When it comes to junk food, it seems like people can be divided into two groups: Team Sweet and Team Salty. As the team names imply, Team Sweet gravitates toward sugary treats such as cookies, ice cream, brownies and candy while Team Salty flips for chips, fries, cheesy indulgences and more. I am 100 percent Team Sweet – always have been, always will be! (Well, I suppose a small exception was made when I was pregnant and truly appreciated the glory that is queso.)
My sweet tooth is strong and while Ryan and I generally try to keep most sweets out of our house because both of us will go to town on a pint of ice cream, I always have ingredients on hand to make a sweet snack if a craving strikes.
I briefly mentioned my love for coconut oil chocolate on the blog before (simply combine melted coconut oil, cocoa powder and maple syrup and refrigerate or freeze for an easy homemade chocolate treat) and over the holiday season last year, I shared a (dairy-free) recipe for coconut oil peppermint bark that was unreal and a must-make for those who love chocolate and peppermint.
Well I’m at it again this year with another delicious holiday bark to share with you guys and this one is all about pumpkin spice and vanilla almond butter. It’s the kind of sweet treat that tastes indulgent but when you break it down and look at the ingredients you cannot help but smile. Coconut oil, Justin’s vanilla almond butter, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and fragrant pumpkin pie spices come together to create a festive fall bark you can whip up in no time at all!
The addition of maple syrup gives the bark the perfect punch of subtle sweetness while Justin’s vanilla almond butter gives it a rich, nutty flavor that will have you coming back for more!
You will only need to dirty one bowl when you make this bark (hooray for minimal dirty dishes) and within 10 minutes, you’ll have a sweet, creamy pumpkin spice bark on your hands to share (or keep for yourself… no judgment). Before freezing the bark to allow it to harden, you may also customize it a bit and sprinkle the bark with your favorite chopped nuts, fall sprinkles, chopped mini peanut butter cups or candy corn. I’ve also added cocoa powder to the mix for a chocolaty treat and it was delicious. Play around with this one and enjoy!!!
- ¾ cup coconut oil (not melted)
- ⅓ cup Justin’s vanilla almond butter
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Optional: A sprinkle of candy corn, spiced almonds, fall sprinkles, etc.
- Line a 9x11-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Combine coconut oil and almond butter in a large, microwave safe bowl. Microwave until coconut oil is melted and almond butter is slightly runny, about 45 seconds. Stir to combine.
- Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice and stir. Add maple syrup and stir again.
- Pour mixture onto parchment paper, using a spatula to spread it evenly. Sprinkle any desired toppings on top of the bark before placing into the freezer.
- Freeze until the bark hardens, approximately 20 minutes. Break into pieces and enjoy! Store any remaining pieces in an air-tight container in the freezer.
Enjoy! And be sure to check out Justin’s website for more delicious seasonal recipes!
I am definitely team sweet and I love any nut butter, especially Justin’s, YUM! I think I would eat the whole tray though, hehe.
Patricia @Sweet And Strong(Quote)
I am 100% team sweet all the way and I am in love with coconut oil chocolate too! It’s so easy and delicious and this pumpkin version is right up my alley! Love that it’s nutritious too, what a delicious substitute for store-bought candy. Thank you for sharing 🙂
rachel @ athletic avocado(Quote)
oooooh justin’s vanilla almond butter is the best! i don’t even know if i could give it up for a recipe – i gotta eat it straight outta the jar!!
Linz @ Itz Linz(Quote)
it was haaard not to eat the whole jar when i was making this! so, so good!
Julie(Quote)
Team sweet! I especially love a sweet and salty combo! This recipe sounds perfect for a get together or tailgate.
Brynn(Quote)
I really go back and forth on which team I’m on. To be honest, my favorite is a combo of both sweet and salty. Like I love those candy corn popcorns that are out this time of year because its sweet and salty! This looks delicious!
Heather @ Polyglot Jot(Quote)
Thanks for sharing this! It looks like you also melted some chocolate on top in these pictures. Is that right?
Kristen(Quote)
the dark chocolate bark actually has cocoa powder mixed in! in the above post, i said i did that once and it was delicious!! 🙂 it’s definitely an easy recipe to customize!
Julie(Quote)
Can Anyone help with nutritional on this? Esp carbs?
M(Quote)
What would happen if you used already melted coconut oil and added it after you melt the nut butter? I want to make this for a gathering tonight and already have liquid coconut oil on hand. Thanks!
Crystal @ CandieTravels(Quote)
I think that would likely still work! Definitely make sure to freeze it (not refrigerate it) so it has time to set!
Julie(Quote)
For the record, the pre-melted coconut oil did not work…although the flavor was great, it never quite hardened and liquefied quickly upon thawing. I tried it again with the regular coconut oil and it was much more successful! Just wanted to let you know in case other readers wondered!
Crystal @ CandieTravels(Quote)
Definitely a sweet girl and this is just too cute not to make! The fact that it uses such healthy ingredients justifies an extra piece, right? 😉
Mrs K. @ Mrs. Kringle’s Kitchen(Quote)
exactly!!
Julie(Quote)
yummy! ill def have to make this sometime!
Caitlin(Quote)
My husband would love this!!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul(Quote)
I just recently discovered coconut oil chocolate and I am in love! I now make it at least once a week. It’s nice to have on hand when a strong craving for something sweet strikes! This looks like a delicious spin to the basic recipe 🙂 thanks for sharing! I can’t wait to try it out 🙂
Bethany(Quote)
totally agree!! coconut oil chocolate is a staple in our house, too!
Julie(Quote)
What!?!? this. sounds. incredible.
haley @Cupcakes and Sunshine(Quote)
I love those sprinkles to bits!!!
Starr @ sipofstarrshine.com(Quote)
That looks so delicious! Random question: what photo editing software do you use? Everytime I take pictures of my food, it does not look near this tasty!
kelsie(Quote)
Totally making this for our finger food get together tomorrow night!
Bethany(Quote)
Julie:
This looks awesome! We make alot of bark in our family too. White chocolate cranberry is generally our fave. But this does look so yummy and so festive! I see a batch in my future.
We mentioned YOU today in a blog post we did where we highlighted some of our favorite bloggers. If you want to check it out you can find it at http://kitlife.net/blog/.
Jessica Locke(Quote)
OMG This looks AMAZING!! I am going to have to give this a try this week =) Thanks for sharing!
Leigh(Quote)
These look absolutely delicious, great attention to detail, too!
Alex Hope(Quote)