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Easy Fall Flavored Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars

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I would be grateful if you shared this post :-)

I am in the mood for pumpkin…gluten free pumpkin seven layer bars to be exact 🙂 Have you ever made magic bars? This easy pumpkin magic bar recipe is a wonderful variation for fall.

Creamy, chocolaty, with a graham cracker crust…you, will want to make this pumpkin magic bars recipe over and over again!

 

a gluten free pumpkin seven layer bar on a brown paper napkin

I haven’t made a seven layer bar since going gluten free. Now I can have my childhood favorite with pumpkin!”

When I was young, this was a special treat for me. If there was a bake sale, a seven layer bar was the first thing I would buy. I think it was the gooey coconut layer that was my favorite. I would pick the coconut strands out and eat them one by one with other toppings stuck on them.

7 Layer Bars Variations

Since it is almost fall, I decided to update my favorite magic bars recipe to make it more festive…Not to mention I love pumpkin desserts! I added gluten free gingersnaps and pumpkin to the crust layers, making it a perfect fall layered dessert.

My easy gluten free pumpkin bars recipe will leave you wanting to make another batch because these will disappear quickly.”

How to make pumpkin magic bars:

pressing down the graham cracker crust in the baking dish.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Magic Bars Crust Ingredients:

The first step is to mix a blend of:

  • graham crackers
  • gingersnaps
  • almond meal

It all sticks together with butter, or coconut oil if you want these gluten free bars to be dairy free too.

What are the layers in 7 layer bars?

The seven layers in this pumpkin magic bars recipe are: gluten free graham crackers and almond flour, pureed pumpkin, condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips, and walnuts.

adding pureed pumpkin on top of the graham cracker layer

Next is to add the gooey pumpkin and coconut sugar layer. Just wait until you taste the flavor that this adds to these amazing 7 layer bars.

adding shredded coconut to the magic bars

My favorite coconut layer is next :-). I use unsweetened shredded coconut. I highly advise doing the same as these bars are very sweet and don’t need the extra sugar.

pouring condensed milk over the shredded coconut layer.

Can you make this gluten free pumpkin magic bars recipe dairy free?

Condensed milk sets the ingredients together. To make this pumpkin 7 layers bars recipe dairy free, you can use coconut condensed milk. (I found this at both Sprout Market and Raley’s.)

You can also use coconut oil instead of butter in the graham cracker layer.

Adding walnuts and chips to the magic bars

The final layers are the chips and nuts. Here are some fun substitutions to customize this recipe:

  • Use pecans or slivered almonds instead of walnuts
  • Use white chocolate chips or the new salted caramel chips by Hershey’s. Butterscotch chips are also pretty tasty in with the fall pumpkin flavors!
  • As I mentioned above, you can use coconut condensed milk if you are avoiding dairy.

How long do you bake gluten free pumpkin magic bars?

You will want to bake these pumpkin seven layer bars for 25 minutes at 350F degrees. Please note that these bars are very hot and it is important to let these seven layer bars cool before cutting or handling.

Will these magic bars freeze well?

These gluten free pumpkin 7 layer bars do freeze well! I often freeze these bars so that I have a sweet pumpkin treat anytime :-).

a close up of a gluten free pumpkin 7 layer bar on a brown napkin

 

You can see the typical layers of a 7 layer bar in this close up shot, plus the added pumpkin! You can check out all of my gluten free pumpkin desserts and find more favorites :-).

(*Please note, these magic bars are gooey and that is okay. Once they cool to room temperature, make sure you put them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.)

Tools I used to Make This Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars Recipe:

  1. Mixing bowls
  2. 8×8 Baking Dish

(*Please note there are affiliate links in this post. If you make a purchase from a link, it will not affect the price you pay. A tiny commission will come to Fearless Dining to help offset the cost of running this blog. I truly appreciate the support.)

recipe love

Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars

Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

These delicious gluten free pumpkin 7 layer bars are an easy treat.

Ingredients

  • 6 Schar Cookie Honeygrams, should be 1/2 cup total
  • 10 gluten free ginger snaps, should be 1/2 cup total
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 8 ounces condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup nuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Put cookies in a zip top bag. Let the air out and seal the top.
  3. Take a rolling pin and crush the cookies into crumbs.
  4. Pour crumbs into a small bowl.
  5. Add almond flour.
  6. Mix well.
  7. In a microwave safe dish, melt butter in the microwave.
  8. Remove from the microwave and pour into crumbs.
  9. Mix well.
  10. Spray a 9x9 pan with coconut oil.
  11. Pour in crust and press to flatten.
  12. In a small bowl, add pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut sugar.
  13. Pour this on top of the crust.
  14. Next, sprinkle on the shredded coconut.
  15. Pour the condensed milk on top to coat the coconut.
  16. Lastly, sprinkle the chocolate chips and nuts on top.
  17. Bake for 30 minutes.
  18. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 438 Total Fat: 26g Saturated Fat: 12g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 12g Cholesterol: 21mg Sodium: 181mg Carbohydrates: 49g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 34g Protein: 7g
Please note this nutrition information is calculated by a recipe plugin and is an estimate based on the ingredients used in this recipe.
© Sandi Gaertner
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert
Want more pumpkin?? Try these Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts!

pumpkin donuts on a plate

 

More Yummy Pumpkin Ideas to Try!

a gluten free pumpkin seven layer bar on a napkin

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. vicki finn

    August 10, 2018 at 7:42 am

    These are so delicious! Reminds me of what my mom used to make at the holidays – magic cookie bars. I love the addition of pumpkin for some added health benefits!

