If you happen to love pumpkin pie and need a low-stress dessert recipe, then these vegan pumpkin pie bars with graham cracker crust are for you! They characteristic a spiced pumpkin pie filling, which is made with vegan cream cheese, and a straightforward, press-in graham cracker crust. The bars are baked in a sq. pan and minimize into after chilling. They’re creamy and scrumptious, with completely crisp and crumbly bottoms.
Pumpkin pie is my favourite pie, and I’ve accordingly made many vegan variations of the recipe over time.
Lastly, a couple of years again, I revealed a traditional vegan pumpkin pie recipe that was a fruits of my efforts. It’s good.
Typically, nonetheless, one craves a shortcut model of a traditional dessert. And that’s precisely what these vegan pumpkin pie bars are.
As Thanksgiving rolls round this yr, I discover myself particularly in want of a vacation meal plan that’s light and forgiving. I examined the bars a couple of weeks in the past, sensing that it will be an extended month.
My hope was for a dessert that may converse to my everlasting love of pumpkin pie with out requiring a lot work from me, and I bought simply that.
Traditional pie vs. pumpkin pie bars: is there actually a distinction?
The distinction between pumpkin pie bars and a traditional pumpkin pie actually boils all the way down to crust.
Particularly, conventional pumpkin pie normally contains a traditional pie crust, or pâte Brisée.
Pumpkin pie bars, alternatively, can have a couple of several types of crust. The recipe that I’m sharing on this publish contains a press-in, graham cracker crust.
Different pumpkin pie bar recipes characteristic a shortbread crust. I’ve even seen recipes on this class that decision for no crust in any respect, however that’s the place I draw the road: at that time, we’re speaking about baked pudding!
Anyway, recipe distinctions could be a little arbitrary, and the pie vs. pie bar delineation is not any exception. However the concept right here is that you simply received’t should make, chill, and roll pastry prior to creating your pumpkin pie filling.
As a substitute, you’ll blitz up some graham crackers, combine them with melted butter and sugar, and press them right into a sq. baking pan.
Which graham crackers are vegan?
Just a few graham crackers in the marketplace are vegan, whereas others have honey, egg, or dairy substances.
I usually hold it easy and use Nabisco Unique Grahams, that are vegan, for baking. They’re my go-to not just for these pumpkin pie bars, but additionally my traditional vegan cheesecake and no-bake vegan chocolate mousse pie.
Different vegan graham cracker manufacturers embody Partake Traditional Grahams, Kellogg’s Unique Graham’s Crackers, and Kroger® Unique Graham Crackers.
A sooner pumpkin pie filling
Often, I make vegan pumpkin pie with cashew cream, which ought to come as no shock. Soaked and blended cashews are my secret weapon with regards to creamy consistencies in cooking and baking.
At any given second, I’m prone to have a cup or two of cashew cream (to not point out cashew cheese, and cashew mayo) sitting in my freezer.
If you happen to don’t have such a stash, nonetheless, having cashew cream available for baking requires a little bit forethought.
For my pumpkin pie bars, I take a good simpler route, which is to make use of vegan cream cheese for creamy texture.
Retailer-bought vegan cream cheese is is quick, it’s low stress, and adaptable to varied meals allergy symptoms. As an illustration, use Tofutti in case you’re allergic to almonds or cashews, or Kite Hill in case you’re allergic to soy.
I’ve examined the recipe to date with Tofutti, Kite Hill, and Miyoko’s cream cheese, with good outcomes every time.
For what it’s value, for bagels and the entire breakfast issues, I’ve a do-it-yourself vegan cream cheese recipe with tofu that I really like. However I discover that store-bought vegan cream cheese is healthier for baking.
make vegan pumpkin pie bars with graham cracker crust
I really like a dessert recipe that’s as simple as it’s rewarding.
There are a selection of steps required right here, and the bars ought to be chilled in a single day or for not less than 4 hours: plan your baking accordingly! Nonetheless, none of these steps are tough.
Step 1: Create a parchment paper sling in your baking dish
Step one on this recipe might is to prep your baking pan. It may be arduous to take away bars from a sq. baking pan except you employ a a parchment paper sling.
King Arthur’s tutorial on this course of is absolutely useful.
The sling will assist you to elevate the entire baked good out of the pan, then slice it into particular person squares on a flat floor.
It’s a lot much less messy than attempting to chop the large sq. into smaller squares first, then gingerly take away them, one after the other.
