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Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

· Natalie 34 Comments

Healthier pumpkin fudge with Medjool dates, pumpkin, cashew butter, and dark chocolate. The perfect easy, vegan and paleo, melt in your mouth Halloween treat!

Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY NATURAL DELIGHTS®

You knew I had to sneak in one more needlessly cute pumpkin thing before Halloween. It would be wrong to leave you hanging without the perfect kid/party/you-and-your-festive-adult-self treat for the big day. But don’t worry, there’s an option that isn’t smiling at you included too.

This is the ultimate cheater’s method for making fudge. There is no boiling of (and 90% chance of burning oneself with) sugar. There is no microwaving of milk. There is no double-boiler melting of chocolate. There isn’t even any sugar.

If you are currently thinking: Wait can we even call this fudge though? Just hear me out.

Because it is rich. And it has all the right mouthfeel qualities that makes fudge fudge. And it is the best the best thing to happen to your freezer since ice cream season ended. Say hello to Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge.

Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

Things you need to make pumpkin fudge:

  • Pumpkin. Duh.
  • Medjool dates. The star of this recipe really. These beauties are what bind, thicken, and bestow their sweet caramel magic on our fudge without any refined sugar…it’s basically witchcraft.
  • Cashew butter. Or any nut or seed butter, but I like the richness and neutral flavor of cashew.
  • Pumpkin pie spice.
  • Salt.
  • Nondairy milk or coconut oil. To get that food processor traffic-jam moving again if necessary.
  • Chocolate chips. Optional, only if you want to chocolate dip and take things to the next pumpkin fudge level.

And a pumpkin mold if you are going the extra cute route. Or a pan and parchment paper if you don’t care about shape and just want the fudge to your face faster.

Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

I used my favorite Medjool dates from Natural Delights® – the yellow package which means already pitted which means I AM LAZY – because they are always the squishy-sweet freshest. For a recipe like this without a lot of liquid blended in, you need Medjool dates that are squishy and soft without soaking (extra water may make the fudge more icy after freezing).

And if the dates are already pitted, this recipe takes less than 10 minutes of actual effort:

  1. Combine everything in a food processor.
  2. Process. Stir. Process. Stir. It will get stuck, so help it along with a spatula and a few spoonfuls of coconut oil or non-dairy milk as needed.
  3. Press into a pan or mold.
  4. Freeze until firm.
  5. Chocolate dip if desired. Or just eat already!

When it comes to easy + pumpkin, no one can ever say I don’t deliver (says the girl who has only posted one non-pumpkin thing in over a month…too much?)

Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

A few other DIY (healthier) Halloween treat ideas:

But between you and me, these fudge pumpkins are cuter than that whole list combined…shhhhh!

Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

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Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

★★★★★ 4.7 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Natalie
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: no bake
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

Healthier pumpkin fudge with Medjool dates, pumpkin, cashew butter, and dark chocolate. The perfect easy, vegan and paleo, melt in your mouth Halloween treat!

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor.
  2. Blend, stopping to stir and adding coconut oil or milk as necessary until smooth.
  3. Press into a pan lined with parchment paper or silicone mold.
  4. Freeze overnight.
  5. Slice into squares and dip in melted chocolate if desired.
  6. Enjoy!
  7. Keep leftovers in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 square
  • Calories: 260
  • Sugar: 22g
  • Fat: 15g
  • Saturated Fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 32g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 5g

Keywords: vegan, paleo, healthy, halloween, no bake, easy, dessert, snack

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Medjool Date Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

· Natalie 35 Comments

Perfect fall mornings start with fluffy Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes! Made with good stuff – oats, pecans, maple syrup, pumpkin, spices. Vegan and gluten-free!

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

Serious question: How have we been breakfast-ing for (almost) all of October without these pancakes?

Excuse me, time – may I request a do over? I did fall mornings all wrong. I should’ve made these pancakes on repeat every single day. I see my mistake. I learned my lesson. Now can you help a girl out with making up for lost pancake eating time? Please and thank you.

The madness stops here…and the Pumpkin Pecan Pancake feasting begins.

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

Pumpkin pancakes have been highly requested, but I kept pushing that idea to the bottom of the list because I didn’t want to post just another vegan pumpkin pancake recipe. I wanted them to be subtly unique, to have an addition or twist that makes them just a little extra.

Pecans ground up as part of the “flour” to infuse nutty fall flavor into every single pancake piece? YES.

Bonus points for keeping these pancakes beautifully moist but still oil-free.

