Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars
Pumpkin/squash season is upon us and instead of making pumpkin pie, I thought I’d make something a bit simpler. Enter vegan pumpkin pie bars. Basically pumpkin pie but in bar form so there’s no need to roll out any dough! And if it’s an actual pumpkin pie you want, you can use the same recipe and bake it in a pie pan. Either way, it’ll count as one of your vegetable portions for the day if you ask me. If a pumpkin dessert isn’t your cup of tea, you can make these spiced banana crumb muffins instead to get in the spirit of fall.
How to make vegan pumpkin pie bars
As I said , this recipe is pretty simple. But if you want to make it even easier on yourself, you can use canned pumpkin purée. Not canned pumpkin pie filling, those are already sweetened and spiced and will throw off the recipe ratio.
You can also make pumpkin or butternut squash purée from scratch as I did. It’s easier to make than you might think! And if you’re using butternut squash, it lends a nicer flavour to the filling, in my opinion. But it’s delicious either way.
Simply preheat your oven to 190C/375F and cut your pumpkin or squash lengthwise. Then lightly oil the cut sides with any neutral oil and place both pieces oil side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment, aluminium or a silicone mat. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a fork goes through easily when you pierce the thickest part. Let it cool completely on the sheet until manipulable. Then scoop out the flesh with a spoon and blend it in a food processor or high-powered blender. Try not to add any water, just scrape often until you get a smooth purée.
As for the filling itself, all you have to do is whisk all the ingredients together until you have a smooth mixture. Doesn’t get much easier than that! Same goes for the dough. You do need to bake the base completely before adding the filling though, or you’ll end up with a soggy bottom since the filling is high in moisture.
The hardest part of this recipe is the wait. Once it’s all baked, you need to let it cool completely before putting it in the fridge for a few hours. If you put it in the fridge while it’s still warm, condensation will form on the top. And if you try slicing it without fridge time, it won’t have set enough and you’ll end up with a soupy mess. So trust me, the wait is important and worth it. And when you pull it out of the pan, do it with confidence and in one clean motion to avoid destroying it. I learned that the hard way.
The topping
I know the traditional thing to do would be to top these vegan pumpkin pie bars with “whipped cream”. But I thought meringue would be even better. A fluffy marshmallow-like topping with pumpkin pie bars? *Chef’s kiss*. Yes, sign me up.
I made a vegan italian meringue because it’s more stable for piping than vegan french meringue. So instead of slowly sprinkling in the sugar to the aquafaba (chickpea water), it’s a hot sugar syrup that’s poured into it while whisking on high speed. A stand mixer is ideal for this, unless you have someone willing to pour the syrup while you whisk with a hand mixer. Just be sure to use a high bowl to avoid hot sugar splattering on you.
You can also just top these bars with any vegan whipped cream you like if you don’t want meringue. Either way, only put the topping on when you’re ready to serve, because it won’t hold up well in the fridge if made in advance.
If you make this recipe please let me know in the comments! All feedback is very much appreciated and I would love to hear from you! You can also tag me on instagram @the.quaint.kitchen or use the hashtag #thequaintkitchen to share your creations!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars
Ingredients
Base
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 120 g white granulated sugar, make sure it’s vegan
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 50 g water
- 85 g neutral oil
Filling
- 185 g white granulated sugar
- 4½ tbsp cornstarch
- 640 g canned or homemade pumpkin or squash purée , check post for instructions on making it from scratch
- 190 g plant based milk, room temperature
- 120 g maple syrup, room temperature
- 50 g refined coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1/4 tsp orange zest, optional
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp clove
- 1/8 tsp cardamom
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Italian Meringue
- 100 g white granulated sugar
- 40 g water
- 50 g aquafaba
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Base
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave some overhang for easy removal.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
- Pour the water and oil into the dry ingredients and stir until a dough forms without overmixing.
- Pat the dough evenly into the lined baking pan, use a flat-bottomed cup to press it down and smooth it out.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside while you make the filling.
Filling
- Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until well combined.
- Then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together until the mixture is smooth and even.
- Pour over the base and bake at the same temperature for 40 to 50 minutes.
- Let it cool completely in the pan at room temperature before putting it in the fridge for at least one hour or until fully set.
- Once set, using the parchment overhang, pull out the square in one swift motion onto a cutting board.
- Cut into 12 bars and place them back in the fridge.
Italian Meringue
- Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and place on the stovetop on medium heat.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, place the aquafaba, cream of tartar and salt and whisk on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
- Bring the sugar syrup up to 120°C/248°F, once there, slowly pour it into the whipped aquafaba at high speed being careful to avoid pouring directly onto the whisk to prevent your syrup from ending up on the sides of the bowl instead of inside the aquafaba. Also avoid pouring it directly down the side of the bowl or the syrup will end up at the bottom. Right in between is the sweet spot.
- Once poured, let the meringue whip on medium to high speed until it has cooled.
- Scoop into a piping bag with a rose piping tip and pipe onto the bars in a side to side motion.
Notes
- *Disclaimer: I have a tiny not-so-great oven, so your bake time may vary from mine.
- I strongly suggest making recipes by weight, if you make them by cups I can’t guarantee that you’ll get the same results.
- You can also top these with any vegan whipped cream you prefer instead of meringue.
- The orange zest adds a nice brightness to the filling but it’s optional.
- These will last up to a week in the fridge without topping in a sealed container, but the botton will likely get soggy. It’s best enjoyed the same day it’s made or the next.
- Make sure the filling ingredients are at room temperature to avoid solidifying the coconut oil.
- You can replace the spices with 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice.