AIP Pumpkin Pie Bars

These AIP Pumpkin Pie Bars taste just as good as your favorite pumpkin pie but totally AIP compliant and easy to eat. No forks or plates required. Just grab a bar and enjoy! This recipe fits the Paleo and Autoimmune Protocol diets.

Can you have pumpkin on the AIP diet?

Yes! Pumpkin is like butternut squash and it totally AIP friendly.

What can I use instead of pumpkin pie filling?

First, pumpkin pie filling is different than pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling usually has all the spices and sometimes all the other ingredients need to make the filling for pumpkin pie. That means it includes things like refined sugar and nutmeg which are not AIP friendly during the elimination stage. Do not use pumpkin pie filling for this recipe.

The ingredients for the AIP Pumpkin Pie Bars

• Beth Blends Grain Free Flour Blend. A mix of AIP flours, baking soda and cream of tartar. This helps simplify the recipe. This one bag of flour equals 5 other ingredients.
• Vanilla Powder or Vanilla Extract. Both are AIP friendly. I personally love vanilla powder. I find the flavor to be much more intense.
• Coconut Sugar.
• Salt. Always make sure to use sea salt.
• Gelatin. Make sure to use a high-quality brand of grass-fed gelatin.
• Coconut Milk. Make sure to use an AIP friendly brand. Always check the label.
• Palm Shortening.
• Pumpkin Puree. Make sure to get pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling.
• Coconut Oil. This should be melted so that it combines into the filling easily.
• Maple Syrup. This can be substituted with honey.
• Coconut Cream. Again, read the label and make sure it’s AIP friendly.
• Blackstrap Molasses. This is my secret ingredients in pumpkin pie to give the sweetness a little depth. Don't skip this ingredient.
• Ground Cinnamon.
• Ground Ginger.
• Ground Cloves.

Second, you don’t need pumpkin pie filling to make this recipe. All you need is pumpkin puree, and this recipe tells you everything else to add to make it taste like pumpkin pie.

Third, you don’t even need pumpkin puree from a can. You can always use whole pumpkin (one meant for eating not carving) and make your own puree. Or even you use puree from butternut squash. Most people don’t realize that canned pumpkin is usually a combination of pumpkin and butternut squash anyway. Once you add the spices and sugar, you can’t tell the difference!

Can I leave pumpkin pie out?

This recipe uses gelatin so it needs to remain cold otherwise it could melt in warmer temperatures.  Additionally, it’s made with ingredients that do go bad, so I’d follow the FDA’s official stance – it’s ok at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Otherwise, cold food should remain cold and hot food should remain hot therefore, it’s best to store this recipe in the fridge.

How to make AIP Pumpkin Pie Bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 glass baking dish with parchment paper.

2. For the crust, combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then stir. Next add all the wet ingredients and stir until thoroughly well.

3. Pour the dough into the baking dish and pat down until it’s evenly spread out at the bottom of the pan.

4. Place the baking dish in the oven for 20 minutes. When it’s finished cooking, let sit until cool.

5. While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Combine all the ingredients except the gelatin in a saucepan. Stir to combine. Warm the pumpkin mixture over medium heat while stirring occasionally. Once the pumpkin mixture has warmed, sprinkle the gelatin over the top and stir to combine.

6. Once combined remove from the heat and pour into the baking dish. Put the baking dish into the fridge for at least 4 hours but overnight is ideal.

7. When the pumpkin has cooled and set, then it’s ready to serve.

Tips to making the best AIP Pumpkin Pie Bars

• Store this in the fridge and best served within 2-3 days.
• Make sure to use Blackstrap molasses as this is AIP friendly. Here’s the brand used in this recipe.
• Make sure to use good quality gelatin. This is the brand I used for this recipe.
• Here’s the Beth Blend Grain Free Flour Blend used for this recipe.
• Here’s the brand of vanilla powder I used for this recipe.
• Here’s the brand of palm shortening that was used in this recipe.

If you like AIP desserts, try these AIP pumpkin recipes

• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
• No-Bake AIP Pumpkin Pie
• AIP Pumpkin Pudding
• AIP Pumpkin Bread
• AIP Coconut Pumpkin Panna Cotta
• Spiced Persimmon Butter

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Helpful Info for All Recipes

• I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise.
• I always use Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt, unless otherwise noted.
• The majority of my recipes are strict AIP or include notations for reintroductions. However, while I make every effort to label non-AIP ingredients and recipes sometimes, they slip past me. If you have questions, please ask in advance.

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