2x bonus points if you toast your pecans first (YUM).

3x bonus points if you make them in the shape of pumpkins and grind your own pecan butter and infuse your own cinnamon maple syrup for for drizzling on top. Or if you treat yourself to pancakes on a non-weekend day just because you deserve it.

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

It’s not even that pancakes are that hard per say. It’s just giving yourself permission to slow down enough before 10am on a busy weekday to wait for food to cook on the actual stove. Because if you break it down – one bowl, 9 ingredients, 2 minutes of mixing and 3-4 minutes of cooking – very weekday doable. And very very weekday worth it.

But I get it. Mornings are my most mind = 1000mph time too.

So even if you wait for a Sunday, Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes will be there waiting to make it extra autumn-y special for you. All you need to bring is the extra chopped pecans for topping and maple syrup for soaking drizzling and fork for devouring.

Excessive levels of fluffy breakfast coziness this way…

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

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Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Natalie
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 13 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 pancakes 1x
  • Category: breakfast
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

Perfect fall mornings start with fluffy Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes! Made with good stuff – oats, pecans, maple syrup, pumpkin, spices. Vegan and gluten-free!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cup (150g) rolled oats 
  • 1/2 cup (60g) pecans (raw or roasted for extra flavor)
  • 1/2 cup (120g) pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup (180g) nondairy milk
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Grind the oats and pecans to a fine flour in a high speed blender.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  3. Add the oat/pecan flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
  4. Whisk until smooth.
  5. Drop about 1/4 cup of batter onto a pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat until all the batter is gone (makes 6-8 medium sized pancakes).
  6. Serve with chopped pecans and maple syrup. Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 pancakes (1/2 the batch)
  • Calories: 506
  • Sugar: 15g
  • Fat: 19g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Carbohydrates: 68g
  • Fiber: 11g
  • Protein: 11g

Keywords: vegan, gluten-free, fall, pumpkin spice, easy, brunch, breakfast

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Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

· Natalie 34 Comments

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse that is almost TOO easy to make and definitely too easy to eat. Just 6 ingredients and a blender and you have the dreamiest fall dessert!

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY VITAMIX.

This is one of those recipes that’s almost TOO easy.

Too easy to believe it can taste so heavenly. Too easy to be trusted around with a spoon and no supervision. Too easy to not want to make more the same day you run out.

And for this ridiculous level of simplicity we have the Vitamix to thank…or blame. Because Vegan Pumpkin Mousse that tastes like a spoonful of fall and feels like eating a cloud and looks like pumpkin pie in a cup is both a blessing and an irresistibly delicious curse.

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

Reasons why this recipe is kind of a curse:

  • You will eat at least a third of it straight out of the blender. It’s not gonna look classy. You might even forget to use a spoon. Some will judge, but I won’t…I get it.
  • You will not want to make any other pumpkin desserts after this. And there’s lots of good stuff out there these days…but pumpkin fluff has your heart.
  • You will find yourself stocking up on absurd quantities of coconut cream/yogurt, so pumpkin mousse is an option at any hour of the day. Sorry grocery budget.
  • You will not want to share with friends/family. You maybe even be labeled a pumpkin mousse hoarder.
  • You don’t have to whisk or mix anything to make it. Nope, no accidental arm workout here.

So if you like work and you hate really yummy pumpkin spice stuff and you aren’t about eating straight out of the blender, this recipe is not for you.

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

But if you’re sticking it out with me, let’s talk details.

The key players in this recipe are coconut yogurt or cream, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and spices. And yeah there’s a little vanilla and a pinch of salt too. My top recommendation for this pumpkin mousse is to use full fat coconut yogurt (like the Coyo brand). It turns out lighter and fluffier than coconut cream, but still ultra rich. And the tangy flavor works well with the spices and sweetness. But if you can’t find yogurt, coconut cream from a can works too. But make sure you refrigerate it overnight so you can scoop out just the thick stuff.

And since this recipe is designed with our inner lazy/hungry self in mind, we are using the Vitamix to make it and we are waiting less than 2 minutes to eat it. Combine, blend, maybe stop and stir once to get that one coconut chunk unstuck from the side of the blender, and DONE.

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

I used my beautiful white A3500 blender, which is my go-to blender for everything because a) it’s amazing and b) just look at that majestic creature. But other Vitamix models will work too. I do recommend using a smaller 32oz or 48oz container for this recipe, or if you don’t have one you could always double the batch.

