Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars For Two
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Soft and chewy cream cheese frosted gluten free pumpkin pie bars, perfect for two! Made with a flavorful oat flour blend and lots of pumpkin and spice, the dessert bars take everything you love about pumpkin pie, and pack it into an easy, small batch fall treat.
These bars … so incredibly delicious. Not only will it be nearly impossible to tell that they’re gluten free, but they’re like a little gluten free pumpkin pie, but in bar form. Top them with my favorite maple cream cheese frosting, and you have a small batch dessert you’ll be making more than once.
The fall bars finesse so many textures into one bite: soft, chewy, and sturdy. It’s like a moist cake merged with my recipe for soft pumpkin thumbprint cookies for two. They are easily a hand-held dessert with the perfectly delicate bite. And there is no shortage of pumpkin + spice flavor.
For a fun dessert this fall that’s not pie, these fit the bill. But, if it’s pie you’re craving, my pumpkin apple pie bars for two should be your next bake. 🙂
Pumpkin Bars Are Easy To Make
Easy might be an understatement. But I think anytime you have a recipe that identifies as a bar, it should be easy. Take my small batch pumpkin chocolate chip cookie bars, for example. Easy to make, hard to resist.
You will want a couple of mixing bowls because I like to make sure my homemade gluten free flour blend is well combined. We don’t want pockets of any single flour.
Then I mix the sugars with the oil in another mixing bowl – it’s almost like melting the sugar. Then, after the remaining wet ingredients get mixed in (yes, pumpkin!), sprinkle the dry ingredients over top.
After the bars bake, it will be tempting to dive right in, but give them time to cool so your frosting doesn’t melt right in. That’s it. Pumpkin bars in less than an hour!
Helpful Tips To Get you Started
- You don’t need to drain or blot the pumpkin. I told you it was easy. The only thing is you may want to try Libby’s pumpkin because I have found it doesn’t have as much water as other brands.
- Let the batter rest before baking. Almost all of my gluten free + small batch desserts benefit from time to rest. This gives the flours time to hydrate and flavors to develop. Without the rest, the bars may come out crumbly.
- Serve out of the pan. Frost, cut, and serve directly from the pan. Another checkmark for easy.
Did You Make It? Let’s Hear About It!
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Did you skip the pie this year and serve pumpkin bars instead? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below (plus a star-rating for extra appreciation). 😉
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars For Two
Equipment
Ingredients
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars
- ¼ cup (23 g) gluten free oat flour
- ¼ cup (28 g) blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) sweet white rice flour
- 2 tablespoons (14.2 g) tapioca flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or just ground cinnamon)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (56.5 g) cold pressed refined coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup (70 g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (40.5 g) organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (113.6 g) pure canned pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line the small baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides of the pan not covered by parchment.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.1/4 cup gluten free oat flour, 1/4 cup blanched almond flour, 1/4 cup sweet white rice flour, 2 tablespoons tapioca flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the melted coconut oil and sugars. Stir together with a fork to thoroughly moisten the sugars.1/4 cup cold pressed refined coconut oil, melted, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- Add the egg to the sugar mix and mix well to incorporate the egg. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and mix.1/2 cup pure canned pumpkin, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet and stir with a fork until no dry streaks remain. Let the batter rest for at least 5 minutes to allow the flours to hydrate and flavors develop.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and use a spatula to spread evenly into all corners and sides. Bake the pumpkin bars for 23 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the bars are springy to the touch.
- Cool the bars completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. While the bars are cooling, make the frosting per the recipe instructions.
- Frost the cooled bars and cut into desired slices. Note – I like to keep the bars in the pan to make frosting, slicing, and serving easy.
Notes
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe and only tested as such. If trying to double the recipe, bake in a quarter-size baking sheet or 8-inch cake pan. Start checking at 30 minutes.
- Yield – The number of bars will depend on how big you cut the slices. I cut mine into about 2-inch squares.
- Baking Pan – If you do not have the small baking sheet, you can use a 9×5 loaf pan. The bars will be thicker and you may need to increase the bake time by 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pumpkin – Be sure it is pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. The latter has added ingredients we don’t need for this recipe. I prefer Libby’s canned pumpkin because it doesn’t contain as much moisture as other brands.
- Leftover Pumpkin – You will have leftover pumpkin, regardless of the size can you use. Check out my pumpkin recipes to make more tasty treats.
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftover bars in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- Freezing – Unfrosted bars – cut or whole – can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic and seal in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition Estimates
About the Author …
Hi, I’m Erin! With years of experience baking for two in my own small household, I know about the love for desserts without the leftovers. I’ve tested, written, and photographed every one of the 300+ recipes on my website. And even had some of my desserts featured on Taste of Home, The Spruce Eats, ELLE, Parade, and more! From traditional to gluten free desserts for two, I have the recipe for you.
Click here to learn more about me →
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