PUMPKIN-OAT BARS (GLUTEN FREE)

Pumpkin-Oat Bars (Gluten Free) image

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. The bars have the texture of brownies - dense, moist, and yummy. I love that there is almost no fat in the recipe and that it uses nutritious ingredients. I hope you enjoy the pumpkin oat bars :)

Provided by Merry Cook

Categories Grains

Time 50m

Yield 24 bars, 24 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

4 cups gluten-free oats
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons olive oil or 2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisin (optional)
4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x11, or two 9 inch round, baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Make oat flour: Place oatmeal in blender or food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles coarse flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended. NOTE: oats are measured before you processes them.
In a large bowl mix oats, brown sugar, salt, spices, baking powder, and baking soda. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the pumpkin, apple sauce, oil, and vanilla. Combine until mixed well. NOTE: the batter should be looser than cookie dough but thicker than cake batter. If your batter is too thick add a little water 1/4 cup at a time until it looks right.
Gently fold in chocolate chips, raisins, and/or nuts.
Pour batter into prepared pans and gently smooth top. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Timing will depend on what size pan you use, but definitely check around 30 minutes.
Once out of the oven drizzle the top with maple syrup (optional). It soaks in so they wont be super sticky.
NOTES:.
You can use "old fashioned" or "quick" rolled oats. Use Gluten-free oats only if you want to avoid gluten.
Try white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, or even butterscotch chips.
On occasion I've substituted part of the oats with granola cereal (processed into flour) with good results.
Next I want to experiment with using pureed butternut or zucchini squash in place of the pumpkin because pumpkin is more difficult to find outside the holidays.