I am in the mood for pumpkin…gluten free pumpkin seven layer bars to be exact ๐ 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! If you love pumpkin recipes as much as we do, you will want to check out all of my delicious Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes on the blog!
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.
Today I want to switch things up and make a magic bars recipe that reminds me of fall. Fall is my favorite time of year and pumpkin flavors is at the top of my list! If you aren’t into pumpkin, I have many different gluten free 7 layer bars recipes you can try:
7 Layer Bars Variations
- Gluten Free Gingerbread 7 Layer Bars
- Gluten Free Peppermint 7 Layer Bars
- Gluten Free Caramel 7 Layer Bars
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.”
Shopping List:
- Gluten free gingersnap cookies
- Gluten free graham crackers
- Almond flour
- Condensed milk (or dairy-free condensed milk with coconut)
- Shredded coconut
- Pureed pumpkin (don’t get the pumpkin pie flavored one. You want regular pumpkin)
- Butter
- Cinnamon and nutmeg
- Chocolate chips
- Nuts (walnut, pecan, or another you like)
How to make pumpkin magic bars:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 :-).
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, you can cut them. Definitely make sure you put them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cutting.)
Tools I used to Make This Pumpkin Magic Bars Recipe:

Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars
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
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Put cookies in a zip top bag. Let the air out and seal the top.
- Take a rolling pin and crush the cookies into crumbs.
- Pour crumbs into a small bowl.
- Add almond flour.
- Mix well.
- In a microwave safe dish, melt butter in the microwave.
- Remove from the microwave and pour into crumbs.
- Mix well.
- Spray a 9x9 pan with coconut oil.
- Pour in crust and press to flatten.
- In a small bowl, add pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut sugar.
- Pour this on top of the crust.
- Next, sprinkle on the shredded coconut.
- Pour the condensed milk on top to coat the coconut.
- Lastly, sprinkle the chocolate chips and nuts on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount 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
Candi
I am a pumpkin lover, This sounds out of this world.
Sandi Gaertner
I hope you like it as much as we do ๐
vicki finn
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!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad this recipe brings back memories Vicki ๐
Whitney Bond
I made these for my brother who is gluten free and we both absolutely loved them! Thanks for a great gluten free dessert recipe ๐
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad he liked them. Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know ๐
Joanie
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.
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
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!
Sandi Gaertner
LOL glad you like these ๐
Jillian
I love all things Pumpkin! Bring on Fall!
Sandi Gaertner
I agree! Fall is my favorite time of year!
Jessica Levinson
These gluten free pumpkin 7 layer bars are the perfect dessert to welcome in Fall! They look so delicious!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Jessica ๐
Cindy Gordon
You had me at pumpkin! These sound delicious!
Sandi Gaertner
I like how you think Cindy ๐
Tisha
Love pumpkin any time of the year! All these layers sound amazing together
Sandi Gaertner
I hope you get a chance to try this recipe soon Tisha, thank you ๐
Vickie
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!
Sandi Gaertner
I love your ideas Vickie. I will give the added egg a try next time I make these. Thank you for stopping by ๐
Aimee
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?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Melissa
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…..๐
Melissa
Can these be frozen? I wanted to bake ahead for Christmas…..
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Melissa, YES! These can be frozen. I tried it and they are delicious when thawed.
Jessica Hayes
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.
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Sabrina Modelle
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!
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts
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! ๐
Thanks so much for all your great recipes! Hugs,
Shirley
Sandi Gaertner
Oh wow…Thank you so, so much Shirley ๐ I have been wracking my brain to come up with a few new ones…stay tuned.
Jennifer
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.
Sandi Gaertner
A can of pureed pumpkin is 14 ounces. I hope this helps.
Cheri
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?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Rebecca
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!
Sandi Gaertner
Yes, there is a comment with a link to a dairy free condensed milk substitute. If you don’t want to use almond flour, you can just use gluten free graham crackers or gluten free gingersnaps.
Rebecca
Thank you!! looking forward to making these.
Sandi Gaertner
Please let me know how they turn out Rebecca ๐
Ali the Skinny GF Chef
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.
Sandi Gaertner
Wow, thank you so much Ali ๐
Jessica Olsen
Is there something that can be used as a substitute for condensed milk? I have to eat dairy and gluten free
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Jessica,
That is a tough one. I found this link to a recipe for a substitution: http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-substitutes/substitute-condensed-milk-buttermilk-sweetened-powder
Melissa
Nature’s Charm makes a sweetened condensed coconut milk. I have purchased it through Amazon.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Melissa, Thank you for letting us know. I will try to look for it next time I am at the grocery store ๐
Tammy
These sound great! Do the cinnamon and nutmeg go into the pumpkin layer?
Sandi Gaertner
They do Tammy ๐ I will clarify that in the recipe for people. Thank you!
Jillian
I love 7 layer bars, and adding pumpkin would just send them over the top!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Jillian ๐
Rebecca
Oh my these looks heavenly! I’m going to have to whip up a batch for my mom, she’ll love them!
Sandi Gaertner
I hope your mom enjoys them Rebecca ๐
Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
I love the pumpkin layer for a perfect twist on one of my favorite bars!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Serena.
Kyla @HouseOfHipsters
My favorite dessert bar AND they are gluten free? I could kiss you! Found you on the Sweet Bella Ross link up =)
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Kyla. I hope you like them ๐
Heidy @TheMccallumsShamrockPatch
Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars sound delicious, the recipe sounds like a winner for our family
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Heidy!
Joanne T Ferguson
G’day Your Gluten Free bars look and sound so healthy! Wish I could try one now!
Cheers! Joanne
Sandi Gaertner
I have half a pan left, wish you could come over and have some with me ๐
Heather @ Shards of Lavender
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:)
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Heather ๐
Nicky
These are great. Cookie bars are so easy to make.
Sandi Gaertner
Agreed Nicky ๐
Debi @ Life Currents
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!
Sandi Gaertner
Come on over Debi!! I am desperate to share some of the calories ๐
Jennifer
I love that you have so many layers of flavors in these bars.
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Jennifer ๐
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist
Be still my ever beating heart. These are magnificent.
Sandi Gaertner
Please come have some ๐
Nicole Neverman
These bars sound fantastic! I love the addition of coconut and chocolate in there. YUM!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Nicole…I am a chocoholic at heart ๐
Elena@as easy as Apple Pie
They look awesome! I love pie bars, this variation sounds great ๐
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Elena ๐
Tara
These look simply scrumptious!! Love this recipe!!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Tara ๐
Kelly @ TastingPage
Now that is just gorgeous and looks wonderfully delicious!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Kelly.
Janette@culinaryginger
What a lovely seasonal sweet treat.
Sandi Gaertner
I hope you enjoy it Janette ๐
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
Your seven layer bar looks absolutely delicious! I’d like to give it a try! Pinning right now, and stumbling too!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Michelle ๐