Pumpkin Cranberry Breakfast Bars
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 9-12
 
Pumpkin Cranberry Breakfast Bars-Oats, pumpkin, cranberries oh my! Perfect breakfast on the go, healthy snack, or dessert!
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup oat flour (place oats in a blender, and puree until fine)
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp cinnamon (I always heap mine)
  • ½ tsp nutmeg (I always heap mine)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup almond butter or apple sauce*
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ¾ cup packed dates, about 10, soaked in hot water and de-pitted
  • ¾ cup canned pumpkin or freshly baked and strained pie pumpkin
  • 1¼ cup almond/plant-based milk
  • 2 flax "eggs"-make 10 minutes before assembling, 2 tbsp ground flax+6 tbsp water=2 "eggs"
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cranberries (we used slightly thawed/frozen), plus a few tbsp for top
  • 2 tbsp of cacao nibs or plant-based chocolate chips for topping (or more)
  • *Alternative to almond butter or to make this nut free: Other nut butter or tahini paste (nut free) can also be used. I made this both with almond butter and one with apple sauce, and found the only difference was that the pan made with apple sauce took about 5-10 minutes longer to bake.
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350, and line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper
  2. Make flax eggs-and let sit for 5-10 minutes
  3. Place dry ingredients (first 6) into a bowl and set aside
  4. In a blender, like a Vitamix, place almond butter or apple sauce (whichever using), vanilla, soaked and drained dates, pumpkin, milk, and flax eggs. Puree until smooth
  5. Pour liquid in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in, until smooth
  6. Fold in cranberries, and pour into pan. Sprinkle top with additional cranberries and cacao nibs or chocolate chips (chocolate chips will add sweetness to the dish)
  7. Bake for about 40-50 minutes, until knife inserted comes out clean (if making with apple sauce in place of almond butter, cooking took 5 minutes longer)
  8. Let cool, pull out of pan, and then slice. Store in fridge
  9. Serve for breakfast, as a quick healthy snack, or as a healthy Halloween/fall treat! Bars can be frozen. Can re-heat and drizzle with a little maple syrup if desired.
Recipe by Garden Fresh Foodie at https://gardenfreshfoodie.com/healthy-desserts/pumpkin-cranberry-breakfast-bars/