Homemade Pumpkin Bars

5 from 17 votes

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These Homemade Pumpkin Bars are the ultimate Fall dessert! A simple and tender pumpkin spice cake, topped with warm brown butter icing poured over the top of the warm cake once it comes out of the oven! It’s addicting and will become your new obsession. It’s *THAT* good. If you want want to try more pumpkin recipes, check out my Pumpkin Recipes archive!

pumpkin bars

Pumpkin Baking Season is Here

Baking is what Fall is all about! I love being able to bake and create such a delicious smell throughout my home. It feels so cozy and inviting. These Pumpkin Bars have a browned butter icing that is to die for. Sweet, buttery, pumpkiny goodness mixed with warm spices…it’s the best Fall treat.

pumpkin bars with fork

Homemade Pumpkin Bars FAQ’s

I love comments and questions from my readers. I’ve gotten a few repeat questions, so I thought I would answer them here.

Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Instead of Canned?

You can. I prefer to use canned when baking. Fresh pumpkin puree tends to have more moisture in it, but you can always soak up some of the liquid with paper towels before adding to the batter mixture.

Can I Double This Recipe? What Size Pan Would I Use?

You absolutely can double this recipe! Simply use a 9×13 glass baking sheet and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

How to Make Pumpkin Bars

For full recipe details including ingredient measurements, see the recipe card down below. Here is what you can expect when making these.

Preheat Oven + Prep Pan

Preheat oven. Spray a lightly colored half sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Make the Batter

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin, yogurt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla until mostly smooth. A few small lumps of brown sugar is fine.

Add Flour, Mix + Pour into Prepared Baking Sheet

Pour in flour and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared baking sheet and smooth the top as best as you can. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean after being inserted.

Make the Browned Butter Icing

After cake has come out of the oven, make the glaze/icing: melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. As it continues to cook, it should start to foam, smell nutty and you should see little brown specks appear. Remove from heat.

Whisk in milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts if desired.

Pour Icing Over Warm Cake

Pour hot icing over warm cake and spread to smooth the top.

Let cake come to room temperature or cool at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. I mean, you can totally eat this hot, but I prefer it lukewarm or at room temp.

Storing Pumpkin Bars

Store cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature. These will stay fresh for 5-6 days…if they aren’t gone by then! Ha!

To Freeze– Good news! These freeze really well if you want make them ahead or save some for later. Be sure to place parchment paper in between layers. Use a freezer safe, airtight container of bag. These will stay fresh for 2 months in the freezer. Allow to thaw over night.

More Pumpkin Bar Recipes to Try!

I really hope you try out these Pumpkin Bars, it is SO worth it!

The printable recipe card is below. Be sure to save, print, bookmark or share this recipe. Have a great week friends!

pumpkin bars
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5 from 17 votes

Homemade Pumpkin Bars

These Pumpkin Bars are the ultimate Fall dessert! A simple and tender pumpkin spice cake, topped with warm brown butter icing that you pour over the top of the warm cake once it comes out of the oven! It's addicting and will become your new obsession. It's *THAT* good.
servings 20
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

For the icing:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a lightly colored half sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin, yogurt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla until mostly smooth. A few small lumps of brown sugar is fine.
  • Pour in flour and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared baking sheet and smooth the top as best as you can. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean after being inserted.
  • After cake has come out of the oven, make the glaze/icing: melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. As it continues to cook, it should start to foam, smell nutty and you should see little brown specks appear. Remove from heat.
  • Whisk in milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts if desired. Pour hot icing over warm cake and spread to smooth the top.
  • Let cake come to room temperature or cool at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. I mean, you can totally eat this hot, but I prefer it lukewarm or at room temp.

