Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Spiced sweetness that isn’t cloying or overwhelming.
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. It’s kind of like eating cookie dough!
Ease: Super easy, just dirties a few dishes.
Appearance: Beautiful!
Pros: Easy and crowd-pleasing fall treat.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Absolutely!
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These incredible Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting are the most deliciously perfect, easy fall bake in the world.
These bars will make your house smell like the world’s most delectable autumn candle.
Perfect for any fall party, potluck, or gathering, terrific for Thanksgiving as a pie alternative, and even mid-summer when you’re just missing those fall vibes, these bars have got you covered.
Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting are a total crowd-pleaser. So much so that I can pretty much guarantee everyone will want seconds. You may need to double the recipe!
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.
How to Make Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting
Best Pan for Baking Pumpkin Bars
- I love this 8-inch square pan by USA Pan
- Feel free to double the recipe and use a 9 by 13-inch pan
- I don’t recommend baking these bars in a glass, ceramic, or silicone pan – learn why here!
- I also don’t recommend using a dark-colored pan. These types of pans heat too aggressively and can dry out these bars.
What Type of Pumpkin is Best for These Bars?
Make sure to use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling in these bars. Also be sure to check out my Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin article for the differences between using fresh pumpkin puree, regular canned pumpkin, and organic canned pumpkin. Just take a look at the images below to see how different each variety look, even before baking!
Brown Sugar Frosting
- This brown sugar frosting retains a little crunch to it, which sets it apart from a typical buttercream using much finer powdered sugar.
- I personally love it, and the slight crunch almost reminds me of eating raw cookie dough!
- If that doesn’t appeal to you, feel free instead use a half batch of my Best Buttercream Recipe
- You can alternatively use a batch of my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to either recipe, if desired.
How to Store Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting
Store Pumpkin Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can you Freeze Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting?
We haven’t tried freezing these bars, but it should work just fine. For best results, freeze unfrosted. Allow the bars to cool completely, then store inside an airtight container for up to a month. Allowing it to defrost at room temperature before icing and serving.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love:
- Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Scones
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- No-Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie
Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Frosting
Ingredients
For the bars:
- 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 salt
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at a cool room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (212 grams) pumpkin puree
For the frosting:
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk, plus more if needed
Instructions
To make the bars:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8 by 8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- 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.
To 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. Add in the cinnamon and salt. On low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add in the vanilla and milk and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until very light and fluffy. 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.
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!