Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Bars with Caramelized Pecans
These Pumpkin Pie Bars with Caramelized Pecans are an easy way to impress during the holidays. This fall recipe is fully gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. A gingerbread crust is filled with an easy pumpkin pie filling and topped with maple caramelized pecans.
Servings 9 bars
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
- ½ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
- 2 tablespoon tapioca or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup coconut oil or butter
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon molasses
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (dairy free) yogurt yogurt of choice, or the cream from the top of a full fat coconut milk can
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Pecans
- 1 cup pecans or pecan halves
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Crust and Filling
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line a 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients for the crust (flours, starch, cinnamon). Add the wet ingredients and mix until combined and you have a dough that holds together.
- Press the crust into the bottom of your baking dish and up the sides just slightly.
- Bake for 12 minutes then remove and let cool while you make the filling.
- Combine all ingredients for the pumpkin filling in a blender or food processor and blend to combine. Alternatively, add everything to a bowl and beat on medium to combine.
- Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick come out clean in the center. There should be a slight jiggle, but the filling should be set.
- Let the bars cool completely then place in the fridge overnight to set.
Pecans
- You can make these whenever, but you will not add them to the top of the bars until ready to serve.
- Line a large baking pan or plate with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add all ingredients for the pecans to a pan and heat on medium heat stirring frequently until the pecans are toasted and the sugar is caramelized. This takes about 7-10 minutes and the pecans should be fragrant, but not burning!
- Pour the pecans onto your baking pan and separate them so they don't stick together. Let them cool. As they cool, they will harden.
- Once cooled, you can wipe off some of the excess liquid/fat and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Assembly
- When ready to serve, distribute the pecans evenly over the pumpkin bars and cut (or cut and then add them to each bar in a pattern you desire). Enjoy!