🎃 Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Spice Cake Bars
Moist, warmly spiced cake bars made with real pumpkin and blended cottage cheese for extra creaminess, moisture, and a protein boost! Perfect for fall — or anytime you’re craving a cozy treat without the guilt.
🧁 Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
• ¾ cup (180g) pumpkin purée (unsweetened)
• ½ cup (120g) cottage cheese (blended until smooth)
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup (80ml) maple syrup or honey
• ¼ cup (60ml) neutral oil (like canola or melted coconut oil)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
• 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (50g) oat flour (or just blend oats into a powder)
• 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or mix cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
Optional Mix-ins or Toppings:
• Mini chocolate chips
• Chopped pecans or walnuts
• A light cream cheese glaze
👩🍳 Instructions
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) baking pan.
2 Blend the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.
3 In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, blended cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
4 In another bowl, stir together the flours, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5 Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Don't overmix.
6 Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly. Add toppings if desired.
7 Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8 Let it cool completely before slicing into bars.
🍂 Serving Tips:
• Serve warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream.
• Store in the fridge for up to 5 days — they get even better the next day!