To be honest, I’ve never been a big pumpkin pie fan. I mean it’s good, but doesn’t make me swoon like a rich fudge brownie, chocolate chip cookie, or a chocolate peanut butter dessert. Pies in general don’t do much for me. Call me crazy! I’ll always have a slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but that’s it. I don’t think about it for the rest of the year. Pumpkin BREAD on the other hand..totally different story. Obsessed to say the least.
These bars are making me change my tune! They’re reminiscent of pumpkin pie, but so much healthier, and they pack a gingery bite from the gingersnaps! They’re almost paleo, except for the gingersnap crust. I wouldn’t judge you if you ate one for breakfast or for a snack.
I LOVE gingersnaps. They’re one of those nostalgic foods for me. I ate them as a kid and I remember my best friend often had them stocked in their snack drawer. We’d take handfuls all the time. They also had those big ICED oatmeal raisin cookies in the long rectangular package..anyone remember those?! So so good.
The drizzled dark chocolate adds next level deliciousness. The pumpkin and dark chocolate combo always gets me! Don’t skip it!
These are delicious cold, too. They’ll keep much longer in the fridge. Also, if you prefer graham cracker crust to gingersnap, feel free to use graham crackers here. They’d work beautifully! Or, you can sub any cookie you wanna experiment with!
These are a perfect Halloween or even Thanksgiving treat! Or anytime treat, because you’re WORTH it.
Pumpkin Almond Butter Bars with Gingersnap Crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup gingersnap crumbs (gingersnaps just crushed to a powder in the food processor)
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (can sub granulated sugar)
- 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup almond butter (the natural, drippy kind)
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 2 ounces chopped dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil. In a medium bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs, coconut oil, and sugar. Stir until moistened. Press mixture into pan with the back of a rubber spatula. Bake for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and coconut flour. Whisk to combine until smooth.
Pour pumpkin mixture over the crust, and smooth with a rubber spatula so it's even. Bake for 28-30 minutes until the center is set. Let cool completely. Once cooled, in a microwave safe bowl, melt the dark chocolate in 30 second increments. Once melted, stir in the coconut oil.
- Remove bars from pan, and drizzle with chocolate. At this point, you can refrigerate to set the chocolate, and then cut into bars, or cut into bars and eat with the melty chocolate!
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