This low-fat recipe for pumpkin bars makes good use of applesauce to keep them light and sweet. Tuck them into your children’s lunchbox for a recess treat, or serve them with a
glass of milk for an after-school snack. Substitute dried cranberries for raisins for a different taste.
Pumpkin Bars Recipe
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 whole egg plus 1 egg white
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Combine flour, baking powder,
orange peel, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. In a separate bowl
mix sugar, cream together sugar, apple sauce, pumpkin, whole egg and egg white, and oil. Fold
flour mixture into pumpkin mixture, stir until moistened. Add raisins and pour batter into pan.
Use a spatula to spread it evenly. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a knife or toothpick
inserted in centre of pan comes out cleanly. Cool in pan on wire rack for about 15 minutes, then
cut into 16 bars. This recipe freezes well, and the bars can be iced with cream cheese icing for a dessert. If you are looking for additional pumpkin recipes try this delicious pumpkin cake as a dessert for your next big Sunday meal.