Vegan Pumpkin Bars With Chocolate (No-Bake)

Published by Ela on 4. November, 2017, updated on 22. December, 2020 | 40 Comments As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

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5 from 12 votes

These vegan pumpkin bars have a soft chocolate layer and will literally melt in your mouth. This no-bake pumpkin dessert is gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and ridiculously easy to make. No baking skills are required, I promise!

Healthier No-Bake Pumpkin Bars

Opposed to my vegan pumpkin cake, this recipe is a no-bake recipe, which means it goes straight into the freezer and not into the oven. You might ask yourself now if a no-bake dessert is better than a baked recipe? I think both are equally amazing, but normally you can’t “screw up” a no-bake dessert. Here is a pretty cool explanation from my friend @jodiskitchen which she left on my Instagram account. She said:

“I prefer no-bake recipes. You can taste things as you go and know that it will taste like that once finished, whereas when you bake, you just gotta hope for the best! It might taste funny or be dry once cooked… No-baking is much better“!

So if you are afraid of baking, and want a pumpkin dessert, definitely try these vegan no-bake pumpkin bars. I made this vegan dessert 3 times already and it always came out great.

The pumpkin bars are made of whole foods only. I even made the pumpkin puree myself, which is super easy to make btw., as you just need to bake a pumpkin in the oven until it’s soft, remove the skin, and then blend the pumpkin flesh in your food processor or blender. However, you can use store-bought canned pumpkin puree instead.

How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Bars?

Step 1: Line a pan

Line a 7×5 or 6×6-inch pan with parchment paper with an overhang (you could also use a round 6-inch springform).

Step 2: Make the crust

Blend the ingredients for the crust in a food processor or blender until the dough sticks together when you press it between your fingers. If it’s too dry add a few more dates. Spread the crust in the pan, set aside.

Step 3: Make the pumpkin filling

Now blend all ingredients for the pumpkin filling in a food processor or blender until everything is smooth and creamy. Spread the pumpkin filling onto the crust and put the pan in the freezer for about half an hour.

Step 4: Make the chocolate glaze

Combine the ingredients for the chocolate glaze in a bowl by using a whisk. Spread the glaze over the pumpkin filling. Freeze again for at least 2 hours until set. Release from the pan and cut into bars. Let the bars thaw before you enjoy them. Store leftovers in the freezer.

Soft Chocolate Glaze

Whipping up the chocolate glaze takes about three minutes, but you can leave it out if you don’t like chocolate (though I never met a person who doesn’t like chocolate, did you?). The chocolate glaze is more like a chocolate spread (think vegan Nutella) rather than “real chocolate”.

If you want a real chocolate layer and don’t mind the extra fat and calories either, add a couple of tablespoons of melted cocoa butter or coconut oil to my chocolate glaze recipe. However, you could also simply melt store-bought dairy-free chocolate chips in a double boiler and pour the melted chocolate over the pumpkin filling.

Recipe Notes & Variations

These are gluten-free pumpkin bars since oats are naturally gluten-free. However, some brands of oats can contain traces of gluten, if the oats were processed in a facility that also processes wheat. If you are a celiac, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Mulberries: If you don’t have dried mulberries, then double the amount of nuts.
Oat flour: You could use almond flour instead of oat flour to make paleo pumpkin bars. If you want to use coconut flour I would suggest using just half of a cup (or even less), because coconut flour is very absorbent.
Sunflower seed butter: I used Sunbutter, but you can use almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, or any other nut/seed butter of choice.
Frosting: If you prefer a creamy cashew frosting, then check out my Vegan Pumpkin Cake Recipe.
Glaze: Should you prefer a fat-free and low-calorie sweet icing, then you definitely have to check out my Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe.
How to store? You can store the bars in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the fridge for up to a week (though they will be quite soft).

Related Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

If you love pumpkin, you should definitely also check out the following delicious vegan pumpkin desserts and also a few savory pumpkin dishes:

Please leave a comment and rating below if you make these vegan pumpkin bars. You can also make a photo of it and post it on Instagram (or send me a DM). Don’t forget to tag me in the caption + photo with @elavegan and use the hashtag #elavegan. Happy UNbaking!