Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Perfectly balanced sweetness with butterscotchy brown sugar flavors and just the right amount of pumpkin and spice.
Texture: The bars are thick and soft without being overly cakey. The frosting is luscious and creamy with a slight crunch from the brown sugar (like the streusel topping on a pie!)
Ease: Super easy. You don’t even need a mixer for the bars.
Pros: Easy, crowd-pleasing fall treat.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Absolutely!
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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!
What Makes Cookies Chewy, Crisp, or Cakey?
My free guide reveals the ingredients and tweaks that matter.
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
These are soooooo good! Recipe was so easy to follow, the bars are so moist but thick, and the frosting just makes it. Will DEFINITELY make these again!
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Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting
What Type of Pumpkin for Pumpkin Bars?
- Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- I used Libby’s Pure Canned Pumpkin Puree.
- Fresh pureed pumpkin may work too, but we haven’t experimented with that here.
- Check out my Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin article for the differences between using fresh pumpkin puree, regular canned pumpkin, and organic canned pumpkin.
The Spices in Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting
Feel free to adjust the spices a little if you prefer more or less spice. Check your spices to ensure they’re not expired. If they are expired, toss them and purchase new ones; otherwise, your Pumpkin Bars may be bland.
The Brown Sugar Frosting
This brown sugar frosting retains a little crunch, which sets it apart from a typical buttercream using powdered sugar. I personally love it! The slight crunch reminds me of eating cookie dough or the streusel topping on a pie.
Can I Make Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Instead?
If the idea of a slightly crunchy frosting doesn’t appeal to you, feel free to use a batch of my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if desired.
You could also use a half batch of my Best Buttercream Recipe instead if preferred.
Best Pan for Baking Pumpkin Bars
I recommend using an 8-inch square light-colored metal pan for these Pumpkin Bars. Avoid dark-colored pans as they heat too aggressively and can dry out the bars. I don’t recommend using a glass, ceramic, or silicone pan. Learn more about Glass vs. Metal Pans here.
Can I Double this Recipe?
Yes! Simply double all ingredients and bake in a 9 by 13-inch light-colored metal pan, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
How to Store Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting?
Store Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting?
Yes! Freeze frosted sliced Pumpkin Bars in a single layer or as a full slab inside an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature before serving.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love:
Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting
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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.
Recipe Notes
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The Brown Sugar Frosting was terrible… I had already frosted the bars and had to scrape off the frosting. It was so grainy that it felt gritty when when I took a bite. What you call slightly crunchy does not fully describe the gritty texture. I had to refrost with another recipe.
Hi Shirley — I’m sorry to hear that however the frosting needs to be beaten with an electric mixer until smooth as per the directions. If you brown sugar is dried out that can cause a problem. If you try it again, give the frosting a taste to ensure it’s smooth before applying to the bars 🙂
These are so good! The house smells divine while they’re baking. It’s hard not to keep from cutting into them while warm, but wait until you add the frosting. I’ll definitely make these again!
This recipe worked out great! I substituted margarine for the cake portion and it turned out fine. I made this for a church social and my husband was kind enough to save me the last piece.
Will gladly use this recipe again to finish off any leftover canned pumpkin in the future. :)Thanks for sharing.
how would you make this at high altitude? i live in colorado so things don’t ever bake the same.
I am giving this recipe an overall 2 but that is actually 4 for the frosting and 0 for the bar. It is basically tasteless and after making, suggested to hubby I could rework it, adding more spices for flavor. He basically said there was no sense to wasting time trying to tweak this into being good. Will save the frosting recipe to use on maybe carrot or spice cake-we’ll see.
I hate anything pumpkin but these are the best things ive ever tasted! That frosting is amazing seriously
Amazing! I’m not a pumpkin person at all; so I made these grudgingly for the rest of the fam back in 2018. The frosting is to die for but the pumpkin bar itself is perfectly spiced and not too pumpkin-y. Just really yummy, moist and not too sweet – – in spite of the brown sugar title!
Making these again for our adults-only Halloween party. Enjoy!
These are amazing! The icing is to die for! I am going to use the icing for macarons the next time I make it. Thank you!
Can I make these the night before or is it best the day of? I’m worried that they’ll dry out overnight.
These were so delicious (the frosting was amazing)!! What a great recipe! I made the bars and put them in the fridge over night then made the frosting the next day and they turned out great! I’ll definitely be making these again!
Can this recipe be doubled and baked on a large cookie sheet/ jelly roll pan?
Everyone at the event went crazy for these and just had to have the recipe. Someone even said for Thanksgiving they will only make these and forget about the pumpkin pie. Great recipe!
Do you think the frosting would be ok if frozen? I would like to make and Frost the bars and then freeze them. Thanks
I would advise freezing the frosting separately so you can defrost and re-whip with an electric mixer. Otherwise it’ll curdle upon defrosting on the bars. Hope that helps!