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.
These are amazing what is so special is even though they look thick and heavy, they are light and fluffy and delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed these, Molly!! 🙂
Hands down our family’s fave fall treat! We make it once a week from October through December! And a few times in between when we’re missing fall too much! Thank you!!
Yay! So glad to hear that, Jess!
This recipe was a hit in our house! Thanks so much. Already can’t wait to make it again. Easy and fun to make for fall season, moist, and everyone loved it! My frosting had a sugary grit to it from the brown sugar even after beating it, is that how it’s supposed to be? Might even try a cream cheese frosting next time I make it! Thanks again!!
Yay! So glad these bars were a hit, Nina!!
OMG Tessa! These are amazing! The spice flavours are perfect, the bars are dense and moist and THAT ICING!! I see this is one of your older recipes but it’s definitely a keeper and will be on repeat in my kitchen. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
These are awesome! I added 1/2 teaspoon of cloves too!
Is it common that these did not pour out of the bowl but rather I had to spread them?
Hi Mimi! Yes, this is a pretty thick batter – but I hope you found it as delicious as we do!! Let us know what you thought of these bars 🙂
Planning on making these and am wondering do you use any cooking spray over the foil or parchment paper? Can’t wait to update on the recipe itself!
Hi Heidi! Feel free to spay your parchment, but we haven’t had any trouble with these bars sticking to un-sprayed parchment 🙂 Let us know what you think once you’ve given this recipe a try!! Happy baking 🙂
These were AMAZING! The frosting consistency was perfect, the best I’ve ever made. Printing this one off to put in the family cookbook. Thank you!
Can you add chocolate chips to this recipe? I want to try and make without the frosting so was wondering if semi-sweet chips could do the trick similar to the choc chip pumpkin blondies! Thank you!
Hi Melissa! We haven’t tried that, but it should work okay! I’d try one to two cups of chocolate chips to start and see how that goes 🙂
These were wonderful! I doubled the recipe, they were moist and the brown sugar in the frosting made them super special!
Awesome! Pinned and added to my baking collection. Easy to make, moist, wonderful flavor, and really fun frosting!
Hi Kelli! So excited to hear that!! Thanks so much for the comment 🙂
I used fresh pumpkin pureee and it turned out well and had a brighter orange color.