Pumpkin Bites
Actually HEALTHY Gluten-Free Toddler Snack
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer optional (to save time)
- 2 11x17 Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Half-tablespoon
Ingredients
- 1-29oz Can Pure Pumpkin Puree
- 3 Cups Old-Fashioned Oats
- 3 Cups Quick Oats
- 1 Cup Almond Flour
- 1⅓ Cup All-Natural Peanut Butter
- ½ Cup Cacao
- ½ Cup Local Honey DO NOT USE IF UNDER 12 MONTHS OF AGE
- ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Tbsp Ground Ginger
- ½ Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Cinnamon Sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
- If you own a stand mixer, simply combine all ingredients in the mixing bowl. Use a paddle attachment to mix on low-medium speed until all ingredients are well-incorporated. Without a stand mixer, you can combine your ingredients in a large mixing bowl. When using this method, I typically mix the pumpkin, oats, almond flour, and peanut butter until well-combined, and gradually add in my other ingredients. It requires some elbow grease at this point, and I mix using my hands.
- Once well-mixed, I like to cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least half an hour. It makes it slightly less sticky when portioning it out. Totally optional.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- I portion out heaping/rounded half-tablespoons of the mix, roll it between my hands into a ball, then lightly squash it onto a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. These don't spread during baking, so feel free to place them close together to fit more per sheet.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar before baking if desired.
- Bake 12-14 minutes. During this time, you can prep your next cookie sheet with bites.
- Remove bites and place on a cooling rack once out of the oven. Enjoy some once cool or store them in the fridge for later!
Notes
These are delicious hot or cold, but we typically store them in Stashers in the fridge and give them to our toddlers (up to 4 per day) on demand while cold. No complaints! They store well (honestly, we keep them refrigerated for upwards of a couple weeks with no issues as long as they're in an airtight container). Since we enjoy one from time to time, as well as the snack-hungry toddlers going through them, they don't last that long.
Bear in mind, this is a BULK double-batch to have quick, healthy, ready-made snacks on hand. Adjust to fit your needs! The recipe halves pretty easily.
And again, NO HONEY FOR INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE.