These no-bake Pumpkin Protein Bars are soft and slightly chewy, with classic fall flavors of pumpkin spice and real pumpkin puree. Being naturally gluten-free and vegan, they're also perfect for those on a restricted diet looking for a nourishing, easy snack.
Wholesome Ingredients, Cozy Fall Flavor
Instead of turning to pre-made protein bars (which often contain artificial sweeteners and flavors), simply mix up a few pantry staples like almond flour, pumpkin puree and warming spices to make this satisfying gluten-free snack. Packed with 18g plant-based protein in each bar, they're great for refueling post-gym or for breakfast on busy mornings.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
Almond butter - Brings healthy fats, fiber and plant-based protein to the bars. Cashew butter will also work as it has a light flavor. You could use smooth, natural peanut butter instead but its flavor will be more noticable in the finished bar.
Pumpkin puree - Look for canned pumpkin puree which is 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
Maple syrup - This unrefined sweetener helps to bind the bars together and lightly sweetens them. You could use honey (not vegan) or agave nectar if you prefer.
Almond flour - Forms the 'bulk' of these bars, giving them a moist, soft texture. Finely blanched is recommended.
Pumpkin protein powder - Use a plant-based protein powder if you need these to be vegan and look for ones which are naturally sweetened (e.g. with stevia).
Pumpkin pie spice - Can be found pre-mixed in the grocery store or make your own by simply mixing some ground spices.
Dairy-free white chocolate chips - I like the EnjoyLife brand chocolate chips. Of course, you can always use conventional white chocolate if dairy isn't an issue.
Vanilla extract and salt
How to Make Pumpkin Protein Bars
Before you start: Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, stir almond butter, pumpkin, and maple syrup until incorporated. Add vanilla extract, almond flour, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
Step 2: Transfer the dough to prepared pan. Press into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm. Remove from the pan and slice into rectangular bars.
Variations
Switch up the flavors in these protein bars with a few easy tweaks:
- Maple-Pecan Pumpkin: Replace the chocolate chips with chopped pecans.
- Dark Chocolate Pumpkin: Use dark chocolate chips instead of white chocolate.
- Gingerbread Pumpkin: Add ½ teaspoon ground ginger and 1 tablespoon molasses, reduce maple syrup to 3 tablespoons.
- Chai Pumpkin: Use 1 ½ teaspoons of ground chai spices instead of pumpkin pie spice.
Recipe Tips
- Natural almond butter tends to split in its jar, leaving an oily layer on top. Give your almond butter a good stir before measuring to make sure all those oils are incorporated evenly.
- Different protein powders may absorb liquids differently. If your mixture seems a bit dry, add a little more pumpkin puree. If your mixture seems too sticky, add more almound flour.
- Don't have any pumpkin protein powder? You can use unflavored or vanilla protein powder and increase the amount of pumpkin pie spice to 2 teaspoons.
- To get evenly smoothed tops on the bars, use a separate piece of parchment paper to press the mixture down into the baking pan.
FAQs
If you want a homemade protein bar which doesn't contain protein powder, try my recipe for Vegan Protein Bars.
Yes, you can use oat flour in place of almond flour and use sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter. The texture will be slightly different than the original recipe.
More Snack Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Protein Bars (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup smooth natural almond butter well stirred
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 6 tablespoons pumpkin protein powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup dairy-free mini white chocolate chips or regular optional
Instructions
- Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir almond butter, pumpkin, and maple syrup until incorporated. Add vanilla extract, followed by almond flour, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Transfer the dough into the prepared pan. Press into an even layer.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm. Remove from the pan and slice into rectangular bars or squares.
Notes
- Natural almond butter tends to split in its jar, leaving an oily layer on top. Give your almond butter a good stir before measuring to make sure all those oils are incorporated evenly.
- Different protein powders may absorb liquids differently. If your mixture seems a bit dry, add a little more pumpkin puree. If your mixture seems too sticky, add more almond flour.
- Don't have any pumpkin protein powder? You can use unflavored or vanilla protein powder and increase the amount of pumpkin pie spice to 2 teaspoons.
- To get evenly smoothed tops on the bars, use a separate piece of parchment paper to press the mixture down into the baking pan.
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