Are you a fan of ginger snaps? Did you know that Trader Joes’ best selling product is their Triple Ginger Snap cookies? They use fresh, crystallized, and ground ginger and they are DIVINE. In this fall-themed pumpkin dream bar recipe, I decided to swap a traditional graham cracker crust with a crunched-up ginger snap crust using these cookies from good ol’ TJs. You can see their dark, molasses-y goodness in that bottom layer up there.
I like keeping my recipes low in sugar for the most part, so I made some sugar free sweetened condensed milk (yep, that’s a thing!), and used sugar free caramel. My one sugar splurge in here are the white chocolate chips since they can be a real challenge to find in sugar free form. Oh, and the ginger snaps, too, though they aren’t crazy sugary in general.
I’m taking these to a family party so I sliced them up into small bites so that there’s more to go around. Plus, tiny food is cute food!
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Let’s get to the double whammy recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snaps (I used Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps)
- 6 Tbsp melted butter
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 3 Tbsp sugar free caramel sauce
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup sugar free sweetened condensed milk (recipe below!)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 1/4 cups dry milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar substitute
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine cornstarch and cold water in a small dish. Set aside.
- In a microwaveable container, stir together milk powder and 1/2 cup of water.
- Cover and microwave 35 seconds or until hot.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture and microwave 10 seconds.
- Mix in sugar substitute and vanilla thoroughly, until there are no clumps.
- Chill for at least 1 hour before using in recipes.
- Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8x8 pan with foil or parchment. Make sure to cover the sides of the pan -- it will get sticky.
- Mix crushed ginger snaps with melted butter. Press into the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle white chocolate chips in a thin layer over the crust.
- Drizzle caramel sauce on top of the chips.
- Mix sugar free sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, and spices together. Pour on top of the caramel layer.
- Sprinkle coconut all over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges have begun to bubble and brown.
- Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more before cutting.
If you make this recipe, share a photo and hashtag it #BIJOUXANDBITS. I’d love to see what you’re cooking!
Catherine Clark is a Chicago native sharing noteworthy things she sees and attempts to make in the world. She's a geek, cat lady, designer and editor by day, and noob chef by night.
Hi Cat, (Can I call you Cat?) Oh man! The flavors you have goin’ on. I can’t wait to try this. One question… In one pic it looks like you baked in a 9×13 pan and you say 8×8 pan in the recipe.
Thanks, Eddie
Good call! I actually did use a larger pan! Although I’d probably suggest using an 8×8 just to get a bit more density/height to the bars. Fixing the typo, though. Thanks!!
That would make it more gooey. Thanks