Description
Pumpkin Energy Bars are the perfect snack for busy school days! Packed with fiber, protein, and a hint of sweetness from chocolate chips, these bars are nutritious, kid-approved, and easy to freeze for later. They’re customizable, making them a versatile treat that’s both healthy and delicious!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- ¾ cup powdered milk
- ¾ cup ground unsalted almonds (or any unsalted seeds/nuts)
- ½ cup flax seed meal
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ (18-ounce) package miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a large bar-cookie pan.
- In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, beaten eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and water until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat pastry flour, powdered milk, ground almonds, flax seed meal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the miniature chocolate chips on top (or stir them into the batter).
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.
Notes
- These bars freeze beautifully! Once cooled, freeze them flat or separate them with wax paper in a freezer bag.
- You can swap the almonds with any ground unsalted seeds or nuts to suit dietary needs or allergies.
- Stir chocolate chips into the batter for a more even distribution, or sprinkle them on top for a fun finishing touch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approx. 1/24 of recipe)
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 18g
- Cholesterol: 32mg