Paleo Pumpkin Bars with Maple Frosting

I confess, I'm a basic chick. I love ALL things pumpkin, pretty much any time of year, but no season gets me going like the fall. Fall here in Arizona is not the picturesque scene filled with gently falling leaves, and crisp overcast skies. Fall in the west valley is HOT. I don't mean like labor day weekend, last chance to go swimming, lets all hang out outside and barbeque temps. I mean like don't leave your house, can't touch your steering wheel, handing out bottled water to people on the street temps. This extreme landscape makes me crave fall, and pumpkin everything, even more than I normally would. One of my favorite pumpkin recipes to make in the fall are these pumpkin bars. They taste just like pumpkin pie, without all the extra sugar. They're sweetened using honey and raw maple syrup, so they're not quite as bad as all the other pumpkin treats you might find in the store this time of year. I have been making these for a few years now, and a lot of people love the maple frosting. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of frosting on anything, and I actually think these are just as great (if not better) without any topping at all!

(shown with and without frosting)

Ingredients

Bars:
2 eggs
1 c. pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
3/4 c. honey, warmed
1/2 c. coconut oil, warmed
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. almond flour
1/4 c. arrowroot powder or tapioca starch
1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder

Frosting: 1/2 c. coconut oil, softened
4 T. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
2. Combine the eggs, pumpkin puree, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a mixing bowl using a whisk or hand mixer).
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the almond flour, arrowroot powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture; stir until combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a square 8×8″ pan (or sometimes I use a pie pan). Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is set. Remove and cool completely before frosting.
5. To make the frosting, beat the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt together until light & fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use and soften before spreading on the bars.