Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Bars for Thanksgiving!

The Mall Fairies Sweet Tooth Cookbook will be launched during the Cookies & Books Holiday Sale at a special price, yum!

To celebrate and get your taste buds flowing, here's a recipe from the cookbook, modified to be gluten and dairy free. Can also be nut, soy and egg free. 

PUMPKIN BARS

NOTE: I halved this recipe because it makes a lot and we were a few for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour: I use a mixture of 3-4 gluten free, high fiber and protein flours. These include oatmeal, garbanzo bean, coconut, sweet sorghum, and buckwheat.

2 teaspoons baking powder and 2 teaspoons baking soda: Gluten free flours don't rise as well. Having both baking powder and baking soda helps.

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cloves (can be omitted, but why?)

½ teaspoon ginger (also can be omitted, again, why?)

1 teaspoon salt

1 scant teaspoon xanthum gum: This helps the flours stick together. May be omitted.

2 tablespoons potato starch: This helps the flours stick together too. 

4 eggs OR egg substitute. If you use egg substitute, bars will be denser in texture.

1 ⅔ cups sugar (I use dark brown sugar, and a little less.)

1 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large can (15oz) pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Sift dry ingredients and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients, gradually. Mix well.

Spread batter in a greased 13”x 9”x 2” baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.

Variations:

Add nuts, walnuts and pecans work well.

Add chocolate bits.

Add both chocolate bits and nuts.

Be careful not to make the batter too "full" as it will fall apart. I've done this.

Enjoy