Description
Forget every dry, bland pumpkin bar you’ve ever had! This recipe delivers an incredibly moist, perfectly spiced cake-like bar that simply melts in your mouth. The real star is the tangy, nutty brown butter cream cheese frosting, which adds a layer of deep, caramel-like flavor that elevates these bars from simple to sublime. Easy to make with a foolproof oil-based batter, these bars stay soft for days and are guaranteed to become your go-to fall dessert.
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Bars
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree
2 tbsp real maple syrup
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp ground ginger
⅛ tsp salt
For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
13 oz cream cheese, softened
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 – 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, to taste
1–2 tbsp milk, as needed
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Instructions
Prep Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to use as handles for easy removal later.
Whisk Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Continue whisking for at least 30 seconds to ensure the spices and leaveners are evenly distributed.
Mix Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick, and fluffy. Slowly stream in the oil, then mix in the pumpkin puree and maple syrup until everything is well combined and smooth.
Combine and Bake
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix on the lowest speed or fold by hand with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Bars & Brown the Butter
Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. While they cool, make the brown butter. Melt the butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. Swirl the pan continuously as the butter foams and sizzles. Continue cooking until nutty brown specks form at the bottom and it smells richly aromatic. Immediately pour the brown butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking and let it cool to room temperature.
Whip the Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth and free of lumps. Mix in the cooled brown butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach a creamy, spreadable consistency.
Frost and Serve
Once the pumpkin bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Use the parchment handles to lift the bars out of the pan, then slice and serve.
Notes
Room Temperature is Key:
Using room temperature eggs and cream cheese is essential for a smooth batter and a lump-free frosting.
Don’t Overmix:
To keep the bars tender and cake-like, mix the batter only until the flour is just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and will result in a dense, chewy texture.
Pan Size Matters:
A 10×15-inch jelly roll pan creates bars with the perfect thickness. If you use a 9×13-inch pan, the bars will be much thicker and require a longer bake time (around 40-45 minutes).
Storage:
Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 355
- Sugar: 26
- Sodium: 185
- Fat: 21
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Unsaturated Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 39
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 52
Keywords: pumpkin bars, brown butter frosting, cream cheese frosting, fall dessert, easy pumpkin recipe, pumpkin spice, dessert bars