If you happen to don’t have parchment at dwelling, then you possibly can take your probabilities with nonstick cooking spray. Minimize the squares after chilling and take away them from the pan, one after the other.
However let the customer beware: I believe utilizing a sling is simpler and cleaner!
Step 2: Put together the graham cracker crust
This all comes along with some pulsing within the meals processor. The substances are graham cracker sheets, vegan butter, and brown sugar, and it may be any vegan butter you want.
After processing the combination, press it down firmly in your lined 8-inch / 20cm sq. baking dish. I take advantage of the underside of a measuring cup or mason jar to do that.
Step 3: Mix the filling
The pumpkin pie bar filling comes collectively simply in a blender. It is a recipe through which home equipment do many of the work!
You’ll be mixing up:
- Canned pumpkin purée
- Vegan cream cheese
- Arrowroot or cornstarch (both is okay)
- Brown sugar
- Cane sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Vanilla extract
You must solely want a minute or two to mix. As soon as the combination is easy, pour it into your ready sq. baking pan.
Step 4: Bake
At this level, the bars want 50 minutes in a 350°F / 175°C oven.
After baking the highest of the bars will probably be set, however they could nonetheless wiggle a bit, much like cheesecake. They’ll have a darker shade.
Step 5: Chill
If you happen to attempt to slice the pumpkin pie bars earlier than chilling them, they’ll be too smooth. A while within the fridge is important for them to set.
After the bars cool at room temperature for about an hour, cowl them and switch them to the fridge for chilling.
Ideally, you must chill them in a single day, however 4 hours is sufficient time if you wish to make them similar day.
Step 6: Take pleasure in
After chilling, you possibly can go forward and take away the pumpkin pie bars from the sq. baking pan, utilizing your sling. Minimize them into 9 squares, and serve them as you’re prepared.
A dollop of vegan whipped cream (I take advantage of a do-it-yourself tofu whipped cream or cashew whipped cream) is sweet, however completely non-obligatory.
Make forward and storage
As soon as baked, the bars may be saved within the fridge for as much as 5 days. You can too freeze them for as much as 8 weeks.
I occur to have a half batch in my very own freezer at this very second. I’ll be defrosting some on Wednesday, for Thursday’s vacation.
Straightforward Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Writer –
Yields: 9 servings
Graham cracker crust
- 8 sheets vegan graham crackers (120g)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (50g)
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter, melted (70g)
Pumpkin pie filling
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin purée (430 g / 1 3/4 cups)
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese (225g)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1/2 cup gentle or darkish brown sugar (100g)
- 1/2 cup cane sugar (100g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (substitute 1/2 teaspoon floor cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon floor ginger, 1/8 teaspoon floor nutmeg or allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon floor cloves)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Put together the graham cracker crust
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Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line an 8-inch / 20-cm sq. baking pan with a parchment paper sling.
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To organize the graham cracker crust: place the graham crackers and sugar right into a meals processor fitted with the S blade. Course of for about 20 seconds, or till the crackers are turning into crumbs. Drizzle within the melted butter and proceed processing for a couple of minute. The crust is prepared when a small quantity will stick collectively whenever you squeeze it within the palm of your hand.
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Take away the blade from the processor and pour the crumbs into your parchment-lined pan. Use the again of a measuring cup or an everyday cup to easy it out over the underside and to the edges. It’s necessary to make use of some stress right here! Pack the combination down until it is easy and agency.
Put together the pumpkin pie filling
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Switch the entire filling substances to a blender. Mix until easy. Pour this combination into the ready pan with the graham cracker crust; the filling combination will probably be thick. Use an invert spatula to unfold it evenly into the sq., ensuring that it reaches all edges.
Chill and serve
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Enable the pan to chill at room temperature for an hour, uncovered. Cowl the pan frivolously with a material cowl, foil, or Saran wrap, then switch it to the fridge in a single day to set, or for not less than 4 hours.
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Gently take away the squares from the pan by lifting the parchment sling out of its container and instantly to a big slicing board. Minimize the completed baked good into 9 squares. Prime every with a small portion of vegan whipped cream, if desired, and serve.
I welcome any alternative to take a recipe that I really like and make it easier, as long as the spirit of the dish stays.
These vegan pumpkin pie bars are an excellent instance. And there’s no cause in any respect why you must really feel obligated to serve them for a vacation gathering or big day.
The bars are a extremely enjoyable “anytime dessert” for autumn, to not point out a wonderful candy snack. I hope you like them!
xo
