge hits to bake pumpkin goodies in the fall!
Servings 9
Calories
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup plant based milk 4 oz, I love coconut milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup applesauce or sub 2 mashed bananas or 1/4 cup liquid sweetener of choice
- 2 tbsp ground flax seeds or 1 egg
- 2 tbsp almond butter 1 oz
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1.5 cups rolled oats dry (6 oz)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice or make your own, see notes
- 1 cup chopped nuts used a mix of pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and pecans, 3 oz)
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips, optional
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Choose a square baking dish for thicker bars or a larger rectangular dish for thinner bars. Line the dish with parchment paper for easy removal, or grease the dish to prevent sticking.
- Mix all the ingredients together well in a mixing bowl with a spatula and spread evenly in the parchment lined baking dish.
- To make them extra pretty, press a pecan into each bar, or sprinkle with cacao nibs, chocolate chips, cranberries, or chopped nuts.
- Bake for 40 - 50 minutes and let cool completely before slicing. The baking time will vary depending on the size of the pan. You can cut into them or insert a toothpick to see how they are doing and put them back in the oven for however long is needed.
- I actually like them a little bit soft, because during the week I pop them in a toaster oven to reheat and the edges crisp up when I do that. But they shouldn't be gooey.
Notes
- These can be made ahead and store well in the refrigerator or freezer.
- To make your own pumpkin pie spice, combine the following:
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- For a light breakfast, eat one bar. For a more filling breakfast, eat two. Or eat however much your wise body tells you to eat!