My daughter and I go kind of pumpkin crazy this time of year. It starts when we see the first small pie pumpkins in the grocery store and she convinces me that we just have to have one. She takes it home, decorates it with permanent markers, and then refuses to let me cook her work of art. (Since it’s now covered in toxic ink, I’m not too eager to cook with it anyway.) She then demands that we buy more pumpkins so that we’ll have something to make pies with. So I hide the markers and buy more pumpkins.
My pumpkin-buying mania extends to canned pumpkin. In October and November, I find so many ways to add pumpkin to my meals that I’m convinced that I will want to cook with it all year long, and driven by the fear that it will disappear from the stores after the winter holidays, I buy can after can. Naturally, I never get around to using it all. The pumpkin dishes that seem so appealing in the Fall lose their allure by April, when there are asparagus to play with. As a result, before I can go on my canned pumpkin frenzy and buy more this year, I needed to use up last year’s stock, so I sat down to plan out a new recipe.
While my daughter was envisioning pumpkin pie, for some reason I just kept seeing bars. Specifically, oatmeal bars. Obviously, a compromise was in order, so I designed these bites to appeal to both of our cravings. The gluten-free crust is made up mostly of oatmeal, while the filling is sweet, spicy pumpkin. Each one is like a two-bite pumpkin pie, but I doubt you’ll be able to eat just one.
Now I know that some of you are going to wonder why I didn’t use fresh pumpkin in these bars. One thing that canned pumpkin has going for it is that its moisture content is consistent. When I tell you to use 15 ounces of canned pumpkin, whether you live in Seattle or Asheville you’ll be able to cook the recipe with results that are pretty much like mine. Working with fresh pumpkin is a little trickier; once you’ve gotten it cooked, it may be more or less watery than the pumpkin I use, and your pumpkin pie bites might need more thickener to get them to set. So while I encourage you to use fresh ingredients whenever possible, I made the recipe using canned pumpkin so that it will work for most people. If you’re using fresh pumpkin, just make sure you drain it well after it’s cooked so that its consistency is close to canned.
One more thing: I made these using sorghum flour so that they’d be gluten-free. (I don’t need to eat gluten-free, but a lot of my readers do, so I like to make it easier for them to make my recipes.) The fat-free, sorghum crust is a little dry right at first, but I found that it softened overnight, so if you can, make these bites the day before, or use a softer type of flour, such as whole wheat pastry flour.
Pumpkin Pie Bites
(printer-friendly version)
The topping, which contributes about 10 calories per bar, is optional, though I think the crystallized ginger adds a lot of zing to these tasty bites. They improve with age, so consider making them a day ahead of serving.
Crust
1 1/2 cups quick or rolled oats* (divided)
1 cup sorghum (or other whole grain) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup apple sauce or apple butter
2 tablespoons water
Filling
15 ounces pumpkin (canned or cooked and water pressed out)
12 ounces extra-firm silken tofu (lite preferred)
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or regular sugar)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
1 teaspoon salt
Topping
1/4 cup quick or rolled oats*
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger (I used Penzey’s but here’s a vegan option)
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch nonstick baking pan with parchment paper.
Crust: Place 1/2 cup of the oats in a blender and crush them to a fine powder. Pour the oat flour into a medium mixing bowl and add the remaining oatmeal and the other dry crust ingredients. Add the apple sauce and water and stir until well-moistened. If necessary, add additional water a teaspoon at a time until all flour is moist. Pour it into the prepared pan and press it into the pan until the bottom is evenly covered.
Filling: Place all the filling ingredients into a blender or food processor. Process until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour filling on top of crust and smooth with a spatula.
Topping and Baking: Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle on top of the filling. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until pumpkin is set in the middle. Remove from oven and run a non-metal knife or spatula around the edges. Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into 48 squares.
Servings: 48
Yield: 48 squares
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 68 calories, 8 calories from fat, less than 1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 62mg sodium, 56mg potassium, 13.5g carbohydrates, 1.3g fiber, 5.8g sugar, 2g protein, 1.2 points.
*Gluten-free results depend on using certified gluten-free oats and other ingredients.
Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Bonus cat photo for those of you who read this far:
This is what happens when you photograph your food in a house with a fearless and incorrigible kitten in it. While I was trying to get one final shot of the bites, our newest family member took a fancy to them. He actually managed to grab a small piece. Though he seemed to like it, I’m not recommending you share these treats with your pets!