    Reply

  3. Whitney Bond

    August 8, 2018 at 6:07 pm

    I made these for my brother who is gluten free and we both absolutely loved them! Thanks for a great gluten free dessert recipe 🙂

    Reply

  4. Joanie

    August 8, 2018 at 1:26 pm

    What a wonderful recipe! I am so ready for pumpkin and it’s nice to see that I can make such a delightful “fall” treat in the middle of the summer! So easy and incredibly delicious, I’ll be making these bars over and over again.

    Reply

  5. Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes

    August 6, 2018 at 9:22 pm

    Oh my goodness, you did it. You made a way for me to love 7-layer bars even more. Who knew that was even possible? SO delicious!

    Reply

  7. Jessica Levinson

    August 6, 2018 at 5:49 pm

    These gluten free pumpkin 7 layer bars are the perfect dessert to welcome in Fall! They look so delicious!

    Reply

  10. Vickie

    October 31, 2017 at 9:28 am

    Thanks for your creative ideas for 7 layer bars! I made these and added an egg to the pumpkin layer to make it a little more like pumpkin pie in texture. I also added about 7 minutes to the cooking time to make sure it was cooked through. Wow! This will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table! No longer will I feel cheated when it comes to Thanksgiving dessert!

    Reply

  11. Aimee

    January 7, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    Do you think it would work well to double this recipe in a 9×13 for a larger crowd? Bake for maybe 45 minutes instead?

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      January 8, 2017 at 12:52 pm

      Hi Aimee,

      I am not sure. It should work out, just make sure it isn’t too thick or it will need more time to bake.

      Reply

  12. Melissa

    December 12, 2016 at 2:52 pm

    I made these this weekend using sweetened condensed coconut milk. Did I do something wrong…or are they …supposed to be very soft and kinda messy? I was picturing the 7 layer bars of my youth and those could be cut and plated and stand on their own. These seem to need to be eaten with a fork instead of picked up like a brownie or cookie bar. Did I not cook them long enough or something??
    They taste great regardless…..😁

    Reply

  14. Jessica Hayes

    November 23, 2016 at 4:33 am

    Hi, I tires to make these but it seemed that the condensed milk just would not sit…do you think I needed to bake longer then 20 min? I even refrigerated overnight.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      November 23, 2016 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Jessica, It is possible these needed to bake longer, given where you live. I have heard readers say 20-30 minutes is about average. I hope this helps. The condensed milk should seep in while it bakes.

      Reply

  15. Sabrina Modelle

    October 28, 2015 at 9:00 am

    Would you believe I’ve never had a seven layer bar? These look amazing and I think I might have to try your childhood favorite!

    Reply

  16. Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts

    October 3, 2015 at 10:00 am

    Hey Sandi,

    I wanted to let you know that I finally did a roundup of all your 7-Layer Bar recipes on All Gluten-Free Desserts. I know that readers are going to just love them! Especially this pumpkin one that kicks off the fall and holiday baking season! 🙂

    Thanks so much for all your great recipes! Hugs,
    Shirley

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      October 3, 2015 at 6:44 pm

      Oh wow…Thank you so, so much Shirley 🙂 I have been wracking my brain to come up with a few new ones…stay tuned.

      Reply

  17. Jennifer

    October 19, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    I am from Australia and I’ve never seen a can of pumpkin at the store. What is the weight of the pumpkin and is it in pieces or mashed?
    I’m looking forward trying this dish, using fresh pumpkin.

    Reply

  18. Cheri

    October 18, 2014 at 9:42 pm

    I really want to make these as my daughter and I are both gluten free, & we love all things pumpkin! However, she is allergic to tree nuts, & I am allergic to coconut. Could you possibly offer some substitutions for the Almond Meal & the coconut layer?

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      October 18, 2014 at 10:17 pm

      Hi Cheri,
      I am so sorry you can’t have nuts and coconut. These are fairly easy to substitute. For the crust use just gluten free graham crackers (and possibly some gluten free gingersnaps mixed in.) Use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. The coconut on top is a little more difficult because you want something that can cook into the condensed milk. I have a couple of thoughts, one, use crushed gluten free gingersnap cookies sprinkled on top, or maybe chopped raisins. I would love to hear what you try, and how it turns out.

      Reply

  19. Rebecca

    October 18, 2014 at 7:59 am

    These look amazing! I haven’t had these since I went GF DF 5 years ago. But do you have a suggestion as a substitute for sweetened condensed milk and almond flour? Thanks!

    Reply

  20. Ali the Skinny GF Chef

    October 17, 2014 at 9:19 am

    Hi Sandi, I love your recipe and I’m featuring it as my favorite this week on Savoring Saturdays! Come grab a button! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

    Reply

  26. Kyla @HouseOfHipsters

    October 8, 2014 at 9:17 pm

    My favorite dessert bar AND they are gluten free? I could kiss you! Found you on the Sweet Bella Ross link up =)

    Reply

  27. Heidy @TheMccallumsShamrockPatch

    October 8, 2014 at 7:41 pm

    Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars sound delicious, the recipe sounds like a winner for our family

    Reply

  29. Heather @ Shards of Lavender

    October 8, 2014 at 5:46 pm

    Love that you used Graham’s and ginger snaps in these bars! I have fond memories of 7 layer bars too and haven’t had one in years. Pinning to share with my family:)

    Reply

  31. Debi @ Life Currents

    October 8, 2014 at 3:23 pm

    Can I come over and eat the leftovers? Pretty please! These look amazing! 7 layer bars (or Hello Dolly Bars which may have some slight variances, but are basically the same idea) were always my favorite too! I love what you did to them with all the fall flavors! So awesome!

    Reply

  39. Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life

    October 8, 2014 at 8:51 am

    Your seven layer bar looks absolutely delicious! I’d like to give it a try! Pinning right now, and stumbling too!

    Reply

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