This content originally appeared on Low Carb Yum. Republished with permission.
Easy to make gluten-free keto pumpkin bars with chocolate chips that haven’t any sugar added. They’re so good, even the youngsters love them!
As I used to be trying to use up some canned puree leftover after making pumpkin truffles and these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, I stumbled upon a recipe for chocolate chip squares.
Although I used to be trying to find a pumpkin cake recipe, the bar recipe caught my eye, so I made a decision to attempt to make a low carb version.
The recipe was on the Martha Stewart site. I’ve actually been a fan of Martha’s for a very long time and was fortunate to get tickets to see her live in NYC back in 2005 through the first week of filming her recent show!
How To Make Pumpkin Bars Low Carb
It wasn’t very difficult to adapt the unique recipe to at least one that’s keto-friendly. In actual fact, it wasn’t difficult to adapt the recipe to make low-carb gluten-free pumpkin bars with chocolate chips.
All I did was replace the wheat flour with a mixture of almond and coconut flour. I also used a sugar-free sweetener instead of the sugar and low-carb chocolate chips.
Every part else in regards to the recipe just about stayed the identical.
The outcomes on the primary batch got here out so well that I didn’t hassle testing with a distinct flour ratio. I could have made other changes to make use of all coconut flour and even tried using just almond flour without every other changes.
I do prefer all coconut flour, and I’ll attempt to tweak the recipe again for that. With a purpose to make it work, I’d need to use less flour and add in a bit more egg and liquid. Often, a couple of tests are required to convert to a recipe using only coconut flour.
Low-Carb Ingredients For Pumpkin Bars
If you desire to in the reduction of carbs further, the chocolate chips in these gluten-free pumpkin bars could be omitted. Nonetheless, I find the mixture of pumpkin and chocolate tastes significantly better.
The ingredients needed to make the recipe are:
- Butter: adds fat and flavor.
- Low-carb sweetener: a monk fruit and erythritol granular is used, but any one-for-one sugar substitute could be used.
- Eggs: help to rise the batter when baking.
- Vanilla extract: adds a touch of sweetness and enhances the flavour.
- Pumpkin puree: use fresh cooked mashed pumpkin or canned.
- Low carb flours: a mixture of almond flour and coconut flour provides the most effective texture.
- Baking soda: used to rise the batter when baking.
- Salt: enhances the flavour
- Spice mix: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves perfectly complement the pumpkin flavor.
- Xanthan gum: helps prevent crumbling when using gluten-free flours.
- Low-carb chocolate chips: make them taste even higher!
How To Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars
The batter whips up in only a couple of easy steps:
- Cream together butter and sweetener.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Mix in pumpkin puree.
- Stir in remaining ingredients except a handful of chocolate chips.
The batter is then spread right into a 9×13-inch pan, and the reserved chips are sprinkled on top. Then it’s baked for 30-35 minutes.
When done, the highest of the bars will likely be a pleasant golden brown. Once cooled barely, cut the bars into squares and luxuriate in!
FAQs
Before I share this sweet keto pumpkin bars recipe with you all, listed below are a couple of questions I desired to answer beforehand.
What’s the most effective flour substitute for wheat flour in pumpkin bars?
The unique recipe calls for 2 cups of standard wheat flour. From my experience in low carb baking, the most effective flour substitute is a mixture of each almond and coconut flour. The best ratio is 3-4 parts almond flour to at least one part coconut flour.
Once I first tested my recipe, I attempted using 1.5 cups of almond flour and 0.5 cups of coconut flour to exchange the all-purpose flour. I also added a bit of xanthan gum to scale back crumbling that may occur without gluten.
It turned out perfectly! Don’t forget to make use of xanthan gum – it really does reduce the crumbling and hold all the things together.
What form of low-carb chocolate chips do you have to use?
For convenience, I used Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate baking chips. Although you should utilize the entire 9-ounce bag, it adds loads of unnecessary carbs.
I did a fast measure and the quantity within the bag was about 1 ¾ cups of chocolate chips. I like to recommend using only a half bag of Lily’s chocolate chips to in the reduction of on carbs and price. Due to this fact the recipe calls for 4½ ounces of chocolate chips.
