Heyyyy folks, it’s been a while! Happy almost-Thanksgiving!
As you may have noticed, I’ve been posting recipes very sporadically over here, mainly because: a) high school, and b) my brand-new podcast, JUMP FOR JOY! Have you listened yet? I interview inspiring professionals on how they live their most joyful lives through eating real food, exercising mindfully, and living naturally. Go listen to it, and write a review telling me what you think 🙂
Anyway, back to the holidays. Rest assured! Even with all that going on, I’ve spent tons of time concocting delicious treats in my kitchen for you. This Thanksgiving treat is my newest creation, and I’m sure you will flip over it. Enter: Pecan Pumpkin Caramel Bars. The bottom layer is a crunchy pecan pie crust, topped with a pumpkin “caramel” filling, and doused in a rich chocolate ganache. Uhhh, does it get any better than that?
It all started when I passed by a friendly lady at my local Farmers’ Market selling Medjool dates. I knew I’d have to make a yummy treat using these sweet fruits.
I started by creating a crust using pecans (which are high in healthy fat and protein), these “wet” Medjool dates, a little sea salt, and my favorite ghee from Fourth & Heart. (If you want to make the recipe vegan, just sub coconut oil.) This created a lovely crunchy, nutty, sweet crust. The best part? It required ZERO baking time!
Next up, I blended up more dates, some organic pumpkin puree, coconut milk, and pumpkin spice to create a luscious caramel filling. It tasted exactly like pumpkin pie, but with caramel! Swoon.
To top it all off, I whipped up an easy dark chocolate ganache using only two ingredients: chocolate and coconut milk. Then, the bars were sent off to the freezer to set! The next morning, I woke up to the most delicious Thanksgiving treat ever. Think: Chocolate Pecan Pie meets Pumpkin Pie. Except you don’t have to turn on your oven, so WIN!
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Pecan Pumpkin Caramel Bars
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Paleo, egg-free, vegan
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups roasted pecans
- 2 pitted Medjool dates
- 2 Tbs ghee (sub coconut oil for vegans)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Caramel
- 6 pitted Medjool dates
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbs full-fat coconut milk
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
Ganache
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup chopped dark chocolate
- Extra pecan pieces for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, pulse together the crust ingredients just until a dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of the baking dish. Place in freezer for at least fifteen minutes.
- Place all caramel ingredients in the food processor and pulse until completely smooth. Spread evenly over the pecan crust. Place dish back in freezer for at least an hour, or overnight.
- To make the ganache: bring the coconut milk to a boil on the stovetop or in a microwave. Pour in the chopped chocolate, and let it melt in the milk for 5 minutes. Stir the ganache until completely smooth and shiny.
- Pour the ganache on the bars, top with extra pecans (if desired), and place in freezer. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
- Slice the bars into 8 or 10 squares, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Bars are best served cold, but not frozen solid. If they’ve been frozen overnight, let them sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating.