Be careful not to over blend or it will warm up and become too thin. If it doesn’t turn out as thick and fluffy as desired, you can always add more coconut yogurt/cream or refrigerate for an hour or two to thicken. And yes it does keep well in the fridge if you want to make it ahead of time, but I recommend hiding it in the very back so you don’t accidentally eat it all.

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

Happy ultra easy pumpkin mousse making to you!

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

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Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

★★★★★ 4.8 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Natalie
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: desserts
  • Method: blender
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

Vegan Pumpkin Mousse that is almost TOO easy to make and definitely too easy to eat. Just 6 ingredients and a blender, and you have the dreamiest fall dessert!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (225g) full fat coconut yogurt or coconut cream*
  • 1/2 cup (125g) pumpkin puree 
  • 1/4 cup (80g) maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to the Vitamix.
  2. Blend on medium-high speed until smooth, using the tamper or stopping to stir as necessary. Do not over blend or it will become too thin.
  3. Serve immediately or chill for 1-2 hours for a thicker texture.
  4. Top with coconut whipped cream, chopped pecans, and a caramel drizzle. Enjoy!
  5. Keep leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

I recommend this brand of coconut yogurt, other kinds of non-dairy yogurt will not work. Or if using coconut cream, make sure you chill the can overnight and scoop out just the solid part discarding the water.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 318
  • Sugar: 16g
  • Fat: 24g
  • Saturated Fat: 22g
  • Carbohydrates: 24g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 3g

Keywords: vegan, dairy-free, paleo, easy, blender, dessert, pumpkin, pudding

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Vegan Pumpkin Mousse

No-Bake Medjool Date Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

· Natalie 34 Comments

Rich, creamy vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars! An easy no-bake recipe sweetened only with Medjool dates. You’ll want some stashed in your freezer all season long!

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY NATURAL DELIGHTS®

When it comes to pumpkin desserts, there is not much I love more than pie. But then these No-Bake Pumpkin Medjool Cheesecake Bars happened. And now I am rethinking everything – what is the best pumpkin dessert? can cheesecake be a breakfast food? my life as a whole?

Reasons these bars might be better than pumpkin pie:

  • No bake, which saves electricity and saves time until eating.
  • Ultra rich creamy texture. Pie just can’t compete with the lusciousness of yogurt and cashews combined.
  • Sweet, spiced, and a little tangy from the yogurt. Lots going on here.
  • The easiest crust EVER (one ingredient!)

I mean jury’s still out, but things are looking pretty promising for cheesecake.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

These pumpkin cheesecake bars were eaten demolished alarmingly fast from my freezer, and to help cope with that loss I’m going to tell you all about them…

The crust. Okay this part is very exciting, because like I said ONE INGREDIENT PEOPLE. And that single special ingredient is Natural Delights® Pecan Pumpkin Pie Spiced Date Rolls.

Sweet sticky Medjool dates in lincoln log shape infused with fall spices and coated with pecans? Um hi, hello, good luck not eating them all before you even get a chance to cheesecake. But think about it, Medjool dates, nuts, spices – it’s all the makings of a perfect no-bake crust packaged up into one little nugget for us. To eat, and to (almost) effortlessly blend into the base for our pumpkin cheesecake bars.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

The cheesecake filling. This does take a teensy bit of forethought since the cashews need to soak overnight (maybe pause and do that now?), but other than that EASY. The creamy lineup includes: pumpkin puree (obviously), raw cashews, non-dairy yogurt, pumpkin pie spice, and Medjool dates for sweetness.

So if you were following closely – date roll crust and date sweetened filling, yup this entire cheesecake is made without refined sugar.

Oh happy (healthier dessert) day!

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Since we aren’t using coconut oil like most raw vegan cheesecakes, these bars do need to be frozen to set properly. They won’t freeze rock solid, but I do like to let them soften for 10 minutes or so before eating for the perfect firm but creamy texture.

And they will last quite a while in there too. But they are really ridiculously tasty soooooo…then again maybe not.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
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No-Bake Medjool Date Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Natalie
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours (chilling time)
  • Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 9 bars 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: no bake
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

Rich, creamy vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars! An easy no-bake recipe sweetened only with Medjool dates. You’ll want some stashed in your freezer all season long!

