These deliciously moist gluten-free pumpkin bars are made with lightly spiced pumpkin and are topped with a dairy-free cream cheese frosting that adds just the right amount of sweetness. Be sure to try my Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins for another tasty pumpkin recipe.
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Ingredients
Gluten-Free Flour: My favorite gluten-free & dairy-free flour blends to use are Pamela’s Gluten-Free 1:1 All-Purpose Flour and Better Batter. I’ve been using them both with great results. They are both a 1-1 substitute. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure that it contains xanthan gum. If not, add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour.
Pumpkin: You’ll want to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix. Any brand should work fine, but my favorite is Libby’s.
Dairy-Free Butter: Suggested brands are Country Crock Plant-Based with Avocado Oil, Smart Balance, or Earth Balance.
Cream Cheese: There are several brands of dairy-free cream cheese available that you could choose to make with this recipe. In my local grocery stores, I could only find these two brands: Kite Hill and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. You can read the difference between these two on my Caramel Dip post.
Oil: I used avocado oil in this recipe. It has a light, neutral flavor. Melted refined coconut oil could also be used.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger combine together to create warm fall flavors.
The full list of ingredients and measurements is in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10 x 15″ baking pan.
- Whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, sugar, avocado oil, and applesauce. Then mix in pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla.
- Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
Cream cheese frosting:
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and cream together the dairy-free butter and cream cheese. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Then, mix in the powdered sugar until thoroughly mixed.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, spread with the cream cheese frosting. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
More gluten-free pumpkin desserts you’ll love
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars (Dairy-Free)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Enjoy a little taste of autumn with these deliciously moist gluten-free pumpkin bars made with dairy-free cream cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup avocado oil
- ½ cup applesauce
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup dairy-free butter, room temperature
- 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10 x 15″ baking pan.
- Whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, sugar, avocado oil, and applesauce. Then mix in pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla.
- Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
Cream cheese frosting:
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and cream together the dairy-free butter and cream cheese. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Then, mix in the powdered sugar until thoroughly mixed.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, spread with the cream cheese frosting. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Notes
Gluten-Free Flour: My favorite gluten-free & dairy-free flour blends to use are Pamela’s Gluten-Free 1:1 All-Purpose Flour and Better Batter. I’ve been using them both with great results. They are both a 1-1 substitute. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure that it contains xanthan gum. If not, add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour.
Pumpkin: You’ll want to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix. Any brand should work fine, but my favorite is Libby’s.
Dairy-Free Butter: Suggested brands are Country Crock Plant Based with Avocado Oil, Smart Balance, or Earth Balance.
Oil: I used avocado oil in this recipe. It has a light, neutral flavor. Melted refined coconut oil could also be used.
Cream Cheese: There are several brands of dairy-free cream cheese available that you could choose to make with this recipe. In my local grocery stores, I could only find these two brands: Kite Hill and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. You can read the difference between these two on my Caramel Dip post.
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