Pumpkin Chocolate Bars with Gingersnap Crust (Vegan, No-Bake)
December 21, 2016
Pumpkin season may technically be over now, but these pumpkin chocolate bars are good enough to eat year round! (Plus, we’re a little behind on our seasons in Florida anyway.) And don’t even get me started on the gingersnap crust. It’s dangerously tasty. I suggest having some kitchen supervision when making these because you might need to be physically restrained from inhaling the crust before finishing the bars. I may or may not know from personal experience.
I made these bars for Thanksgiving this year and they were a huge hit. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free, with no baking required. They’re packed with healthy, wholesome, energy-boosting ingredients like almonds, coconut oil, dates and of course pumpkin, so go ahead and enjoy one for breakfast if you want! No-ones judging.
Ingredients:
Gingersnap Crust
- 2 cups gluten free, vegan gingersnap cookies
- ½ cup raw pecans
- ½ cup raw almonds
- 4 pitted dates, soaked and drained
- 1-2 tsp. coconut oil, melted
- 1 Tbsp. pumpkin (optional)
Chocolate Layer
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. coconut butter, melted
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. pumpkin (optional)
Pumpkin Layer
- 1 (15 oz.) can organic pumpkin
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 pitted dates, soaked and drained
- 2 Tbsp. coconut butter, melted
- ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
Toppings
- Dark chocolate, melted
- Pumpkin seeds
Directions:
For the Crust
- Soak dates in warm water to soften for about 30 minutes.
- Place the gingersnap cookies, pecans and almonds in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Add the dates, after soaking and draining, coconut oil and pumpkin and blend into a sticky dough.
- Press mixture into bottom of parchment paper or saran wrap lined 8”x8” baking pan and set aside while preparing the filling.
For the Chocolate Layer
- Combine all chocolate layer ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Spread the chocolate mixture over the gingersnap crust and place in the freezer to set while making the pumpkin layer, about 15 minutes.
For the Pumpkin Layer
- Put pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract into food processor and blend until well combined.
- Add dates, after soaking for 30 minutes and draining, coconut butter and spices and blend until smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin filling over the chocolate layer, cover and place in the freezer for 4-6 hours, or overnight for best results.
Allow dessert to thaw at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cutting into bars or squares and drizzling with your favorite vegan dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds. Store in the freezer for up to two weeks.
Notes
- I only used two dates in the pumpkin filling because that was all I had left, but it would also taste great with more dates! You’ll just need to adjust the amount of maple syrup you use if you decide to add more.
- I used pumpkin throughout the crust and chocolate layer because I had extra and wanted to make these bars as pumpkin-y as possible, but feel free to nix the pumpkin in these layers if you only have one can.
- Melt coconut oil by filling a container with hot water and setting jar in it until the oil melts, about 15 minutes. Allow oil to cool to room temperature before using.
- Melt coconut butter by filling a container with hot water and setting jar in it until the butter melts, about 20 minutes. Allow butter to cool to room temperature before using.
- Melt dark chocolate for topping by microwaving a dark chocolate bar at 50% power for 30-second intervals until melted.
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