Pumpkin Luna Bars

It’s not ideal, but with Roy teaching and getting his PHD and my being a crazy lady, we rely on bars (luna, lara, cliff, kind, etc.) more often than I’d really like to admit. While they are convenient and tasty, they are also super expensive. When Katie of Chocolate Covered Katie posted a recipe for homemade Luna bars I was all over it. I reinvented the recipe to create a pumpkin flavored bar because, well, it’s mandatory that everything be pumpkin flavored from October 1st – December 31st, right? They are great to take with us when we’re running around Manhattan on the weekdays or while Roy is studying.

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups (99g) Rice crispies cereal (I used a brown rice store brand. You could probably use puffed rice cereal as well.)
• 2 Tbs (30g) Nut butter (I used almond butter)
• 2 Tbs (30g) Coconut oil
• 4 Tbs Canned pumpkin
• 2 Tbs (42g) Agave nectar
• 1 Packet Stevia (if you don’t want to use stevia, increase the agave nectar by about 2 Tbs)
• 1/2 Tbs Pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/2 lb Semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. Mix your nut butter, sweetener, extract, coconut oil, pumpkin, stevia, spice, and salt. Melt in the microwave (30-60 seconds) or on the stove.
2. Pour the mixture over the cereal and and stir. Make sure to coat all the crispies and smash them with the back of your spoon or fork. Add more crispies if the mixture seems too liquid-y and more liquid (coconut oil or nut butter) if it’s not sticking together.
3. Line a square or rectangle pan with wax paper and spread the mixture evenly throughout it. Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the mixture and use the bottom of a glass to press the mixture down as firmly as you can. Stick it in the freezer.
4. Temper your chocolate.
5. Bring the bars out of the freezer and coat the top of it with about 1/4″ of warm chocolate. You won’t use the entire batch of choclate. Save the leftovers for something else (like cookie dough bites).
6. Stick the bars back in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the bars from the pan and slice into about 12 rectangles. Wrap each individual bar in aluminum foil. Keep frozen until your are ready to go.

Just look at this kitty. <3