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 91mg | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin bars, pumpkin cake, pumpkin dessert

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Recipe Rating




37 Responses
    1. Lauren's Latest

      Tess, you can buy a 15 oz can but you only need 1 cup of it for this recipe. Ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  1. Katelyn Matthews

    5 stars
    THESE ARE AMAZING and I’m not even that into pumpkin stuff but was in the mood for something “fall-ish”. I’m way more of a chocolate girl, but I inhaled like five of these things when I first ate them. I followed the recipe and they were perfect! This is the easiest recipe too. Took like 10 minutes max to mix everything. They are dense and moist, and that glaze is delicious. I was little unsure when I added the flour to the batter. The batter never really got smooth and I was worried about over mixing. But that didn’t seem to matter at all! I cooked them for 16 minutes, as soon as the toothpick came out clean. I brought the leftovers to work so that I didn’t eat 20 entire pumpkin bars and they were a huge hit! Really great recipe!!

  2. Alicia

    5 stars
    Oh my lord I just made these and they are perfection. The browned butter icing tastes wonderful and is a nice change from cream cheese frosting.

      1. Darlene Beck

        Recipe says 8×8 pan. Your reply to this gal asking if it can be made in a 9×13 pan – U said Yes just halve the recipe…Dont you mean double the recipe ??

  3. Leah Fillekes

    5 stars
    These were so delicious!! That Brown butter icing really makes them stand apart from other pumpkin bar recipies. I got so many compliments when I brought them to work. Thank you for sharing!

    Leah

  4. Sarah

    5 stars
    This is really great cake! I made it for my daughter’s teacher’s birthday and took enough for the whole class to eat. After school, I had a parent come up and say that her daughter, who won’t eat pumpkin things, loved the cake! I dropped the oil to 3/4 c. and upped the pumpkin to 1 1/4 c. for a little more pumpkin flavor, but otherwise, I followed the directions. Oh – I used parchment paper, and I needed more milk to make the glaze pour. It is on the sweet side with the icing, so be aware. I’m making it again right now, on my kids’ snow day, and I can’t wait. Thanks for this great recipe!

  5. Jane

    5 stars
    This is my new favorite recipe!! The cake was so easy to make and had such a great texture. So light and tender. And the icing was just so delicious! The brown butter made such a difference! There were rave reviews all around and requests for seconds! The perfect cake for Fall!

  6. Ying

    5 stars
    Lauren, I made these for Canadian Thanksgiving and they are soooo good. Everyone loved it. The icing is to die for! They were so easy to make too. Thanks for creating these bars.

  7. Becky

    5 stars
    These are amazing and so easy. The best part is that I already had a majority of the ingredients in my pantry. I made these for a large pot luck gathering and they were snatched up almost immediately. The nice thing is that I was able to make them the night before and cover them up since the glaze hardens a bit. They were perfection. I can’t wait to make them again, and again, and again! Thank you Lauren!!!

  8. Autumn Vigil

    5 stars
    Lauren, I love so many of your recipes, but this one is my FAV!!! I made these for a charity bake sale and totally regretted giving away the majority of the pan. Going to make them again soon. Oh and for the record, that frsoting/icing/glaze (whatever you want to call it) is THE BEST 🙂

  9. Karen

    5 stars
    Gah. These are TO DIE FOR. That frosting… oh my. I may or may not have had a spoonful before I put it on the bars. I need to send these to work with my husband tomorrow or I’ll eat the whole pan!

  10. Tamara H

    5 stars
    Yum! Thinking that this will be perfect to take for dessert to a bbq with friends this weekend. I am praying that it turns out as beautifully as yours! Do you think that I could make this a day ahead and keep it covered on the sheet pan?

  11. Lorraine LeBerthon

    Thank you for a delicious looking way to put on more weight!! I didn’t know what a half pan was either. Thank you for clarifying that. Just a regular sheet pan around here. I’m in So.Cal. and I have a killer recipie for pumpkin bread that was sold by an order of Nuns in Hollywood. This was their main source of money for the year…so you know it’s good! Kary Perry is now trying to buy that convent. Anyhow, the recipie was published years ago in the LA Times. I’ll share if you ever want.

  12. Leanne

    You say to use a can of pumpkin. You didn’t mention if this is the large or small can but I am assuming you meant to say small can. Look forward to making this.

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