Date Sweetened Pumpkin Oat Bars (4 Ingredients, V, GF, Oil-Free)

5 from 1 vote

Date Sweetened Pumpkin Oat Bars (4 Ingredients, V, GF, Oil-Free)

Simple, and simply delicious, date sweetened pumpkin oat bars are everything you want in a grab and go breakfast, snack, or afternoon treat. These 4 ingredient bars are easy to make as well as vegan, oil-free & gluten-free.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 1-bowl, 4 ingredients, bars, breakfast bars, dairy-free, easy, gluten-free, healthy pumpkin cookies, oats, oil-free, pumpkin, pumpkin cookies, vegan oil-free pumpkin bars

Servings: bars

Author: Camilla

Equipment

1 9-inch (22.5 cm) square baking pan

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
boiling water
4 ounces pitted dates (about 1/2 cup, packed)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon; see notes)
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins (see notes below)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place the dates in a small bowl. Cover with enough boiling water to cover the dates. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften.
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper (for extra-easy removal after baking). Foil also works.
The bars hold together much better if the oats are given a rough chop. Place the oats in a food processor or blender. Use ON/OFF pulses to roughly chop the oats into a rough meal (not a flour). Place the blended oats in a large mixing bowl.
Drain the dates, reserving 2/3 cup (158 mL) of the soaking water. Place the dates, reserved soaking water, pumpkin purée , pumpkin pie spice, and optional salt. Blend until smooth.
Scrape the pumpkin date mixture into the bowl with the oats. Add any extras (e.g., dried fruit, seeds, nuts, vanilla). Stir until combined. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes until the surface appears dry and the edges are slightly browned. Cool in the pan for an hour before removing from the pan and cutting into 9 big bars.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled bars in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Add-In Suggestions

Consider one, or a combination of several, of the following options to customize your pumpkin oat bars to your tastes.

Dried Fruit: Add up to 1/2 cup (118 mL) of chopped dried fruit, such as dried cranberries, raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries, or dried blueberries.
Chocolate: Add up to 1/2 cup of your favorite chocolate chips or chunks. Alternatively, add 3 tablespoons of cacao nibs.
Nuts or Seeds: Add up to 1/2 cup chopped nuts or seeds, such as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), or sunflower seeds. Alternatively, sprinkle a few nuts or seeds on top of the bars before baking.
Extracts or Zests: Add a teaspoon of vanilla or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. Or add one to two teaspoons of finely grated orange zest.
Coconut: Add up to 1/2 cup shredded or flake unsweetened coconut (toasted or un-toasted).

DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice: Combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. This yields the two teaspoons of spice needed in the recipe.

Nutrition