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!
–
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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so delicious, especially the frosting!!
Glad you enjoyed!
These are the bomb! I made them twice and both times ate almost the whole pan myself! The frosting is perfect with the pumpkin.
This makes me so happy! I’m so glad you loved these bars.
Delicious! And easy to make. I cut them into squares and piped a bit of frosting onto each one. My family asked me to make them again for Thanksgiving.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! I hope these bars are a hit on Thanksgiving as well!
The bars taste great – but turned out flat and thick. I didn’t overmix, measure carefully and only cooked 23 minutes. Thoughts? The frosting is divine. I added a splash of bourbon. Saw another comment on the thread about brown butter and may try that. Thanks for the recipe. I’m def going to try my hand at it again! (Note – I do live in low altitude).
That frosting!!!I love pumpkin bars and cookies but hate cream cheese frosting, which people always seem use with pumpkin. So happy to have found what is now my favorite frosting ever! Thank you for this wonderful alternative!
Fantastic treat! These were super easy to make too. Thanks Tessa!
If I double this recipe and use a 9X13 pan, would the cooking time and baking temperature stay the same?
Best way to bake this if the recipe is doubled?
Thank you
Had fresh pumpkin puree I wanted to use, and found this recipe there’s only two of us, so it’s perfect that it’s an 8×8 pan worth, and these are freaking awesome!!!
just make them yum yum
Do you scoop/measure the powdered sugar, then sift it, or do you sift it into the measuring cup?
These are yummy! My frosting wasn’t fluffy, it was quite solid even with adding milk. Maybe I did something wrong, but it is still delicious! Can it be frozen once baked and frosted? I made a double batch and have family coming in 5 days and want it to still taste fresh.
Hi there,
can you use dark brown sugar for the icing instead of the light brown sugar? Thanks!