Equipment
- 18″ x 12″ rimmed metal baking sheet
- electric mixer
- rubber spatula
- aluminum foil
- metal spatula
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Bars
- 1/2 C coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 C vegan butter, melted
- 1/2 C cashew butter or almond butter
- 1 C coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 C pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 C pitted medjool dates, boiled for 5 minutes until soft or date paste or molasses
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
- 3 C gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 TBSP arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 C vegan dark chocolate chips
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz Treeline vegan cream cheese
- 4 oz vegan butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2-3 C powdered sugar adjust for desired sweetness
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 12” x 18” baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with a neutral oil.
- Add coconut oil, vegan butter, nut butter, sugar, pumpkin, dates, and vanilla to amixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until well combined. 1-2minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
- Add in remaining dry ingredients, except chocolate chips, and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Gently fold in chocolate chips using the mixer on low speed or with a rubber spatula.
- Pour dough onto baking sheet and use the spatula or lightly oiled hands to flatten into an even layer.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. For doughy fudgey bars, do not over bake! Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- While bars are baking and cooling, prepare your frosting. Add vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to beat on high speed until well combined. Add in powdered sugar 1 C at a time until desired sweetness is achieved.
- Once bars are completely cooled, use a rubber spatula to spread frosting in an even layer. Place back in fridge and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Keep these bars in the fridge for up to a week and serve cold. These bars are actually BEST after 48 hours in the fridge.
What makes these Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Bars vegan?
To make this recipe totally plant-based, a few simple vegan substitutes are used. Along with vegan butter and vegan chocolate chips, I used my favorite dairy-free cream cheese from Treeline. This creamy cashew-based spread is a healthier alternative to traditional cream cheese. It has a mild, tangy flavor and a smooth and silky texture, which is perfect for making vegan cream cheese frosting.
How to make the best Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars
Start by lining a large 12” x 18” metal baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spraying with oil. You could also use a slightly smaller metal baking sheet for thicker bars. Set your pan aside. To begin making the dough, add your wet ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine. Beat for 1-2 minutes until silky smooth. Once your dry ingredients are added, mix on low speed until combined, being sure not to over-mix. Then, gently fold in chocolate chips.
How to Serve These Bars
These bars taste their very best when they’re served cold and actually taste even better after a couple days in the fridge. Because of this, feel free to make ahead of time and pull them out right before your halloween party starts. Enjoy!
