Being someone who likes to cook, I have a lot of half-used food in my kitchen. And by “half-used” I really don’t mean “half-eaten” ~ my food isn’t that bad! I’m talking specifically about ingredients that I’ve used partially in other recipes.
Sometimes, I challenge myself to come up with a recipe based on what I already have in the kitchen. It’s fun, and it’s also conservation-minded, because I hate wasting partially-used ingredients.
I opened my fridge – half a can of pumpkin puree.
I opened my cupboard – half a bag of puffed rice.
Crunchy and soft in harmony, that’s where these layer bars come in. A slightly tricky part of this recipe is keeping the puffed rice as crispy as possible and avoiding sogginess. Just make sure to stick these in the oven as soon as you layer the top and bottom together. That way the wetness from the top layer will cook before it seeps into the bottom layer.
Maybe the real hard part of this recipe is figuring out what to do with any leftover pumpkin puree and puffed rice… but I wouldn’t complain about making a second batch!
Keep your pumpkin on your chocolate, not the floor,
Your favorite alternative chefs, K & T
Pumpkin Layer Bars
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
- 2 cups puffed rice cereal
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup cashew butter
Top Layer
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
Toppings (optional)
- Shredded coconut
- Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350Prepare a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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In a large glass bowl, mix together the puffed rice and cinnamon.
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In a large saucepan on low heat, melt coconut oil, honey, chocolate, and cashew butter. Stir together until fully combined, do not overheat!
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Pour the melted mixture into the large bowl, over the puffed rice, and mix until fully combined.
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In a separate large bowl, combine all ingredients for the top layer and using a hand mixer or standing mixer.
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Using a large spoon, transfer the bottom layer mixture into the baking pan and smooth flat. Pour the top mixture over the bottom mixture, then smooth flat again.
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Bake 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Let cool for 10 minutes, then cut into 16 squares.
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Sprinkle with toppings as desired. Enjoy!