Other Recipes You May Enjoy:
Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Waffles
Impossible Vegan Pumpkin Pie
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I'm SusanV, and I love good food. Join me as I create delicious dishes made with whole foods and without a lot of processed fat and sugar. 
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{ 92 comments… read them below or add one }
The pumpkin bites look delicious, but the photo of the cat–priceless!
You need to enter it in a contest!
These sound great! I am quite a pumpkin fiend myself, so this recipe is going on my to-make list. I love the kitty photograph!
Can't wait to try these, look easy to assemble. Your kitty is cute, looks like my cat.
These look great. I think I will make them for the annual Thanksgiving With the Turkeys potluck at the animal sanctuary. I'll bet the turkeys will enjoy them, too!
I have a fairly serious pumpkin obsession too! Pumpkins are awesome, and the fact they are only out once a year makes us love them even more.
Those pumpkin bites look very very good. I could really go for one right now.
http://whatyourmommadidntknow.blogspot.com/
These are very unique, and sound supremely delicious!
That is a super cute kitty pic, and totally something that my brown tabby would do (including running off with a bite!)
YUM! I have been looking for something other than pumpkin bread to make this year, and these look wonderful.
The cat picture killed me… he looks just like ours and she behaves the same way! I was eating a toasted PBJ last night and she walked right up into my lap and took a bite out of the bottom of it! Apparently she liked my lavender plum jam…
Looks great! One question… what do you think would work to sub for the silken tofu here? Wondering if bananas would be ok, or vegan mayo… just want to save myself a trip to the shops before payday.
Great recipe Susan, thanks!
-Hello Veggie
Thank you! These look delicious, and I look forward to sharing them with my family on Thanksgiving.
Fantastic feline photo!
that is the cutest cup & saucer set! and the cat picture rocks.
yum! i'm also pumpkin-obsessed. thank you for this recipe! i think i'll be making these tonight and adding them to the thanksgiving menu
These sound wonderful! I'm a pumpkin freak myself. I can't wait to try them.
These look great! Just wondering, since I know you've used stevia in a few recipes, would that be possible in the filling or crust here?
Susan,
These look scrumptious, and thanks for the gluten free crust! I will definitely try these. My son and his girlfriend are coming home for Thanksgiving, and now she is eating gluten free, too, so it will be appreciated, truly. I am pumpkin obsessed, as well, and can relate to squirreling away both canned pumpkin and whole pumpkins or other sweet squash–I have a stash under my bed where it's coo, right now:) (Impromptu root cellar lol)
I laughed out loud at the photo of your kitten, and also that he took a bite. . .this weekend I made an oil free version of Karina's gluten free pumpkin bundt cake–as I was slicing it up to take to a potluck, a few bits dropped on the floor–and low and behold, my new dog apparently loves pumpkin desserts, too. . . .
xo
moonwatcher
Hi Susan
I just wanted to tell you what a fan I am of your blog! I'm not even vegan or vegetarian! What I am is a health and fitness nut! But when I first started blogging, it was this blog that inspired me! Feel free to come for a visit any time! http://www.blog.intofit.com. If there is ever something in particular you want me to post about- feel free to comment and let me know! hopefully you'll find my blog as useful as I find yours!
The pumpkin bite recipe looks so awesome, I'm adding the ingredients to my TJ's list right now. I'm going to make them for my carnivorous children as part of my contribution for Thanksgiving. I'm also going to make something scrumptuously vegan to entice them onto the V path.
The kitty is so cute it makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time! I just made the photo my screen saver and wish I could make it full page size. Any advice about that?
Thanks so much, Barbara in Northern California
These sound delicious…I love all things pumpkin! I might be making these bars this week, as a little change-up to my pumpkin muffins that I've been making every few days (as our supply gets eaten).
Your cat is just like mine … although my cat is getting on in years, he still thinks that the kitchen (and everywhere else) is his domain. He jumps up on the countertop and table when my daughter and I are cooking or baking, and has been known to try to get at whatever we're putting in the oven. Sometimes I catch him watching the baking through the glass window with my almost-3-year-old!
Thanks for this recipe!
