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Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Perfectly sweet with rich brown sugar flavor and just the right amount of pumpkin spice.
Texture: Light and fluffy yet moist and slightly dense from the pumpkin, topped with creamy frosting with a delicious, slightly crunchy texture (like cookie dough!).
Ease: Super easy to make, and you don’t even need a mixer for the bars!
Why you’ll love this recipe: These pumpkin bars are an easy, crowd-pleasing fall treat with a thick layer of brown sugar frosting that perfectly complements the soft, spiced bars.
Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite fall bake! Yes, these Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting are seriously that good.
Is there anything more comforting than the aroma of spiced treats baking away in your oven? Just like my viral Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake, my easy Apple Crisp Recipe, and my Chai Sugar Cookies, these babies will waft the most heavenly autumnal scent throughout your house!
These Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting are a total crowd-pleaser. And just to put the icing on the cake (pun intended lol), they’re also super quick and easy!
Ready in under an hour, you truly can’t go wrong with these Pumpkin Bars.
Perfect for any fall party or potluck, as a Thanksgiving pie alternative, or even mid-summer when you’re just missing those fall vibes, these bars have got you covered.
Reader Love
I was looking for something pumpkin for Thanksgiving besides pie and came across this recipe. The picture looked yummy so I made them… should have made a double batch They were delicious and because there was still some left, the kids were back the next day to see if any was left. Making it for Christmas too
One of the best recipes I’ve made!!! I doubled the recipe, and baked in a 13 by 9 pan. It only needed a couple extra minutes in the oven. I didn’t double the frosting, and it was the perfect amount for me. Delicious!
Key Ingredients
Pumpkin Puree: Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added sugar and spices. I like Libby’s Pure Canned Pumpkin Puree for its consistent texture and moisture.
Light Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and a rich, butterscotch-like flavor to the bars. It also gives the frosting its signature brown sugar flavor and crunch! The slight crunch reminds me of eating cookie dough or the streusel topping on a pie.
All-Purpose Flour: Measure your flour with a digital kitchen scale for the best results. Too much flour can make the bars dry and cakey instead of soft and moist. If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon-and-level method.
Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give these bars their warm pumpkin spice flavor. Make sure your spices are fresh, or else your bars will be bland.
How to Make Pumpkin Bars (Step By Step)
Mix the wet ingredients: Melt the butter and let cool until just warm. Whisk in the brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree.
Make the batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the wet ingredients until just combined.
Bake: Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool: Let the bars cool completely in the pan before frosting.
Make the frosting: Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in the cinnamon and salt, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and milk, then beat until light and fluffy.
Frost and Serve: Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and cut into squares.
Sprinkle of Science (open me!)
For the most consistent results, use canned pumpkin puree rather than fresh homemade puree. Canned pumpkin has a more consistent moisture content, while homemade puree can vary depending on the pumpkin and how it’s prepared. Too much moisture can affect the texture of your bars.
Be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
Learn more in my Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin guide.
Storage & Make ahead
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let the bars come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezing: Freeze frosted bars in a single layer or as a whole slab in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! If you prefer a smooth frosting without the slight crunch from the brown sugar, use my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if desired. You can also use half batch of my Best Buttercream Recipe.
Use an 8×8-inch light-colored metal pan for the best results. Dark pans can brown the edges too quickly, while glass and ceramic pans heat more slowly and affect the baking time, causing an underdone center. Learn more in my Glass vs. Metal Pans guide.
Yes! Double all the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch light-colored metal pan. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time, so check for doneness before removing the bars from the oven.
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Ingredients
For the bars:
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at cool room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (212 grams) pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the frosting:
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk, plus more if needed
Instructions
Make the bars:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter until melted. Allow to cool until just warm (about 80°F). Once cool, whisk in the brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
- Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Batter will be thick. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and smooth. Use a spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add in the cinnamon and salt. On low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add the vanilla and milk and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until very light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. If the frosting becomes too runny, add more powdered sugar. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash more milk. Spread the frosting evenly all over the pumpkin bars.
- Cut into squares before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2024 with new photos and baking tips (recipe remained the same). Photos by Ashley Barbey.
I was wondering if using a cream cheese frosting would work? I was thinking of using a piping bag and making ghosts out of a dallop of frosting. Do you think that would work?
Absolutely, that’d be so cute! We include our Cream Cheese Frosting recipe in the FAQs above the recipe here 🙂 We’d love to see how your little ghosts turn out!
I have been making these since 2019.I would sooo appreciate if you could tell me what modification you have done to the recipe since that time?
Hi Nadine! The ingredients (and measurements) have remained the same, but we updated the instructions in 2024 to include a few small improvements, such as the temperature of the melted butter, how long to beat the frosting for, and freezing instructions. I hope this helps clarify!
Thank you for the information!
I made these and I had the same issue as the person prior to my comment. They were super dense and didn’t look like a cake bar. I assumed it was also because of too little baking soda, or maybe should be baking powder instead? I measured the flour using spoon-scoop method so I know I didn’t add too much flour. I followed all other instructions to perfection. Not sure why I didn’t get the cake look. 🤷♀️
Idk what it is but the batter just comes out wayyyy too dense. It tastes amazing but texture is horrible, maybe i mixed too much? Maybe there’s not enough baking soda? Idk. But i turned them into dog treats now and think my dog likes em. Frosting on the other hand is great.
While I’m glad your dog enjoyed them 😂 (so cute!), these bars should be really soft and tender, with just a little cake-like texture. Did you weigh the flour, or measure it by cups? It’s easy to add too much flour when measuring by cups, which can make the bars dense. We recommend using a digital scale for the best results, but if you’re measuring by cups, try the spoon-and-level method next time. How long did you mix the batter after adding the dry ingredients? You could also check that your baking soda is still fresh (learn how here), but the small amount in the recipe is intentional, so I wouldn’t recommend adding more. If you let me know those details, we can hopefully figure out what happened! 🙂
These are a fall tradition in my house! They’re INCREDIBLE. The bars are so soft and perfectly pumpkin-spiced, and the frosting is such a delightful surprise! It’s so different from any pumpkin recipe I’ve tried before. It’s a little crunchy and adds the BEST texture to these bars.
Bars were good. Was not a fan of the frosting; will do cream cheese next time.