Healthy Holiday Recipes: Pumpkin Persimmon Pudding Bars

Pumpkin Persimmon Pudding Bars

Our second installment of Persimmon week recipes is sooo yummy!  These have some really beautiful texture from the almond meal I used in this recipe instead of flour.

These little pudding bars are gluten free, dairy free, and has NO sugar added!  I just used some organic agave nectar to sweeten them, and some vanilla flavored rice milk for lots of delicious flavor!

This recipe will definitely be on the Christmas dinner menu, and I think even my non-healthy eaters will devour these!

GLUTEN-FREE BAKING TIP: Not all brands of baking powder are gluten-free.  Baking powder is made from baking soda, cream of tartar and usually cornstarch, which IS gluten-free. But, some baking powders use a wheat starch or a potato starch as an anti-moisture or caking ingredient, so just be sure you read the ingredients on the label.

Pumpkin Persimmon Pudding Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes / Cook Time: 45 minutes / Servings 16 bars

Pumpkin Persimmon Pudding Bars

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large Fuyu persimmons
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2/3 cup agave nectar
• 2 cups almond meal
• 2 cups vanilla rice milk
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. cardamom
• pinch of salt
• canola or vegetable oil cooking spray

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Peel and roughly chop the persimmons.  Place them in a food processor or blender and pulse until a smooth pulp is formed with no chunks.  Transfer the pulp to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, agave nectar, rice milk, eggs and applesauce. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds until smooth.
4. In a separate mixing bowl combine almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom and salt.  Whisk together and slowly add to the wet ingredients while mixing with electric or stand mixer.  
5. Transfer the mixture to the sprayed baking pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes or until the mixture is completely cooked through.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and/or serving.