Pumpkin Pie Bars with CBD Coconut whipped topping

How about some pumpkin pie without the fuss of dealing with pie crust? Let’s be honest. Nobody likes making pie crust. Making sure you don’t roll it too thin, you get all the pinched edges perfect. All of that is for the birds. These pumpkin pie bars are DELICIOUS and they’re so easy to make! You definitely won’t be disappointed with them.

For the Bars

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 1/2 cups almond flour* (not meal // or 1 cup raw almonds*)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
4-5 Tbsp melted coconut oil

For the Filling

2 3/4 cups pumpkin purée (DIY here)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch*
1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or sub mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves)
1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper (adjust number/size of dish if altering batch size).
Make crust by adding oats to a blender (or food processor) and blending/mixing until you reach the consistency of oat flour (if using raw almonds, mix them with the oats at this time).
Add almond flour (not meal*), sea salt, coconut sugar and mix once more. Then add maple syrup and melted coconut oil and mix/pulse to combine. Depending on device, you may need to use a spoon to scrape around the edges to ensure the crust is completely mixed. If it appears or feels too dry, add more coconut oil.
Add crust to the parchment-lined baking dish and shake to evenly disperse, then lay down parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object (such as a liquid measuring cup or drinking glass) and pressing down to pack the crust into place, making an even, firmly packed layer.
Bake for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool.
In the meantime, add all filling ingredients to the blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more maple syrup or coconut sugar for sweetness, or pumpkin pie spice for flavor. I also added a pinch of ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Once the crust is baked, pour the filling into the crust and tap on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour. The filling will still be just a bit jiggly, dark orange in color, and have some cracks on the top – this is normal.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before loosely covering with plastic wrap or foil and transferring to the refrigerator to fully set for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
Once cooled, gently lift bars out of dish and slice into 9 bars (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). I also sliced the edges off mine for appearance, but this is optional.
Serve with CBD and coconut whipped cream and an additional sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or pumpkin pie spice (optional). Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days, though best when fresh.

For the CBD topping

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can coconut cream or full fat coconut milk* (Savoy Coconut Cream, Aroy-D Coconut Milk, and Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream work best!)
1/4 – 3/4 cup icing/powdered sugar (use organic to ensure vegan friendliness)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 droppers of Pure Hemp Botanicals Tincture (I used 750mg Full Spectrum.)

Directions

Chill your coconut cream or coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight (see notes for top brands!), being sure not to shake or tip the can to encourage separation of the cream and liquid. See notes for more insight / troubleshooting.
The next day, chill a large mixing bowl 10 minutes before whipping.
Remove the coconut cream or milk from the fridge without tipping or shaking and remove the lid. Scrape out the top, thickened cream and leave the liquid behind (reserve for use in smoothies).
Note: if your coconut milk didn’t harden, you probably just got a dud can without the right fat content. In that case, you can try to salvage it with a bit of tapioca flour – 1 to 4 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size)- during the whipping process. That has worked for me several times.
Place hardened cream in your chilled mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds with a mixer until creamy. Then add the Pure Hemp Botanicals Tincutre, vanilla and powdered sugar (or stevia) and mix until creamy and smooth – about 1 minute. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.