Pumpkin Pie Squares

By GuidingVegan

Ingredients

• 10 medjool dates, pitted and diced (about 1 cup diced)
• 3 ⁄4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats, ground into flour (see notes below)
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or see notes below)
• 1 15 ounce can cooked pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix), (or one and a half cups cooked, pureed pumpkin; see notes below)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk of your choice

Details

Servings 9
Adapted from forksoverknives.com

Preparation

Step 1

These pumpkin squares are easier to make than pumpkin pie and they are firm enough to be eaten as finger food. They are great by themselves, or add a bit of Macadamia-Vanilla Frosting for a little “Happy Holidays.”

Makes 9 to 16 squares (depending on how small you cut them)

1 15 ounce can cooked pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix), (or one and a half cups cooked, pureed pumpkin; see notes below)

Place the 10 pitted and diced dates into a small bowl with the

Place the flour and Pumpkin Pie spice in a large bowl. In a blender, blend the soaked dates, the date soak water, the vanilla, and the non-dairy milk until smooth (1-2 minutes). Pour this into the bowl of flour/spices, and also add the pumpkin, and mix with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Makes about 1 cup

Drain the soak water off of the nuts and discard it. In a blender, blend all of the ingredients (nuts, dates with their soak water, and vanilla) until smooth and even in color. Add a little more water as needed to keep the blender moving if it gets too thick.

If you want to use fresh pumpkin instead of canned, cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise, remove all the seeds and stringy fibers, and then place cut-side down in a baking pan. Bake at 350ºF for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on size) or until easily pierced with a knife. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh, and puree in a food processor until smooth. If you want to extract the excess liquid (this will result in a firmer dessert), line a regular kitchen strainer with cheesecloth and strain the liquid off the pumpkin puree. I have also scooped the pureed pumpkin into the center of a large piece of cheesecloth, tied it off at the top, and hung it up to drain over a bowl for a couple hours. Cool the puree before using.

You can easily grind rolled oats into flour by using any blender; high-speed blenders produce the finest flour, but any blender will do. (A food processor is least effective.)