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! :)
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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.
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Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I love these! i’m going to make them right away. Mmm.
Those look so good, and perfect for fall! I have to admit to serious candy corn cravings as well. :)
Mmmmm, i have been on a pumpkin kick lately and this sounds delicious. I am not a pumpkin pie fan so this is a great recipe for me. Thanks for a great idea.
Interesting you say that Lynn. I have noticed a trend this fall in recipes leaning towards omitting the crust!
I actually think the crust in pumpkin pie is useless. This sounds like a great substitute!
Yum! I have a pumpkin bar recipe of my own in the oven as we speak. :)
I made pumpkin blondies last year. Loved them. I think I will try your recipe this year:)
These look absolutely delicious!
I love the idea of pumpkin blondies or brownies….they look delicious!! I bet the pumpkin keeps them so moist! Thanks for sharing, I will have to try this for my girls!!
Oh my… I am so loving all of the pumpkin recipes I’m seeing lately! LOVE these… I made some “pumpkin blondies” from a cookbook a week or two ago, and they came out cakey, which wasn’t what I was going for at all. Will definitely try your recipe!
Mmmm I saving this. Dark brown sugar and pumpkin. Truly a pie bar.
U had me at “pie”!!! Luv the idea of these! I have been baking with pumpkin (and butternut squash) almost every week, and I have yet to be even a little bit tired of pumpkin goodies! Looks pie-licious!
These bars look really good, moist and dense. They’re a different twist on the cake -like pumpkin bars. It isn’t Fall for me until I buy candy corn and make Apple Crisp. I made Apple Crisp already, so now I have to buy candy corn.
Those just look awesome!
All the pumpkin bars I’ve tried were more like cake than brownie, this is what I always wanted and yours look delicious
I made some “Pumpkin Blondies” this last weekend, and they weren’t a blondie. They were way cakey. Good, but not the dense texture I was looking for. I hope these will be what I’m looking for. Many thanks for sharing.
These look so moist! Love the cute presentation too!
These look super delish Michelle! And thanks so much for the sweet comment ealier today :)
pumpkin pie or pumpkin blondie, either one works for me
These sound and look delicious. Perfect for fall. I can’t wait to try them!
Oh those do look dense…and moist…and delicious. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made pumpkin blondies, but the texture to these looks richer! I can’t wait to make these. Hopefully, they’ll hold me off until Thanksgiving when I’ll get to eat pumpkin pie.
These look so yummy! I made some pumpkin blondies last year but they came out way too cakey. These guys look right up my alley though!
These bars look like a wonderful, healthier alternative to a big slice of pie. Definitely putting them on my list! Thanks for sharing!
These look amazing – especially with a side of candy corn (my favorite Halloween treat). :)
These look divine and a gorgeous texture. Perfect for autumn – I can almost taste them
pumpkin pie is one of my favorite desserts. these bars look fantastic!
These look so yummy, I love anything pumpkin! I definitely prefer pumpkin bars with a pie-like consistency, so these sound great…I made some very cakey ones a couple weeks ago and while they were good, pie-like is better.
I saw your request for a baking powder/soda free recipe on twitter yesterday, and coincidentally this turned up on Tastespotting today:
http://www.tastespotting.com/detail/103463/Pumpkin-Chai-Blondies-with-Spiced-Cream-Cheese-Frosting
I was going to send it to you when I saw it, but based on your tweets I was already too late.
P.S. I hope it’s not totally rude of me to include that link to a similar recipe in your comments! Just wanted to share it with you in case you were still interested!
Hi Maggie, Not rude at all! Thank you for the link, I will definitely check them out!
I love this – anything that gets me close to pumpkin pie without all the pasty bother is fine with me! Can’t wait to try and share with friends and family this fall!
I’ve tried a recipe for pumpkin blondies before, but was unsatisfied with it because it just didn’t have enough pumpkin flavor for me. These, however, sound exactly like what I’m looking for. I’m saving this recipe for sure.