Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Bars + Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Bars + Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

These chewy chocolate chip pumpkin cookie bars are the perfect gluten free and vegan halloween treat. Fudgey, pumpkiny, full of dark chocolate chips, and layered with a silky vegan cream cheese frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pumpkin bars, pumpkin cookie bars

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings bars

Calories 233kcal

Author Jackie Akerberg

Equipment

18" x 12" rimmed metal baking sheet
hand mixer

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Bars

½ cup coconut oil melted
½ cup dairy butter melted
½ cup cashew butter or almond butter
1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
⅓ cup medjool dates pitted and boiled for 5 minutes until soft (or date paste or molasses)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 cup dairy free dark chocolate chips

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz Treeline vegan cream cheese
4 oz dairy free butter softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2-3 cup 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.

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