Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep and bake cookie base
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment so the bars release cleanly.
- Combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt, then cut in cold vegan butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add plant milk and vanilla and mix until dough forms, then press the dough evenly into the lined pan.
- Bake for 12 minutes at 350F until the edges look lightly set and slightly golden.
Make pumpkin filling and finish baking
- Whisk pumpkin puree, full-fat coconut milk, maple syrup or sugar, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth and free of lumps.
- Pour the pumpkin filling over the warm crust and gently spread to the edges.
- Bake for 20 to 22 more minutes at 350F until the filling is set with only a slight jiggle in the center.
- Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours so the bars slice cleanly.
Frost and serve
- Beat vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla until smooth, then spread the frosting over the chilled bars.
- Slice and serve once the frosting is set, using a sharp knife for neat edges.
Notes
Pro tip: whisk the cornstarch into the pumpkin mixture until totally smooth to prevent grainy filling. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze unfrosted bars up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge) and frost after thawing for best texture. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the cookie base.