Kristie
tripflip.blogspot.com
Great website! I work at Pembroke College Cambridge and are dedicated to serving great vegan cuisine. We introduced a vegan tapas bar in Jan 08, we offer 12 hot vegan options at lunch and dinner every day! I wrote a short blog entry about our tapas bar earlier today @
http://thepembrokekitchen.blogspot.com/
I know this is a bit off topic but I think any young college age readers will be suprised to see the great work Pembroke is doing.
Keep up the great work,
David Harwood
Catering Manager
Pembroke College
University of Cambridge
Vegan Society Approved
Barbara, here's a link to a larger photo of the cat. I hope this works as a full-page screen saver: Larger-Size Cat Photo
Love the kitty picture! Oh, how I wish apartment living was pet friendly.
what a pretty kitty
and those treats look delicious
I'm going to eat my screen! Those look like the perfect autumn treat.
I wonder if it would taste good with other types of squash too? Maybe even sweet potato puree?
that kitty photo is hilarious – and those pumpkin bits look delicious – I love the idea of pumpkin pie but would never make it – these little bites look more my sort of thing
ummm, awesome!!! perfect for the season. actually, i would eat these all year round. but mostly i want to eat them now. glad to see your cat likes them too
I'm going to make these pumpkin bites SOON; they look fabulous! I spent most of October blogging about pumpkin. Feel free to come over to my blog and see what I found (http://msveggiesreview.blogspot.com). Your posts are always great
These look fabulous Susan! I'm going to bake up a batch this week. Thanks for sharing!
Haha, I'm always surprised at the things my cat decides she wants to try. Her new favorite is licking my cereal bowl, I think she is actually fond of soymilk.
You've outdone yourself, again! I'm going to make these using brown rice flour and link back to your blog this week when I do. (I hope that is okay, if not, just let me know and I can send people to your blog instead.) Thanks for sharing another delicious looking recipe.
Any recommendations for substituting the tofu? I'm allergic to soy, and it is always tricky to substitute tofu in things like this – I suppose I could just use white beans – it would be thicker, but might to the trick. I'd love your suggestions!
You are amazing! I am so excited to make another one of your fabulous recipes!
These bars clearly are as fabulous as you made them sound when you mentioned them on Twitter a few days ago! I have a dinner with friends later this week, and I'm the one who has to bring dessert – now, I have one more recipe on my shortlist; it keeps getting harder to decide what I'll bake! Seriously, though, your recipe is very close to the top of the list; thank you for sharing it.
I can't wait to make these for Thanksgiving!
Those look, and sound, delicious! I am now even more dissapointed I couldn't find canned pumpkin on my travels today- I would have had all the ingredients to make them up right away!
LOVE the cat photo too! Pets do make everything so much more interesting and entertaining!
-K
Hi Susan
Did you use Libby's canned pumpkin that says ' 100% Pure Pumpkin? '
Is it same that you/many recipes refer to pumpkin puree and not the pumpkin pie mix?
I don't use the Libby's brand, but I do use 100% pure pumpkin–NOT pumpkin pie mix, which already has spices added. All my recipes use either pure canned pumpkin or fresh pumpkin puree (check individual recipes).
How many ways can one say "MMMMM!"? They look spectacular–and GF, too!
Love the kitty photo!
How many ways can one say "MMMMM!"? They look spectacular–and GF, too!
Love the kitty photo!
Susan, what a delicious looking dessert. I'm also a pumpkin lover and will be trying these soon. Where does one find the crystallized ginger?
Thanks for another recipe to try!
Laina
PS Mrs. V you have a lovely kitten.
Those pumpkin bites look awesome, as usual … but the kitty photo, too cute!
gah! These look awesome! I love it how you use "good" ingredients that I've heard of and have most of on hand, but combine them so deliciously. I can't wait to make these
hello susan! i love your blog and i'm very happy to meet you! your recipes are great, so much inspiration here!
see you soon!
justyna
Love the kitty pic. Thanks for sharing the extra fun shots. Can't wait to try these.
Thanks
Oh my gosh, I wish I could get a cat. That is the cutest. These bars sound delicious! I'm going to check out your other pumpkin recipes, too.
These are fabulous! Thank you for sharing!
Kitty-approved pumpkin bites! Perfect!
These look sweet (as in tasty not sugary). Would rice flakes be an appropriate substitute for the oats?
Thanks for the secret kitty pic! love it! and those pumpkin bites will surely be in my dreams tonight.
Great recipe, great photos! Too bad canned pumpkin isn't sold here in Italy.