To avoid wasting even more cash, you may make your individual sugar free low carb chocolate chips. I exploit my very own homemade chocolate recipe and pour it right into a baking pan to chill. Then, I just cut the large hunk of chocolate into bits.
Recipe Variations
This recipe makes a dozen large pumpkin-flavored keto chocolate chip bars. If making for a big group or to chop down on calories, they might be cut into smaller squares. Very dense and moist, these delicious pumpkin bars are hard to withstand.
Should you omit the chocolate chips, a chocolate ganache might be drizzled on top as a substitute. I’ve got an awesome recipe for ganache in my low carb peanut butter cheesecake recipe.
You possibly can even leave the chocolate out altogether and drizzle with an easy mixture of cream cheese, cream, and powdered sweetener. Or, try frosting them with the identical cream cheese icing I utilized in my other low carb pumpkin bars.
We hope you enjoy these delicious and easy-to-make pumpkin cookie bars with chocolate chips. Here’s the printable recipe card with all of the steps.
Other Popular Pumpkin Recipes
Should you are searching for more low-carb pumpkin recipes, give one in every of these favorites a try.
Keto Pumpkin Bars with Chocolate Chips
Dense low carb pumpkin bars loaded with sugar free chocolate chips. Super easy recipe that’s quick to organize.
Ingredients
-
1
cup
unsalted butter
softened -
1
cup
low carb sugar substitute
divided (add more to taste) -
2
large eggs -
2
teaspoons
vanilla extract -
1
cup
pumpkin puree -
1 ½
cups
almond flour -
½
cup
coconut flour -
1
teaspoon
baking soda -
½
teaspoon
salt
could be omitted if using salted butter -
1
teaspoon
cinnamon -
½
teaspoon
ginger -
½
teaspoon
nutmeg -
½
teaspoon
allspice -
¼
teaspoon
ground cloves -
½
teaspoon
xanthan gum
optional – to scale back crumbling -
4½
ounces
sugar free chocolate chips
about ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Grease or line 9×13 baking pan.
-
In large mixing bowl, cream the butter and half the sweetener together. Then beat in egg and vanilla. Add the pumpkin and blend well.
-
Add the remaining of the ingredients and blend until well combined. Fold in all but ¼ cup of the chocolate chips.
-
Spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved chips on top.
-
Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool on rack before cutting.
Recipe Notes
6 grams net carbs per bar.
Originally, 1.5 cups of sweetener was used, but it surely seemed too sweet so it was in the reduction of to 1 cup. Additional sweetener could be added if desired. You too can use ½ cup of granular low carb sweetener and 1 teaspoon of either liquid monk fruit or liquid stevia to scale back the erythritol.
The recipe yields a dozen large bars. They might be cut into smaller squares to scale back carbs and yield more.
A chocolate ganache might be drizzled on top as a substitute of the chips. The recipe we recommend is within the low carb peanut butter cheesecake recipe.
If the chocolate is unnoticed, a drizzle made with cream cheese, cream, and powdered sweetener might be used. An alternative choice is to frost them with the identical cream cheese icing utilized in the low carb pumpkin bars recipe.
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Additional Info
- Net Carbs: 6 g
- % Carbs: 7.8 %
- % Protein: 7.8 %
- % Fat: 84.5 %
- SmartPoints: 13
Notes on Dietary Information
Dietary information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the dietary information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs will not be included in carb counts because it has been shown not to affect blood sugar. Net carbs are the entire carbs minus fiber.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Pumpkin Bars with Chocolate Chips
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 311
Calories from Fat 261
% Every day Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 71mg24%
Sodium 353mg15%
Potassium 146mg4%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 6g12%
Calcium 56mg6%
Vitamin C 0.8mg1%
Vitamin A 3695IU74%
Iron 2.9mg16%
* Percent Every day Values are based on a 2000 calorie food regimen.
Please note that the dietary information may vary depending
on the particular brands of products used. We encourage everyone to envision specific
product labels in calculating the precise dietary information.