Recipe Post: Pumpkin Pie Balls…AKA Your New Addiction!!!

Eat a whole batch….I won’t judge!!!

Let me get something off my chest.  I’ve been told that I am an awesome cook, but the deliciousness I create is often at the help of some amazing vegan chefs who create cookbooks that need to be in every kitchen.  When I started this blog a few years ago, I struggled with this blog not becoming “another one of those vegan food blogs” and my goal from the start has been to normalize veganism- not by diet but also by lifestyle too.  Staying on this path is hard because vegan food is incredible and whenever I create some kitchen magic worthy of sharing, I want to share it! I hope you like this recipe enough to share with others.

Before I begin, I was inspired by two things…Pumpkin Pie and a recipe in the cookbook, The Abundance Diet by Somer McCowan called “Happiness in a Cookie Bite” which is indeed nothing but pure joy! However, I made enough of those things to know that I wanted to change things up and I really think I hit a home run just in time for the start of pumpkin spiced everything.

This treat is super easy, gluten free, soy free, no bake, zero refined sugars and can be made nut-free by using a seed butter such as SunButter.  How can this be any more perfect???  It also has real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.  Best of all, this recipe will hold up in any lunch box all day long as it does hold its shape unlike most “ball” recipes that turn into mush if left out at room temperature for too long.  You can also eat these for breakfast during your morning commute and ditch the mason jar oatmeals!  This creation is sure to impress anyone in the mood for pumpkin pie but doesn’t have the time to bake one at a moments notice.  Did I forget to mention that this is one of the few versions of pumpkin pie that won’t be to blame for holiday weight gain???

 

Pumpkin Pie Balls (makes roughly 12-16 walnut sized balls)

1/2 cup of canned pumpkin puree (not to be confused with pumpkin pie mix!)
1 1/2 cups of rolled oats
3 Tablespoons of maple syrup (I use and always prefer grade B)
2 Tablespoons of Ground Flax Seeds
2 Tablespoons of almond butter (As mentioned, you can use SunButter if you are nut free!)
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (you can google DIY spice mixes if you don’t have this ingredient)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste OR non-alcoholic vanilla extract (do not use your regular vanilla extract or it will be nasty!)

Instructions:

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a bowl…hands optional.  The mixture will come together in a big mushy clump.  Use lightly damp hands (using water!) to roll into 1 tablespoon balls.  Place on a plate lined with cling wrap or parchment paper and let the balls sit in the fridge for roughly an hour.  Once firm, you can place in an airtight container where they will keep for nearly two weeks.  It’s a crime I let a batch go for that long to actually tell you this!

 

…So here you have it!  If you make this recipe, let me know what you think!  If you want more crazy creations, let me know too!  I also have another pumpkin pie related recipe that I will be posting soon as well.  This is kinda what happens when I take advantage of a major sale of canned pumpkin!

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