SUSAN!! Have you been holding out on us? This is the first I've heard of a new kitten! I must have more pictures!!! I'll be on pins and needles until you post some!
-Rocket Scientist
Hey, R.S., I have to apologize for not featuring him until now. The truth is, he's not really new. We adopted him in late March, and I twittered some photos of him then, but didn't write about him here. If you're interested, here's a series of photos of him on Flickr:
New Kitten Photos
I'll be making these for making the holiday rounds! They look great!
Your kitty photo is SO cute!! haha I love that he grabbed a bite!
Susan – I can't stop drooling long enough to make these….YUMMMMM!
You've brightened my holiday menu!!
Kristine
This recipe looks great! I've been looking for a pumpkin recipe to try. Thanks for sharing!
These were FANTASTIC! I used whole wheat pastry flour. I do have a couple questions. 1. Should this be stored in the refrigerator? 2. I couldn't really "pour" the crust into the pan – it just sort of plopped out. It took me a good 10 sticky mess minutes to get it spread in the pan. It was like the consistency of rice krispy treats. Can you please go into a little more detail about the crust consistency?
Debbie, "pour" was a poor word choice. "Plop and press" would be more accurate! Mine wasn't exactly the consistency of rice crispy treats and it took only a minute to press into the pan, but you're right that it doesn't pour. It could be that whole wheat flour makes a stickier dough than sorghum flour, so it might be necessary to adjust the amount a little bit. I'm sorry that it gave you so much trouble but am glad they tasted good!
Hahaha! I go pumpkin crazy this time of year, too. Well, I'm pumpkin crazy ALL year long, but it just seems more festive during the winter months.
Thank you for this delicious recipe, I can't wait to try it for myself.
OMG…i think i might make these next weekend…if it was up to me i would be making them this weekend but ive got a big test on monday…these delicious morsels will just have to wait a week i guess…but i cant wait!! thanks for the recipe!
o and how is it that your pictures always turn out looking so amazingly professional! I feel like im opening a Home Cooking magazine! gorgeous…the cat almost looks posed!
Those pumpkin bars look so good! Better eat them quickly before the cat gets them all.
Did you use silken tofu as a substitute for something non-vegan, like cream cheese? As much as I admire the idea of eating a superfood like soybeans, for some reason tofu is crazy expensive here (even though IN is pretty much the soybean capital) and I am not vegan. I noticed others in the comments looking for substitutes for this as well.
Hello Susan,
I am planning to make your pumpkin pie bites tomorrow. Do you think it would be ok to substitute agave for some or all of the sugar in the crust and filling?
Marisa, a non-vegan version of this would probably contain cream cheese and eggs, and if you do a Google search, you can probably find "pumpkin bars" or something similar that you could make or adapt. (I will refrain from commenting on the healthiness of those recipes.)
Agave: I would use a little less of it than sugar (1/3 cup agave per 1/2 cup sugar), but I think you could safely substitute it for any or all of the sugar.
I'm about to leave on vacation, so if there are any more questions, I hope some of my experienced readers will jump in and answer them. Bye!
I can vouch for the yummy-ness!
Only thing is it was a bit on the gooey side – next time i'll add ground flax seed to thicken (and molasses for some added iron).
Also, i didn't have walnuts so used pecans and i wonder if this might even be better. It made an amazing topping.
These are amazing, and better than pie! I brought them for healthy snack day at work. Definitely a new dish that I can share and no one's gets too leary about the ingredients.
These are ok, I would double or triple the topping if I made them again, the topping makes the bar!
Those pumpkin bites look delicious and I love pumpkin! The cat photo is hilarious. I had a cat who loved pumpkin pie.
It is monday and I just made the bars. Plan to serve them on thanksgiving. Can they be frozen or should I just refrigerate?
RG, I would refrigerate them as soon as they cool off. Place them in a covered container lined with paper towels, and they should keep until Thursday. Enjoy!
Very tasty! I made them tonight and noticed that the crust ingredients call for 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal, but the instructions say to use 1/2 cup of the oatmeal and never say to use the remainder. Where does it go? I omitted it, and our guests loved it, but I wonder if the crust was too gooey.
Kelly, I should have made it clearer that 1/2 cup of the oatmeal gets ground into flour and it's then mixed with the rest of the oatmeal and other dry ingredients. If you liked the gooier crust, then I'd say that it worked for you, but I'm surprised that you had enough crust to spread over the bottom of the pan. Using all of the oatmeal does result in a very sturdy crust.
Awww man, Kelly – I did the same thing with the crust! Gooey and hard to spread, but OMGosh these bars are awesome! Kids are taking them to school tomorrow for their Thanksgiving parties, and I am SURE they will be a huge hit! Thanks Susan! Have a happy day celebrating the lives of the turkeys!
Do you press the tofu first? How long have I been vegetarian, and I've only cooked with tofu ONCE! I find it so intimidating. Is it a rule that you always press and squeeze all the water out of tofu before you use it? Haha, I feel so lame asking this.
This is my favorite foodie blog, thanks so much for all you do!
Hi Michelle–I just drain the water off the tofu, no pressing. I almost never press tofu, so unless one of my recipes specifically says to do so, you don't need to press. (This is a pretty good rule for other people's recipes, too.)
I hope you'll give cooking with tofu another try. It's really worth it!
Oh, PS–This recipe calls for silken tofu (the kind in the aseptic box, by Mori-Nu). It almost never requires pressing because it would fall apart.
Alas, I made the same error with the crust as others here did. I don't feel so badly for the screw up, since it still tastes fine. The texture is a bit too chewy, but it should firm up by tomorrow (if all goes well). Also, I had to bake about 20 extra minutes to get the center to firm. Anyone else have issues with cooking times?
I will say, the custard itself was absolutely delicious. I couldn't stop eating it before it was cooked!
I made these the other day and they are so tasty! My kids loved them too. I'll definitely be making them again. I didn't have fresh nutmeg or crystallized ginger but they were still great.
Susan,
Thank you for the comment–it helped so much! Thank you for pointing out that it is the silken variety as well, I had purchased regular extra firm without giving it much thought!
I can't wait to get the right tofu, so I can make them!
Michelle
Made a batch of these for Thanksgiving dinner. Couldn't resist eating a few bites along with licking the bowl…
Thanks for the great inspiration, perfect for vegans and those not liking heavy dairy-laden desserts alike
I opted to try these for our thanksgiving brunch today – had to have pumpkin somethin right? I didn't have crystallized ginger on hand and I think it would have been nice addition. At first I thought the bites weren't sweet enough but I find myself nibbling on these all day! This the first butter free, oil free crust I ever tried and I am again impressed! I think the same crust with a layer of apple sauce and chopped apples would be to die for! I couldn't live without this website!
These are wonderful! They were much appreciated both at home and at the vegan thanksgiving potluck where they were quickly and happily devoured. Thanks so much for another fantastic recipe, Susan!
Made them yesterday and everyone loved them. They tasted delicious! Thank you Susan
Fabulous recipe. I needed a vegan dessert, and this was just wonderful. I divided the pan into 18 pumpkin bars. Everyone raved about them. Thank you!
wow, those look amazing! great job! I love pumpkin.
These are REALLY good! My household is keeping them around for snacks and breakfast and they do the trick. I agree the topping is worth it. I was afraid it would be too much ginger for my husband but he loves them as much as I do.
I just found your site today and am beyond grateful!
Just wanted to say thanks!
Waw!! These squares with pumpkin in them look so tasty!!
MMMMMMMMMMMMM,…lovely food!
Those look SO good. Any vegan subsitution for the tofu… hoping to making this ASAP and hubby just HATEs tofu the thought and taste of it. If he ever knew it was in there that would be the end.
The cat picture is priceless
)
Susan (or anyone that knows),
I made these this past weekend and loves the filling and the topping, however I thought the crust was very hard and dense and although i still ate it I felt like it could have been better (flakier or crumblier or something not so dense). I used whole grain flour, but I don’t think I did anything wrong, but do you have any suggestions on how to make sure the crust doesn’t become so dense. Could I just up the amount of applesauce? please help because these were amazing for their healthiness except for the crust!
Hi Casey, one of the problems of fat-free baking is that it lacks the flakiness of regular baked goods. If your crust seemed excessively hard, though, it sounds like your could use more applesauce. Flours have different moisture contents, and yours may just need more liquid.
Man! I finally tried these last week and they were FANTABULOUS! I took a few liberties with the filling to make it soy-free but…. man oh man! Ummm-hmmmm
What can I use instead of tofu?
I just found your blog, and I’m really enjoying browsing your healthy recipes
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