What better way to kick off fall than with a little pumpkin-spice action?

This gal loves fall. It’s the perfect mix of sunny yet crisp, Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday, and it’s some of my favourite peoples birthdays all fall in September and October. Of course, I also love all the food that comes this time of year. Cozy, hearty dishes full of root veggies, comforting stews, and pies, lots of pies.

Although I wish I could eat pie for breakfast, I know it’s not going to make me feel the greatest, so these bars are the next best thing. Chock full of whole-grain oats, pumpkin purée, and lightly sweetened with maple syrup, they’re healthy enough for breakfast, but also just sweet enough to have as an afternoon treat. Pumpkin is a great breakfast option, because it’s a source of fibre, Vitamin A and iron- a great stand-in for fruit in oatmeal and smoothies!

I want to create an oat bar recipe, because I had a few clients who were lookign for some fresh quick breakfast ideas that they could prep in advance and grab while running out the door. Think of them like oatmeal-to-go.

The glaze is totally optional here, these bars are also great with just pecans sprinkled on top, but if you want a lil’ somethign extra its a good addition.

Cheers to sweataaa weathaaa!

Pumpkin-Spice Oat Bars with Maple-Cinnamon Glaze

2 cups of rolled oats

1/2 cup oat flour (blend 1/2 cup of rolled oats in a blender or food processor to make your own)

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin purée

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup of chopped pecans, plus more for sprinkling on top

For the Glaze:

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1. To make the bars: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a 9 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper. Whisk together oats, oat flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla, and whisk together until smooth. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, until fully combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.

2. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with more chopped pecans if you like. Bake until bars are set and edges are beginning to brown, 25-30 minutes. Allow the bars to cool on a rack in the pan.

3. To make the glaze: Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. If mixture is too thick you can thin it out with a little milk (dairy or plant-based alternative). Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars.

   *To make your own pumpkin spice mix combine: 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp of ground cardamom or cloves.