These Salted Honey Pumpkin Seed Bars make the perfect healthy snack! They’re nut-free, gluten-free, paleo approved, and can easily be made vegan. Plus they are so easy to make and require only 5 ingredients.
Pumpkin Seeds are a great addition to a healthy diet and these salted honey pumpkin seed bars are a delicious way to enjoy them.
Why pumpkin seeds? Let’s take a look at the nutrition.
Pumpkin Seed Nutrition
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds (shelled, also called pepitas) has:
160 calories
3 grams of fiber
8 grams of protein
only 4 carbs
13 grams of fat
10% iron
35% magnesium
20% zinc
45% copper
50% Manganese
That’s a lot of nutrition for such a small seed! I started including them into my diet to increase my iron levels. Many women (especially if you exercise) are iron deficient without even knowing it, which is why I recommend having your ferratin levels checked regularly.
Tip- try paring these pumpkin seed bars with vitamin c rich food to increase iron absorption.
And let me tell you, not only are these bars so nutritious, they’re also delicious, super easy to make, and require only 5 ingredients. So what do you need?
Salted Honey Pumpkin Seed Bar Ingredients
For salted pumpkin seed bars, you will need the following ingredients:
- Pumpkin Seeds– You want to use shelled pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas. I used sprouted organic pumpkin seeds, although any shelled variety will work.
- Coconut Oil– Coconut Oil helps to bind the bars together, so a different oil will not work as well.
- Honey– You can substitute brown rice syrup if you want to make the bars vegan, but I don’t recommend maple syrup as it’s not thick enough.
- Oat Flour– You can buy oat flour at most supermarkets or you can make your own by blending old-fashioned oats in a blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store your oat flour in an air-tight container for up to three months.
- Salt– The salt goes so well with the honey! I use 1/2 tsp, but you can reduce or omit the salt to your liking.
How to make pumpkin seed bars
These yummy bars are so easy to make. Simply follow these instructions:
- Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, with enough overhang to remove bars from the pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin seeds, oat flour, and salt. Set aside.
- Heat the honey and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until coconut oil is melted and honey is heated through. Remove from heat.
- Pour the honey mixture into the dry mixture and mix until well incorporated using a large spoon. It will seem dry at first but keep mixing.
- Pour the pumpkin seed mixture into the parchment lined pan. Using the back of a large spoon that’s been sprayed with non-stick spray, press the mixture into the pan until it’s uniform.
- Bake for 24-26 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Do not overbake, as they will dry out.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper and allow to cool completely (about an hour). They will harden as they cool.
- Cut into 10 rectangles and enjoy!
Storage
Store your salted honey pumpkin seed bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I wrap mine individually so I can easily grab one for an on-the-go snack. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
Need more healthy snack ideas?
Check out these recipes:
Skinny Vegan Blueberry Muffins
As always, please let me know how you like the pumpkin seed bars in the comments. Your feedback means a lot to me, and your star ratings encourage other readers to give this recipe a try.
Enjoy!
Crystal
Salted Honey Pumpkin Seed Bars
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups pumpkin seeds* shelled
- 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil*
- 1/3 cup honey or brown rice syrup for vegan
- 1/2 cup oat flour*
- 1/2 tsp salt*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, with enough overhang to remove bars from the pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin seeds, oat flour, and salt. Set aside.
- Heat the honey and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until coconut oil is melted and honey is heated through. Remove from heat.
- Pour the honey mixture into the dry mixture and mix until well incorporated using a large spoon. It will seem dry at first but keep mixing.
- Pour the pumpkin seed mixture into the parchment lined pan. Using the back of a large spoon that's been sprayed with non-stick spray, press the mixture into the pan until it's uniform.
- Bake for 24-26 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Do not overbake, as they will dry out.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper and allow to cool completely (about an hour). They will harden as they cool.
- Cut into 10 bars and enjoy!
Notes
- Pumpkin Seeds– You want to use shelled pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas. I used sprouted organic pumpkin seeds, although any shelled variety will work.
- Coconut Oil– I used refined coconut oil. If you opt for non-refined coconut oil, your bars will have a hint of coconut flavor.
- Oat Flour– You can buy oat flour at most supermarkets or you can make your own by blending old-fashioned oats in a blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store your oat flour in an air-tight container for up to three months.
- Salt– The salt goes so well with the honey! I use 1/2 tsp, but you can reduce or omit the salt to your liking.
- Store your salted honey pumpkin seed bars covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I wrap mine individually so I can easily grab one for an on-the-go snack. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
0 Comments