Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars Recipe
These melt-in-your-mouth gluten free pumpkin bars are as ideal for a crowd as they are for a potluck. They're big on pumpkin flavor, with a light cream cheese frosting - plus they start with a convenient gluten free flour mix.
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 153kcal
Equipment
- 1 10x15 inch baking pan OR 12x17, with foil to adjust the size
Ingredients
For pumpkin bars:
- 250 grams King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Mix about 2 cups
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 200 grams brown sugar about 1 cup
- 65 grams granulated sugar about ⅓ cup
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For cream cheese frosting:
- 4 ounces vegan cream cheese softened
- 2 Tablespoons vegan butter softened
- 240 grams powdered sugar about 2 cups
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- dash salt
Instructions
For pumpkin bars:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the gluten free flour mix, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed for 15 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides.
- Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Stop the machine and add the flour mixture. Mix for 10 seconds on low speed. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides.
- Turn mixer to low-medium and mix for 20 seconds, until batter is fully mixed.
- Set batter aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the baking pan. If frosting the bars in the pan: Spray a 10x15 (see note below about using a 12x17 pan size) baking pan well with cooking spray. If removing the bars from the pan and then frosting, line the pan with parchment paper, with the sides hanging over so it can be lifted out.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Set pan aside to cool bars completely before frosting.
For cream cheese frosting:
- In a medium mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until fully combined and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides.
- Mix again on low speed for 30 seconds, until completely combined.
- Frost the top of the cooled bars. Bars may be served at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- Measure ingredients by weight where weight is given.
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. Dairy-free products soften faster than dairy products.
- A 12x17 baking pan may be used, but adjusted to make a smaller pan size: Tear off a 6-inch piece of aluminum foil. Measure 3 inches in, from the 17-inch side of the pan and make a lip on the piece of foil at this mark to prevent the batter from flowing to the rest of the pan. Now you should have a 12x14 size pan, which works for this recipe.
- The frosting recipe makes enough to frost the top of the bars.
- The King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Mix was used in the recipe. Other mixes may work but have not been tested.
- An egg substitute may be used, find an option here in this post on egg substitutes.
- Swerve brown sugar may be substituted for half the brown sugar. I would not recommend substituting all of it.
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix.
- Vegan cream cheese and vegan butter may be substituted with dairy products.
- Bars may be made ahead of time: Once frosted, store the pan in the refrigerator to firm up the frosting. Then cover the entire pan with foil and serve within 2 days. Unfrosted bars may be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Frosted and unfrosted bars may be frozen. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost frosted bars in the refrigerator and serve immediately. Defrost unfrosted bars in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve.