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Soak the cashews in warm water overnight. Drain and rinse.
  2. Blend the date rolls in a blender or food processor into small crumbles/chunks.
  3. Press into an pan (I used this 9×6″ dish, but an 8×8″ square works too) that has been lined with parchment paper.
  4. Blend all the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender until very smooth and creamy. Add up to 1/4 cup non-dairy milk or if needed and use the tamper to help it blend.
  5. Pour on top of the crust.
  6. Freeze overnight.
  7. Slice into bars. Enjoy!
  8. Keep in the freezer for 1-2 weeks.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bar
  • Calories: 365
  • Sugar: 44g
  • Fat: 13g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 58g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 7g

Keywords: vegan, paleo, sugar free, healthy, easy, dessert, fall, pumpkin, gluten-free

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SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

· Natalie 27 Comments

Sweet spooky Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies! Rich, flourless chocolate cookies and an easy pumpkin spice filling. Add eyes for extra Halloween fun!

SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY SUNBUTTER

We’re combining a lot of very necessary October things here:

  1. Pumpkin spice
  2. Edible cute spooky treats
  3. Really good flourless chocolate cookies
  4. Halloween film-making at it’s homemade decor finest
  5. SunButter! (applies to every other month too, of course)

So as you can see, this is quite the recipe.

SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

Think: Chocolate cookies so better-than-a-brownie decadent they practically demand milk for dunking (and I’m not even a cookies + milk kinda person). A pumpkin spice SunButter filling that tastes almost caramel-y somehow, and is both easy and very repurpose-able (a.k.a. tastes really good on EVERYTHING). And edible googly eyes so your cookie monster-wiches can stare you down while you devour them…if that isn’t creepy I don’t know what is.

SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

I couldn’t bring you this much festive fun alone, I had help.

The recipe concept itself came to be over a phone call brainstorm sesh with my good friend and cookie co-creator, Sonya. The video was shot and spookily edited by my talented friend, Dan. And the cookies themselves could not have happened without the delicious help of my friends at SunButter.

Proof that collaborative cookies are the best kind of cookies.

Don’t let the eyes or multiple components or utter deliciousness intimidate you, I promise this recipe is very un-fancy. One bowl cookie batter, four ingredient filling, no fancy equipment, just you and your spatula and your best attempt not to eat all the batter unbaked.

SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

The cookies. I based the cookies off this reader favorite, but chocolate instead of chocolate chip and poofier too. They are vegan, paleo, and flourless, but thanks to SunButter the texture is still soft-baked-meets-crispy-edges perfect. These are not meant to be a healthy, eat for breakfast kind of cookie (if that’s what you’re after, try these!) They are a Whoa that is hella rich! How is there not butter and flour and refined sugar in it? kinda cookie.

SunButter is the key ingredient in this cookie batter, I used my favorite No Sugar Added variety. In addition to that we’ve got stuff like cacao powder, tapioca starch, coconut sugar, and salt (because it BIG time elevates all chocolate things).

SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

The filling. This is actually embarrassingly easy – SunButter, canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and a tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir it up, and that’s it! Skip the syrup if your SunButter is sweetened. Add a spoonful of coconut oil to thin it out if necessary. And have a good friend nearby to take your spoon away so there’s some left by the time the cookies are cool.

The eyes. I cheated, bought these sprinkles, and picked out the eyeballs. But if you’re that person, that person that DIYs everything and makes the rest of us look lazy, you could make your own.

Do you need the eyes? Nah. Do you even need the filling? Nah. Do you need the cookies in your life as soon as possible? Umm YES.

SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

So scroll onwards! To spooky video fun and a sweet Halloween treat…

SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

WATCH HOW TO


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SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

★★★★★ 4.2 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Natalie
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 13 minutes
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 18 cookies (9 sandwiches) 1x
  • Category: cookies
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

Sweet spooky Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies! Rich, flourless chocolate cookies and an easy pumpkin spice filling. Add eyes for extra Halloween fun!

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie

Filling

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the SunButter, coconut sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Add the tapioca starch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Mix to form a thick dough.
  5. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Arrange on a baking pan lined with parchment paper (leave room in between, they will spread so I only recommend 8-10 per pan). Repeat until all the dough is gone, you will need 2-3 pans/batches.
  6. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350F.
  7. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  8. For the filling, stir together all the ingredients until smooth.
  9. Spoon a dollop of filling onto one cookie, top with another, and squish into a cookie sandwich. Add sprinkle eyes for extra Halloween vibes.
  10. Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 sandwich (2 cookies + filling)
  • Calories: 291
  • Sugar: 14g
  • Fat: 20g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 23g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 8g

Keywords: halloween, vegan, gluten-free, chocolate, healthy, paleo, flourless, baking, dessert

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SunButter Chocolate Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies