Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Pumpkin Bars topped with a luscious Brown Sugar Frosting. Perfect for fall gatherings, this easy-to-make dessert combines warm spices with creamy frosting to create a comforting treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Frosting
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–4 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9×13 inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
- Add Pumpkin Puree: Stir the pumpkin puree into the wet ingredients until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which can make the bars dense.
- Add Nuts: Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans if using, distributing them evenly through the batter.
- Pour Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating they are fully cooked.
- Cool: Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before adding frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting.
- Make Frosting: Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy using a mixer.
- Add Sugars: Gradually mix in the powdered sugar and light brown sugar until combined and smooth.
- Flavor Frosting: Stir in the vanilla extract thoroughly to add depth to the frosting’s flavor.
- Adjust Consistency: Add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Frost Bars: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled pumpkin bars. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Be sure to use pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling for best flavor and texture.
- Chilling the bars before frosting can help the frosting spread more smoothly.
- For a nut-free version, simply omit the walnuts or pecans.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Allow bars to come to room temperature before serving for best taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pumpkin bars, brown sugar frosting, fall dessert, pumpkin dessert, easy pumpkin bars, cream cheese frosting, spiced pumpkin bars
