These thick and chewy pumpkin blondies are not only healthy but absolutely delicious! Made with hearty oat flour, unrefined coconut sugar, and pureed pumpkin. The perfect fall baking recipe that is gluten-free and dairy-free friendly!
Fall baking season is here! And If you love everything pumpkin spice, you will love these thick and chewy pumpkin bars. They’re a blend of a cookie and a brownie together but have all the flavors of pumpkin instead of chocolate.
What makes these bars healthier than most is by using oat flour (ground up oats) instead of regular flour and coconut sugar instead of refined sugar. They’re perfectly sweet, studded with chocolate chips, and are filled with decadent flavor!
Ingredients – What You Need
Below you’ll find the full list of ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe!
Oat flour: instead of regular flour, this recipe calls for oat flour which is ground up oats. You can use gluten-free if needed!
Pureed pumpkin: for taste and texture! Be sure to use puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
Coconut sugar: an unrefined sugar that works just like brown sugar.
Pumpkin pie spice: for pumpkin-y flavor!
Egg: be sure to use a room temperature egg so it doesn’t cool down the melted butter.
Vegan butter/regular butter: this recipe has been tested with both vegan and regular butter. Either work great!
Vanilla extract: to enhance the flavors.
Chocolate chips: I recommend using dark chocolate or semi-sweet chips.
Baking soda
How to Make Pumpkin Blondies – Step by Step
Step 1 Step 2
- (1) Preheat oven to 350F. Then, whisk dry ingredients together – oat flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- (2-3) Then add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently stir together (do not over-mix batter). Gently fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
Step 3 Step 4
(4) Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into the pan and smooth out. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over top and bake for 22 minutes – test with a toothpick.
Let cool for 10 minutes, then lift edges of parchment paper from pan and slice into 9 or 12 bars.
Tips for Success
- Use pumpkin puree: be sure to avoid a common mistake in pumpkin recipes and use real pumpkin puree! Not pumpkin pie filling. 😉
- Using oat flour: you can either make it or purchase it. To make your own, add old-fashion rolled oats to a high-powered blender or food processor, then chop/blend until consistency is very fine like flour. Use gluten-free oats if needed.
- Other flours to use: if you don’t want to use oat flour, you can swap it for a 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour blend or all-purpose flour.
- The chocolate: you can either use mini chocolate chips, regular chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks. I used a mixture of all three. Semi-sweet is great or use dark chocolate to keep things dairy-free!
- How to store pumpkin bars: to keep bars fresh, store in a glass/plastic sealed container at room temperature or in refrigerator for 3 to 7 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a flax egg and make it vegan? Yes! This recipe can be made with either a regular egg or a flax egg (3 Tablespoons of water + 1 Tablespoon flax meal).
What other sweeteners can I use? This recipe only works with coconut sugar or brown sugar. White sugar will not give the moisture needed to make them chewy or hold together. This recipe has also not been tested with honey or maple syrup so I can’t guarantee results.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
Healthy Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
Flourless Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Healthy Pumpkin Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups oat flour use gluten-free if needed
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar or swap for brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, melted + slightly cooled vegan or regular butter works
- 1/2 cup (divided) chocolate chips/chunks dark or semi-sweet
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Mix dry ingredients: in a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Be sure to whisk out any clumps from the flour.
- Add wet ingredients: Then add wet ingredients (melted butter, coconut sugar, pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla) into dry ingredients and gently stir together – be careful to not over-mix batter. Fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
- Line pan: in an 8×8 pan, line the pan with parchment paper.
- Add batter: Pour batter into the pan and smooth out. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips over top and bake for 22 minutes – test with a toothpick to ensure it's fully baked.
- Let cool: Remove bars and let cool for 10 minutes before lifting edges of parchment paper from pan. Use a knife to slice bars into 9 or 12 small bars. Then enjoy!
Notes
- Use pumpkin puree: be sure to avoid a common mistake in pumpkin recipes and use real pumpkin puree! Not pumpkin pie filling. 😉
- Using oat flour: you can either make it or purchase it. To make your own, add old-fashion rolled oats to a high-powered blender or food processor, then chop/blend until consistency is very fine like flour. Use gluten-free oats if needed.
Oh wow! I found a new favorite fall recipe. These pumpkin blondies are amazing! The texture is perfect and you’d never think they were gluten-free. I used Sucanat sugar and took the extra time to make browned butter. They turned out so good!
Thank you so much, Kera! So happy you enjoyed these blondies 🙂 They are the perfect fall treat!
I’m wondering if I can use egg whites instead of a whole egg?
Delish! I subbed gluten-free flour for the oat flour and reduced the butter/sugar. Came out great- everyone loved them! This is a much healthier recipe than most others out there. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Jessica! Really happy you enjoyed them so much. 🙂
Can I sub oat flour with regular GF flour or almond flour?
I’ve not tested it, but a gluten free flour blend or almond flour should work!
Thanks for a great pumpkin bar. I made these according to the recipe and they cam out perfectly. I then I made them using a flax egg and avocado oil (instead of an egg and butter) and I added a handful or two of raisins and chopped walnuts. The recipe is delicious both ways!
Love it! So glad flax egg worked. 🙂 Happy you enjoyed them!
I’ve personally not tested this with flax egg, but you can certainly try it with a one to one ratio. I used vegan butter in this recipe and recommend that as the fat! Coconut oil should have similar results though. 🙂
so sorry about that! You’ll add it with the wet ingredients.