Last week, I flew to Northern California to visit my family for a few days. My brother and his best friend picked me up at the airport, and when we arrived at my parents’ house, we headed straight outside to play with their exuberant yet extremely loving golden retrievers.
That evening, we celebrated my brother’s birthday (only a little belated!) with homemade hand-churned strawberry ice cream, and everyone agreed it was the best ice cream we had ever tasted. Sweet, smooth, creamy, rich, almost pillowy (according to my brother!)… And although not the least bit healthy, it was worth every spoonful!
Each night after the sun went down, Dad walked around the house and opened nearly every window to help the rooms cool off. With lots of space between our house and our neighbors (and therefore very little noise!), we usually left most of the windows open all night.
When I woke up in the mornings and crawled out of bed, I usually felt like throwing on a sweater because of the light chill in the air both in and outside the house. Although the temperature continued to rise with the sun, reaching between 80° and 90° during the day, those slightly nippy mornings made it feel like fall was right around the corner…
Which made me crave everything pumpkin and inspired me to bake this Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Snack Cake! It’s moist and tender with lots of warm spices, and the cozy pumpkin + rich chocolate flavor combo is one of my all-time favorites. It’s also really simple to make (no mixer required!) and only 110 calories!
Now if Southern California would start to feel a bit more like fall too… Then I’d be all set! Or maybe if I bake this healthy pumpkin snack cake enough, I can attract the autumn weather??
Regardless… Let’s go over how to make this healthy pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal snack cake!
You’ll start with whole wheat flour (or gluten-free if needed!), instant oats (this kind—or this for gluten-free!), and homemade pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice is short for “pumpkin pie spice,” and it’s a combination of the regular spices you’d find in pumpkin pie. (No actual pumpkin included!) For this homemade version, you’ll use cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
As for the instant oats, they’re also called “quick cooking” or “one minute oats.” They’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. This means they soften faster, which gives your healthy pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal snack cake a really moist and tender texture! You can usually find instant oats right next to the rolled oats at the grocery store.
It’s extremely important that you measure the oats and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either will dry out your snack cake and make it crumbly, rather than moist and tender. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture from your batter!
With just 1 teaspoon of butter (yes, that’s it!), the rest of the tender texture in your healthy pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal snack cake comes from pumpkin purée (like this—not pumpkin pie mix!) and Greek yogurt. Both of them provide the same moisture to your batter as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories, and the Greek yogurt adds a protein boost, too!
You’ll skip the refined granulated sugar and sweeten your healthy pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal snack cake with pure maple syrup (like this!). You want the kind that comes directly from maple trees! It’s generally sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, and the only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup.”
Don’t forget the mini chocolate chips! I prefer using mini’s because their smaller size ensures that every bite contains at least one morsel of chocolate. These are my current favorite because they taste so rich and melt really well! I always save some to press into the top of the snack cake batter right before baking. I think it makes the squares of your healthy pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal snack cake look even more irresistible!
And when I can eat pumpkin cake as a healthy breakfast or snack, I’m one really happy girl! ? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your healthy pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal snack cake!
| Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Snack Cake | | Print |
- 1 ½ cups (150g) instant oats (gluten-free if needed and measured like this)
- 1 ¼ cups (150g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (244g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix!)
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 6 tbsp (90mL) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk
- 3 ½ tbsp (49g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat a 9”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg whites, and vanilla. Add in the pumpkin purée and Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps of yogurt remain. Stir in the maple syrup. Alternate between adding the oat mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the oat mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the oat mixture in 3 equal parts.) Gently fold in 3 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the top. Bake at 350°F for 26-29 minutes or until the center feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan before slicing and serving.
White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour.
For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: ¾ cup (90g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.
It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either will dry out your snack cake and give it a crumbly texture—especially the oats! They act like little sponges and soak up moisture from your cake batter.
This is my favorite cinnamon! It tastes stronger, warmer, and slightly sweeter than traditional cinnamon.
If you prefer, 1 tablespoon of store-bought pumpkin spice maybe be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
For a sweeter flavor, increase the maple syrup by an additional 2 tablespoons (½ cup total), and decrease the milk by 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons instead).
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes!
The ice cream sounds amazing! You truly can’t beat a spoonful of the real-deal. And of course your snack cake is beyond wonderful. If you want freezing fall weather, come to Ohio now – it’s already here 🙂
Thanks so much Liz! If it wasn’t quite so chilly — and it didn’t ever snow! — then I’d totally come to Ohio during a non-summer month! 😉
I can’t think of pumpkin recipes now. This is apple season here. Lots of apple festivals and apple picking will start soon.
Actually I am still wanting peach recipes for a while.
