Pumpkin Pie Bars
Or pumpkin blondies. Or pumpkin brownies. Truthfully, my intent was for these to be pumpkin blondies without a leavening agent so that they would have more of a dense, brownie texture. However, upon eating one, I really think that the flavor and texture is most similar to a pumpkin pie, minus the crust and with a cinnamon-sugar mixture sprinkled on top. Not too shabby a result, if I do say so myself. They are actually very reminiscent of the consistency and texture of the Blackberry Pie Bars that I made back at the beginning of summer. You could toss that crust under this recipe and be even closer to a true pie bar!
I started my search for this recipe by looking for pumpkin blondie recipes – I wanted something that had the same feel and texture of a brownie, and not cakey like a cookie bar, so I wanted to eliminate any baking soda or baking powder. My search turned up empty. So I set out on my own creation. I took a few of my favorite brownie recipes and compared the ratios of flour to eggs and chocolate, knowing that the pumpkin would account for some of the eggs and chocolate in terms of liquid in the recipe. And this is what I came up with. It’s definitely not cakey, nor does it have that fudgy texture that most brownies have, but rather they really do taste like pumpkin pie!
And, on a side note, I finally broke down and bought a bag of candy corn. I try to not even have a bag in the house because I can’t stop eating it!
Enjoy the pumpkin bars! :)
More Pumpkin Bar Desserts:
- Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Crumb Bars
- Pumpkin Blondies
- Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons (2.5 teaspoons) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, melted, (8 ounces )
- 2 cups (440 g) dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 15 ounces (425.24 g) canned pumpkin
For the top:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides.
- 2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; set aside.
- 3. In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Add the pumpkin and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently stir or fold the flour into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.
- 4. Scraped the batter into the pan and smooth the top. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon, and then sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center has just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely and then, using the parchment as handles, lift out of the pan and cut into 24 squares. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Michelle, I wanted to make something different this pumpkin season, and figured I’d give these a try. Pumpkin pie bar, similar to a brownie consistency? Why not?
They are weird and at the same time just Marvelous. On your first bite you’re a little thrown off, thick and dense consistency, then you start chewing it and it’s as if you just took a bite out of a slice of pumpkin pie.
I felt like Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory chewing a piece of gum and tasting a thanksgiving dinner.
Michelle, I was hungry for something using pumpkin & I had saved this recipe. Made 1/2 recipe in 8″ non-stick pan sprayed with veg. oil – used 1/3 whole wheat flour, and topped with demera sugar. Couldn’t wait to eat one right out of the oven. Delicious!
Hey all,
I am making desserts for our school Thanksgiving dinner but I am tight on time. I was wondering how long these will stay before they aren’t good anymore?
Thanks.
Hi Dee, They will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
Is it 1 cup of butter, or 8 oz?
1 cup of butter weighs 8 ounces, so, either/or.
I just made these, and I love them! Perfect pumpkin pie without a crust recipe!
I made these yesterday. The flavor is fantastic, but once baked, mine turned out a bit rubbery. What could I have done to cause that? Or what can I do to prevent it? They’re very thick, which is awesome. I want to make them again because they are delicious, and I’ve always wanted a way to have pumpkin pie without the crust. Thank you!
Hi Crystal, I’m thinking that it might be a combination of over mixing and/or over baking? It should have a pretty creamy pumpkin pie texture.
Has anyone tried these as small muffin sized? Would the cooking time be different?
Do you think these would freeze well?
Yes, definitely!
I love many of your recipes and have shared a few on my blog, but these weren’t my favorite. Even though I upped the spices they seemed kind of bland. It was a bummer as I thought I would really enjoy the dense texture of these. Butyour blog is still one of my favorites!
As a fellow pumpkin lover, I CANNOT wait to make these. I think I will whip some up tomorrow. I make some awesome pumpkin snickerdoodles, but this may step in as my go to pumpkin dessert. Thanks for sharing!