The cooler weather has arrived, and for me, that always means baking delicious pumpkin bars. If you love the cozy taste of pumpkin, you’re in for a treat! I’ve put together my favorite easy pumpkin bar recipes that are perfect for any occasion this season. You’ll find something here for everyone, from classic spiced bars to ones with chocolate chips or a fun snickerdoodle topping.
These recipes are straightforward and packed with warm, comforting flavors. I know you’ll enjoy making and sharing these sweet pumpkin bakes. Let’s get started!
Jump to Recipe:
- 1. Pumpkin Bars With Brown Sugar Frosting
- 2. Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars
- 3. Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- 4. Flavorful Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
Pumpkin Bars With Brown Sugar Frosting
These classic pumpkin bars are super moist and topped with a creamy brown sugar frosting. It’s a comforting dessert that everyone loves, and it’s so simple to put together.
Key Ingredients & Tips for Pumpkin Bars
- Pumpkin Puree vs. Pie Filling: Always use 100% pure pumpkin puree from a can, not pumpkin pie filling. They are different products and will affect your bar’s texture and taste.
- Cooling Before Frosting: Make sure your pumpkin bars are completely cool before you add the brown sugar frosting. If they are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and slide right off.
What You Need for Pumpkin Bars
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar & brown sugar
- Baking powder & baking soda
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves
- Salt
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Large eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Milk or cream
- Vanilla extract
⏱️ Time: Prep 20 min, Bake 25-30 min🍽️ Yields: 24 bars
How to Make These Pumpkin Bars
Step 1: Prepare the Batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, and vegetable oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. Do not overmix the pumpkin bar batter.
Step 2: Bake and Frost Your Pumpkin Bars
Pour the pumpkin bar batter evenly into your prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack. While they cool, make the frosting by beating together softened butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and cut into squares.
📝 Final Note
For the best taste, let your frosted pumpkin bars chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving. This helps the frosting set nicely.
Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars
These pumpkin pie bars give you all the wonderful taste of a classic pumpkin pie but in an easy-to-eat bar form. They feature a simple shortbread crust and a smooth pumpkin filling. You’ll love these simple bars!
Key Ingredients & Baking Tips for Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Perfect Crust: For a flaky shortbread crust, make sure your butter is cold and cut into small pieces before mixing with the dry ingredients. This helps create a tender texture for your pumpkin pie bars.
- Don’t Overbake: The pumpkin filling will be slightly wobbly in the center when it’s done. It will set up as it cools, so avoid baking too long to keep it creamy.
What You Need for Pumpkin Pie Bars
- All-purpose flour
- Cold butter
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Evaporated milk
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Vanilla extract
⏱️ Time: Prep 25 min, Bake 40-45 min🍽️ Yields: 16 bars
How to Make These Pumpkin Pie Bars
Step 1: Make and Bake the Crust
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a food processor or a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press this mixture evenly into a 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
Step 2: Prepare the Pumpkin Filling and Finish Baking
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour this filling evenly over the partially baked crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the center is mostly set. Let the pumpkin pie bars cool completely before slicing and serving.
📝 Final Note
These pumpkin pie bars are wonderful served with a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of extra cinnamon on top!
Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
If you love chocolate and pumpkin together, these pumpkin chocolate chip bars are for you! They are incredibly moist, spiced just right, and loaded with yummy chocolate chips. These bars make a great snack or dessert.
Key Ingredients & Tips for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Chocolate Chip Choice: You can use semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate chips in these pumpkin bars. I often use a mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate for a balanced flavor.
- Don’t Overbake: Like most bar recipes, overbaking can lead to dry bars. Watch for the edges to be set and a toothpick inserted in the center to come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
What You Need for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar & brown sugar
- Baking soda & baking powder
- Ground cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips
⏱️ Time: Prep 15 min, Bake 25-30 min🍽️ Yields: 20 bars
How to Make These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Step 1: Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Step 2: Add Chocolate and Bake
Gently fold in the chocolate chips into the pumpkin bar batter. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting them into squares.
📝 Final Note
You can sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top of the bars before baking for a prettier finish.
Flavorful Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
These pumpkin snickerdoodle bars combine the soft, chewy texture of a snickerdoodle cookie with the warm flavors of pumpkin. They are coated in a cinnamon sugar topping, making them extra special. You’ll enjoy this fun twist on a classic pumpkin treat!
Key Ingredients & Tips for Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
- Cream of Tartar: This ingredient is key to the classic snickerdoodle tang and chewiness. Don’t skip it if you want that true snickerdoodle taste in your pumpkin bars.
- Even Coating: When sprinkling the cinnamon sugar topping, try to get an even layer over the entire surface of the batter. This ensures every bite of your pumpkin snickerdoodle bar has that perfect sweet spice.
What You Need for Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar & brown sugar
- Baking soda & cream of tartar
- Ground cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Large eggs
- Melted butter or vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Extra granulated sugar for topping
⏱️ Time: Prep 20 min, Bake 20-25 min🍽️ Yields: 18 bars
How to Make These Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
Step 1: Mix the Batter and Prepare Topping
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until just combined.
Step 2: Bake and Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar
Spread the pumpkin snickerdoodle bar batter evenly into your prepared pan. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is lightly firm. Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing.
📝 Final Note
These pumpkin snickerdoodle bars are extra good with a hot cup of coffee or tea for a cozy afternoon treat.
