Friday Fandom Eats! Jack Skellington’s Pumpkin Spice Squares

Jack Skellington’s Pumpkin Spice Squares

Just because Halloween is behind us doesn’t mean pumpkin spice season is even remotely close to being over! In the New England region of the USA autumn is finally taking off. The leaves are blazing on the trees in shades of gold and orange and red, and leaving vibrant crunchy carpets of foliage wherever they fall. The days are shorter and darker, and the nights are longer and chillier. Baking these pumpkin squares will bring some warmth to your kitchen and waft its deliciously spicy scent around more than a lit soy candle!

The Pumpkin King and the citizens of Halloween Town would definitely approve of these tasty squares. They are oat-based which means they have a rustic look, a soft crumbly texture and are gluten free! This isn’t some dense, goopy, gummy pumpkin dessert, but a light and wholesome snack that would go perfectly with a morning cup of coffee or tea….and of course nibbles throughout the day! Even the Wolfman and the Vampires won’t be able to say no to these yummies!

These aren’t loaded with sugar or decadent desserts-- we’re not in Christmas Town after all! But, when the holidays do come around -- most likely sooner than we think, eeeek !!! - look out for a Mrs. Weasely’s Fudge Recipe and other Potter inspired tasty treats!!!

Ingredients:

Dry

2 and ½ cups of Oat Flour *

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon (the Saigon variety is AMAZING)

1 teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

1 pinch of ground cloves

1 small sprinkling of sea salt

Wet

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (you want more molasses goodness!)

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds (Bob’s Red Mill variety is the best!)

½ cup of organic unsweetened apple sauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil like avocado or canola)

3 tablespoons of maple syrup (NOT pancake syrup!)

1 cup of organic canned pumpkin

Mix in

½ cup of Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips (if not vegan you can use dairy based chocolate)

Prep

1. Line a 8 x 11’’ baking dish with parchment paper-- this will keep the squares from sticking to the sides and make removing it in one piece after it’s baked a snap!
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
3. In a big bowl mix together the dry ingredients then set them aside
4. In a separate bowl mix together all the wet ingredients EXCEPT THE PUMPKIN
5. Whisked them together all the way --go for it girl (or guy!) stir like your life depends on it!!!! Go go go!! You want it ALLLLLL incorporated!
6. NOW add the pumpkin. Be sure it’s not very wet or runny. You want a good solid scoop of canned pumpkin. Homemade pumpkin puree is a bit too thin for this recipe
7. GENTLY GENTLY GENTLY stir the pumpkin in.
8. If you’re too rough with it, and overmix, it’ll get gummy! Yuck!
9. Using a rubber spatula (or just a spoon if you don’t have one) fold in the dry ingredients
10. Once it comes together as a solid dough, fold in the mini chocolate chips
11. Grab that parchment paper lined pan and push the dough into in nice and evenly with the spatula -- pressing down so it’s all the same width
12. Slide the pan into the middle of your oven (on the middle rack) and bake for 25 minutes.
13. Put the pan on a metal cookie rack and let it cool, once it gets to room temperature you can slice this up into squares!
14. If you cut it while it’s too hot, or too soon, it’ll crumble right before your eyes. So be patient, unless you really love eating pumpkin oat crumbs. Then by all means, do it.
15. Place the squares in a single row in a foil lined container or metal pan, and cover loosely with foil.
16. Store them room temperature and eat them in about three days for them to be at their tastiest and pumpkinest and most scrumptiousness!
17. Start counting down the days until Halloween 2018!

*to make oat flour whirl about 3 cups of quick cook oats (not instant) in your food processor. Do it in small batches until it grinds up into a fine powder! You don’t want any chunks.

I hope you enjoy this new fandom Friday feature!!! Expect to see more vegan recipes, both baked goods and savor dinner or lunch fare, on a weekly basis! I heart tv and movies, but I also heart baking and cooking, so combining them both is a must!!!