Layered Pumpkin Bars
Do you need a delicious dessert to bring this holiday season that is also sugar-free? Well I have a new recipe that was GOBBLED up when I showed up at a party with a plate of them. I am a BIG pumpkin pie fan and also enjoy a good pecan pie. So I wanted to combine the two, and even better- make it into a bar so you could eat it on the go with or without a plate (because who doesn’t want less dishes if possible).
For those of you that struggle with the “granular” texture of keto baked goods, you can do a few things to help minimize this. The first is to use a sweetener that won’t crystalize once cooled. While I usually use a monkfruit blend, this recipe is best with allulose because monk-fruit will crystalize. But if you only have erythritol/monk-fruit, no worries! Just let your bar sit out for a bit before enjoying it. The second tip I have for you is to use a FINE almond flour. You can buy brands that are ULTRA fine or you can toss yours in the food processor and blend to insure it is really fine.
One final tip I have- freeze then thaw your baked goods! Not specifically for this recipe, but I notice that for cookies that I use monk-fruit and “regular” almond flour that the texture and “cooling after effect” is gone after I freeze and thaw the baked good (or eat it frozen in the case of cookies if you want). This is totally optional, but a tip I learned along the way.
Layered Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
- 1 Cup almond flour
- 4 Tbsp coconut flour
- ½ Cup powdered erythritol/monkfruit/allulose (see tips)
- 4 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- ¾ Cup Golden Lakanto/Brown Swerve/Allulose/Erythritol/Monkfruit (see tips)
- 15oz canned pumpkin puree
- ½ Cup heavy cream
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 egg (room temp)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 egg (room temp)
- ¼ Cup Golden Lakanto/Brown Swerve/Allulose/Erythritol/Monkfruit (see tips)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ Cup halved pecans, chopped roughly
- Optional: ½ tsp maple extract added in with the vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 inch glass baking pan (if you use metal you will need to adjust the cooking time and cook for less time about 3 mins less in each step).
- In a medium bowl mix together the crust dry ingredients. Then mix in the melted butter. Then whisk the egg and mix it. Once mixed well, use your hands to push the crust dough into the bottom of the greased pan. It will be a VERY thin crust and that is fine! I like to crumble the dough evenly over the pan then flatten it to make it easier, but you can do it however you like. Bake this for 15 mins.
- While the crust is baking mix together the filling layer ingredients in a medium bowl. I like to mix the dry ingredients first then the add and mix the wet ingredients. But you can combine it all at once as long as you are mixing it so that the mixture is evenly mixed and smooth. Once the crust is done baking for 15 mins, pour this pumpkin filling over the top of the crust and smooth it out. Return the pan to the oven and bake this for 30 mins.
- While the pumpkin filling is baking, it is time to work on the topping. In a large sauce pan add the butter over medium heat and melt it. Once melted, add in the sweetener and heavy cream and whisk to mix. Continue to whisk occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and continue whisking occasionally until the liquid thickens (about 8 mins). Remove this from the heat and pour into a liquid measuring cup. I got 1 ¼ Cups. You do not have to have the exact same amount. But that helps you to see about how thick mine was. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Then allow this to cool. Once it is only warm whisk the egg in. DO NOT stop whisking for a full min. This ensures the egg is whisked and doesn’t scramble and cook.
- Once the pumpkin layer is done cooking for 30 mins, sprinkle the pecans over the top of the pumpkin layer evenly. Then pour the topping layer (the liquid in the measuring cup) over the top. Return this to the oven for 25 mins-30 mins until the topping is starting to bubble/caramelize.
- Allow this to fully cool. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing. Store this in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Using allulose will be the best option for a sweetener in this recipe since it does not crystalize once it is cooled. Allulose is LESS sweet when compared to erythritol/monk fruit/sugar so I suggest adding about 1/4 more.
- For powdered sweetener, you can use a coffee grinder or food processor/blender to grind granular sweetener into powdered.
- There are a lot of steps, BUT it is a simple recipe to follow. It is WELL worth the effort and is delicious. It also makes a lot of servings so it can last you awhile too.
- This keeps in the fridge for a week or in the freezer longer.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
264Fat
18 gNet carbs
3 gProtein
5 gTo obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate. I do my best to provide the nutritional information based on the ingredients that I use. All information and tools presented and written within this site (keto4karboholics.com) are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian and any nutritional information on keto4karboholics.com should only be used as a general guideline. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.