Why do you use a sugar-free chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips?

Chocolate chips are designed to resist melting. Chocolate bars on the other hand are meant to melt. Since I wanted a rich and gooey chocolate layer, I opted for a sugar-free chocolate bar instead of chips

Can I use chocolate chips instead of a chocolate bar?

If you don't have a chocolate bar on hand, you can either use chocolate chips and sprinkle them over the top. Or, if you want a little more creaminess to the chocolate layer, you can melt the chocolate chips with 1/4 tsp of coconut oil in the microwave (at 50% power), stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate has melted. Once melted, carefully pour the mixture over the pumpkin layer.

Why is there such a large variation in the final baking time?

Baking time is dependent on which type of cookware you use. Since we are making these keto pumpkin bars in a loaf pan, the type of loaf pan may be different than what I used. Since I was using a ceramic loaf pan that is quite thick and requires additional time to heat the actual ceramic, my bars took a total of 35 minutes. However, if you are using a silicon loaf pan, your bars may only take a total of 25 minutes.

Why did you add cinnamon to the pumpkin pie spice?

As much as I love pumpkin pie spice, I sometimes find it a little "strong" in flavour. To combat this, I often reduce the amount of pumpkin pie spice and a dash of cinnamon powder. This is purely to suit my tastes so feel free to use any spice or combination that you wish.

Why do you bake these keto pumpkin chocolate bars at two different temperatures?

If you use two temperatures for baking these sugar-free pumpkin bars, you will get a slightly taller and lightly crisp top as opposed to using just one temperature.

Can I use allulose in this recipe?

Yes. However, keep in mind that allulose causes browning much quicker than other keto sweeteners so you may need to loosely cover the bars so that they do not get too brown on the top.

Why did you make this in a 9 x 5 loaf pan?

Making a smaller version allows everyone to bake without feeling obliged to finish off the whole pan (although I am almost sure you are going to want to after you take your first bite!). If you want to make a larger serving size, simply double the recipe and bake these bars in an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch pan

Why do you add whey protein powder to the baking mix?

Whey protein powder adds the necessary protein to help to lift these bars. Since gluten-free flours such as almond flour and coconut flour do not contain very much protein, they tend to create more dense baked goods. By adding a little whey protein powder, the protein content of our baked goods increases and helps to give gluten-free desserts a little extra rising power!

What type of pumpkin can you use in this bar recipe?

Any type of pure pumpkin will work. I used basic canned pumpkin from my grocery store. If you want, you can always roast your own pumpkin and then puree it in a food processor to make homemade pureed pumpkin. Make sure that you do not use Pumpkin pie filling as this is NOT the same as pure pumpkin .

How should you store these Keto Peanut Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Bars?

You can store these bars in an airtight container on the counter for about 2 days or you can place them in the fridge for about 5 days. These bars freeze really well and will stay for about 3 months in the freezer.

Keto Pumpkin Chocolate Bars - Gluten-free and Sugar-Free

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Pumpkin "Blondies":

1/4 cup peanut butter
1/3-1/2 cup brown sugar substitute
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup almond flour
1 tbsp whey protein powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

2-3 oz sugar-free chocolate bar, chopped, depending on how chocolatey you want your bars.

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it well.
In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, sweetener and egg and beat for 30 seconds. Add in the almond flour, whey, vanilla, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon (if using), baking powder and salt. Beat until all the ingredients have been incorporated. Remove 1/3 rd of the mixture and set it aside. Spread the remaining 2/3 of the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top and sprinkle the sugar-free chocolate over the top of the batter.
Drop dollops of the reserved batter over the top of the chocolate layer. Spread the dollops out to try and get a smooth layer of batter over top.
Bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F. and then drop the temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the center begins to set (you can also test the bars with a toothpick which should come out clean when inserted although it might come out with a little batter on it which is fine.)
Allow the bars to cool for 20 minutes and then using the aluminum foil or parchment paper, remove the bars and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into 10 pieces

Notes

These bars are 72% fat so fit well into a keto diet
Feel free to use butter instead of peanut butter
For less sweet bars, use only 1/3 cup of sweetener.

Author: Cat
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 30
Category: Dessert, Snacks
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American, Fall
Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 138
Sugar: 1.6
Fat: 7.5
Carbohydrates: 8.5
Fiber: 3.1
Protein: 4.2