Healthy desserts don’t have to taste healthy. These Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are vegan, gluten-free, and full of nutrients, yet taste decadent. They are also a snap to make!
I have a dessert-loving family. There’s just no way around that. I’m not going to try to convince anyone that they should give up desserts. But if you can make your desserts a little healthier, why not?
The Secret Ingredient in Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (No one will know!)
These Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are made with beans.
Yes, beans. Tim had no idea until he’d scarfed down his third one and I mentioned they were made with white beans. Of course he’s used to my healthy dessert antics, so it didn’t phase him.
If something tastes good, he doesn’t care what I stuff into it.
There’s no wheat flour in these cookie bars, and if you use certified gluten-free oats, they are gluten-free.
Also vegan, the white beans and pumpkin act as binders and also keep these cookie bars moist. They have the texture of a gooey chocolate chip cookie and the flavor of pumpkin pie. Both of my favorites!
Between the white beans and pumpkin base, you are getting a dessert that gives a healthy serving of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium! What other dessert can say that? Eat dessert first if you want to.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
PrintHealthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
You won’t believe that these unbelievably delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars are so HEALTHY! They are made with white beans, but you don’t have to tell anyone that! Vegan and gluten-free, too!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 - 26 minutes
- Total Time: 32 - 36 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 can cannellini white kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1 cup plain pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1/2 cup sucanat*
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or oil of choice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Lightly oil an 8X8 inch square baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a food processor, process the oats until they are a fine flour. Add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and process very well. The mixture should be quite smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and smooth the batter with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 22-26 minutes. The cookie bars are done when the top is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan before slicing into 16 bars.
Notes
*If you’d like to reduce the sugar in this recipe, use Swerve in place of the Sucanat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 16 bars
- Calories: 149
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Fat: 6.4 grams
- Saturated Fat: 4.3 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 20 grams
- Fiber: 4.1 grams
- Protein: 2.8 grams
Keywords: pumpkin chocolate chip cookie bars
What To Do With Leftover Pumpkin Purée
Since this recipe uses 1 cup of pumpkin, you’ll probably have some leftover! Here are some ideas of what you can make with it.
No Bake Pumpkin Spice Energy Bars
A healthy portable snack that uses 2 T pumpkin purée.
Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
Can’t go wrong with cookies for breakfast! This recipe uses 1 cup of pumpkin purée.
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
These lovelies use 1/3 cup pumpkin purée. Dig in!
This recipe was first posted in October 2014. Photos were updated October 2019. Links to products are affiliate links.
lindsay says
October 14, 2014 at 5:41 pmohh i love how moist they are (hate that word, haha). Pumpkin makes everything better with baking, ya know?
Maryea says
October 14, 2014 at 9:35 pmI know I had to use that word because there isn’t a better one, but it does make me cringe! 😉 Yeah, tis the season for #pumpkineverything, right?!
hippymomelizabeth says
October 14, 2014 at 5:53 pmMy daughter Kar – Karinthia says she likes your recipe and she says she has her own black bean brownie recipe that she keeps in her homemade cookbook.
hippymomelizabeth says
October 14, 2014 at 6:01 pmshe 8 by the way
Maryea says
October 14, 2014 at 9:33 pmAww that is too cute. I love it!
Tracy says
October 15, 2014 at 4:29 amHow many chocolate chips? Thanks!
Maryea says
October 15, 2014 at 2:16 pmWhoops! I guess that would help, huh? It’s 1/2 cup. I will go fix that omission now. Thanks for the heads up!
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
October 15, 2014 at 9:27 amThese.are.AMAZING!!!!!! Pinned. Tweeted. Obsessed.
Maryea says
October 15, 2014 at 2:15 pmThanks so much, Alexis! 🙂
Diedre says
October 24, 2014 at 8:23 pmThese are so good. I made them into a 8×8 pan since that is what I have. Cut into 16 small squares. Well, besides my 2 preschool boys just having one I hate half of them!!! for dinner. They were so good I could not resist. I got pumpkin, white beans,and oats for dinner. No concern right? THank you for a vegan recipe as I am eating more that way now.
Maryea says
October 25, 2014 at 2:39 pmI’d call that a balanced dinner! 😉 So glad you guys liked these.
Fallon says
January 26, 2015 at 4:42 pmCould you substitute the sugar for honey?
I have a few super healthy, no sugar people in my family. Thanks!
Vanessa Jensen says
August 4, 2015 at 11:50 pmShould coconut oil be solid or melted?
Maryea says
August 5, 2015 at 6:20 amEither will work in this recipe.
Paula Gower says
October 31, 2017 at 5:54 pmCould you use chick peas in this recipe?
Maryea says
November 1, 2017 at 9:36 amYes!