Go Back

Pumpkin Bars With Brown Sugar Frosting

Pumpkin bars with brown sugar frosting are baked into tender, golden-orange rectangles and topped with a caramel-brown swirl frosting that firms as it cools. The recipe uses pumpkin pie spice plus cinnamon for a classic spiced crumb, then finishes with a silky brown sugar frosting.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bars
  • 2 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1.67 cup sugar
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For brown sugar frosting
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.33 cup heavy cream
  • 2.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.1 tsp salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease a 15x10 pan.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. Beat together the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
  6. Cool the bars completely before frosting.
Make and spread the brown sugar frosting
  1. In a saucepan, melt the unsalted butter and brown sugar over medium heat.
  2. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring until glossy and smooth.
  3. Add the heavy cream and bring it back to a boil.
  4. Cool the frosting for 15 minutes.
  5. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and fluffy.
  6. Spread the frosting immediately over the cooled bars, so it firms as it cools.

Notes

For clean slices, cool the bars fully and chill for 30-60 minutes after frosting if your frosting feels soft. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted bars up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge) and frost after thawing. For a lighter option, replace the oil with neutral applesauce in equal amount for a slightly less rich crumb (texture will be softer).