Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Adapted slightly from Hungry Healthy Girl

I was craving something pumpkin and chocolate and so I sat down at my computer to do some searching to see if I could find “just the right thing” to make. I didn’t set out to make something gluten free, but when I chanced upon  this recipe from  Hungry Healthy Girl, I just had to try it.

You see, I have a friend at work who has gone gluten free. She didn’t really know she had a reaction to gluten until she tried giving it up. Now every time she has some gluten, even a little bit from cross contamination, she can feel the effects of it. She says she doesn’t miss gluten at all … except when I bring in chocolate cake to the office. Then, she takes a big whiff of the cake and lets out a big sigh, and she says she’s good.

But in my heart, I know she’s not. I want to bring something that she can eat. And when I happened upon this recipe, I decided this was my chance. So I made them. The really crazy thing is you can’t really tell there isn’t any wheat flour in them, because it tastes (to me) like one of my flour-full recipes. I was worried you’d be able to taste the chickpeas, but you can’t. I’m sure it’s the chickpeas that give it that flour-like taste, because I have used them before in my gluten free chocolate cake and had the same thought. I wouldn’t quite call these bars blondies, but they are moist and dense and chocolatey and quite satisfying.

So tomorrow I’m bringing treats to the office. And this time, my friend won’t have to tell me I’m evil.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 9 - 16 blondies, depending on how big you cut them 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1½ cups rolled oats (gluten-free oats, if desired)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (recipe here)
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
• ½ cup brown sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 Tablespoon real maple syrup
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

For the top:

• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 Tablespoon raw (turbinado) sugar

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a food processor or handi chopper, mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips & pecans until well blended. (I had to do it in batches because my little handi chopper wouldn’t hold it all.)
2. Stir in most of the chocolate chips, reserving a few for the top. Spray a 9×9 inch square pan with cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the top with the reserved chocolate chips, pecans & raw sugar (if desired).
3. Bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

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Notes

If you are making these for someone who is highly sensitive to gluten, make sure you use gluten free oats, nuts and chocolate chips. Many of these things are processed in facilities which handle wheat and can get cross contaminated with gluten.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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This recipe was shared at Weekend Potluck, Mix it Up Monday, Mostly Homemade Monday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tapas Tuesday Happy Hour, Wonderful Food Wednesday, Desserts Only Link Party and Hearth & Soul Bloghop.