Paleo Cassava Flour Pumpkin Bars
My Paleo Cassava Flour Pumpkin Bars are delicious! When I was a little girl my grandmother always made her famous pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting this time of the year. Today, my mom continues the tradition but I’ve reworked them into a healthier version that’s appropriate for all biotypes.
If you’re not familiar with cassava flour, then I encourage you to give it a try. It’s gluten, grain, and nut-free, easy to work with, and a lovely 1:1 replacement for regular flour. It’s also not grainy or gritty, with a soft and powdery texture. It has a mild, neutral flavor that works well in both sweet and savory dishes. I like it so much I’ve featured it in many of the recipes in my Low Copper Cookbook.
Makes 12-24 bars depending on how big you like them.
Cassava Flour Pumpkin Bars Ingredients:
- 4 pastured eggs (if you are intolerant to eggs, see below for egg substitutes)
- 1 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 cup coconut oil, melted
- 16 oz organic pumpkin (in a carton, not a can)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups cassava flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon unrefined salt
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup grass-fed ghee
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tablespoons cassava flour
- 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut milk (Native Forest brand Simple Coconut Milk)
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- Mix all ingredients well using a hand-held mixer.
Cassava Flour Pumpkin Bars Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spray an 11×17 inch baking sheet with coconut cooking spray.
- Mix eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- Set aside.
- Mix flour, baking soda and powder, and salt.
- Add egg mixture.
- Pour into baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow pumpkin bars to cool completely before frosting and enjoy!
Egg Substitutes:
Chia or flax seeds: to replace 4 eggs use 3/4 cup water + 1/4 cup chia or flax seed and allow to “gel” for 30 minutes or let set overnight.
Beef Gelatin: for each egg dissolve 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (I like Vital proteins brand) in 1 tablespoon cold water, then add 2 tablespoons boiling water. Sprinkle so that it blooms to avoid clumping. Beat vigorously until frothy.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving and let me know how my pumpkin bars turn out for you in the comments below!
Hello!
What’s the difference between pumpkin in a carton vs can?
Tetra Paks are BPA AND BPS-free, unlike cans.
What would I replace the sugar with? Xylitol? My husband is a diabetic and I don’t want to raise his blood sugar that much. Thank you, Pam
Hi Pam – I like Lakanto sweetener in place of sugar. It’s a great one to one replacement.
What size pan do I use? You said a 11″ by 17″ square pan. I figured that was a misprint..
Thanks for catching this, Wanda! It’s rectangular, not square. ~ Shannon, Admin
Cassava flour is very costly and tapioca flour is more reasonable. I know that they are from the same plant but wonder if tapioca flour can be substituted for the cassava. I have your Copper Overload cook book and will be trying the recipes.
Thank you!
Hi Linda – yes you can use tapioca flour. They will be more fluffy. 🙂
Sami:
Thank you so much for the receipe. We shall have to try these. Yummy!
Love Grandma
You’re welcome Grandma. I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
These look delicious, however I have an egg allergy.. do you think they’d work with flax eggs or applesauce?
Yes, you can use either one, but I have found that chia seeds and gelatin are the best options. I like Vital Proteins brand beef gelatin (not collagen protein). Keep in mind that they will not rise like eggs do.