I’m always in the mood for apple treats, so your apple festivals sound so fun Charlotte! When you finally feel like pumpkin baking, I’d love to hear what you think if you try this snack cake! 🙂
Just a note: quick oats and instant oats are not the same. quick oats are in the familiar round box and cook in one minute. instant oats are in packets and have sugar and flavoring added. I find that you can give regular rolled oats a quick whir in the food processor to approximately make quick oats. If you continue to grind to a fine powder, you make oat flour.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Kathy! The flavored packets of oatmeal are made with instant oats. They’re not “instant oats.” Like I mentioned in this blog post, instant oats, quick cooking oats, and one minute oats are all terms for the same thing. I understand it can be confusing when companies put “instant oats” on their packaging for those flavored packets! 🙂 Great minds must think alike — I included that exact alternative for homemade quick oats in the Notes section of this recipe! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think if you try this snack cake!
Can I make pumpkin cake non-dairy?
Yes! Substitute your favorite non-dairy yogurt (ie soy- or almond-based) for the Greek yogurt (for the best results!) or additional pumpkin purée (the texture may be a bit denser). 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this snack cake Roberta!
Hi Amy,
I am an avid chocoholic and a health freak. I like to follow your recipes as all the ingredients mentioned are healthy and I can indulge in the desserts without feeling guilty 🙂
I tried making this cake snack. I used Honey but unfortunately I ran out of stock and hence could use only 5 tbsp of honey. Hence I added 1 tbsp milk and 1 tbsp coconut sugar (to compensate the remaining 1 tbsp honey that was missing). baked as per mentioned time ( 28 – 30 min). the toothpick I guess came out somewhat clean with few crumbs but when I touched it it was little sticky ( is it how it is supposed to be?). The edges of the cake was coming out and top was firm hence I concluded that the cake was cooked. ( I didn’t wanted the cake to be rubbery / hard) I am not sure how the texture of this cake is supposed to be. the cake was moist inside and not like other regular cakes. I liked the snack but not sure if this is the right texture of this snack and if i was eating it raw ? 🙂 any comments?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes Anu! That means the world to me! 🙂 Since you added both 1 tablespoon of milk and coconut sugar, there was actually more volume in the batter compared to if you had used 1 final tablespoon of honey. Therefore, the snack cake should’ve required a bit more time to finish baking. However, this snack cake should be really moist inside! Sort of like the texture of my oatmeal cookies (if you’ve ever made any of those recipes!) or a really, really firm bowl of cooked oatmeal. If it wasn’t literally wet and gooey, just really moist and tender, then it wasn’t raw and is totally safe to eat. Does that make sense?
Hi Amy! I’m a fan of your recipes and have made some of them. But when I tried making this last night、it came out very dense、but wet slightly、and hard on the edges. The pic looks nice fluffy pumpkin square cake. Is is because I used Whole Wheat not the Whole Wheat pastry flour?? Also、as many of your comments said、it’s tricky but important to measure flour properly. So am thinking of buying a small ktchen cooking scale – inexpensive one. Do you have any tips?
Anyway、 I love your ultimate healthy blueberry and apple cobblers and apple pie!!!! I’m thinking of making your carrot cake today. Thank you for all the great healthy recipes!! 🙂
I tried again using a different baking pan. And it worked well this time!:) I finally found out the pan I was using made the cake dense and wet.. it was dark and slightly larger one. Then I tried with white ceramic pan. And it came out fluffy and nice this time! ? Thank you!
That’s wonderful!! I didn’t realize you were using a larger pan when you tried this recipe before. The pan size definitely makes a huge difference! 😉 I’m so glad you enjoyed this snack cake Yoko!
Thanks Amy! I don’t have a 8 x 8 square baking pan… Many of your recipes call for a 8×8. So thinking of finally buying one soon. Do you have any recommendation as to what type is useful for your recipes? Say、Pyrex glass type or darker colored one? Or something else?
(I’ve been using a slightly smaller or larger rectangle white pans that I have in my kitchen…)
Btw. Thanks to your important baking tips on your sites! I’ve been learning a lot from you!. And I got a kitcgen scale as you mentioned the importance of measuring. You are right!. It makes a big difference:) Cakes come out better and not dense:) thanks Amy!
Am sorry to ask many questions…
But just wondering how you wash your whisks?? I think I’m washing not in a right way. I broke the silicon parts of my whisks 🙁 the cover came off….:-0
So had to buy a new one… this time I bought a silver classic type but now making scratches in my bowls?
No need to apologize Yoko! I just use a regular sponge with dishwashing soap and hand wash my whisks. 🙂
It’s my pleasure Yoko! I’m so glad you’re finding all of my tips useful — that means a lot to me! 🙂 I have an 8″-square baking pan that’s similar to this one. I prefer the metal pans, and I love this particular kind because it has true “square” corners, not the rounded corners that many pans have. 😉
Great! Thank you so much for letting me know!!! Very helpful!!?
Will order the square pan today!:) Have a nice weekend!!:)
It’s my pleasure Yoko! I hope you have a wonderful weekend too, and I can’t wait to hear what you decide to bake first with your new square pan! 🙂
Hi!
It’s possible to use only oat flour?
Thank you
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Filipa! You can substitute oat flour for the whole wheat flour, but your snack cake may turn out a little denser and not rise as much. As long as you don’t mind that slight texture difference, the flour will remain the same! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of this snack cake if you try it!