Description
Bake these moist Pumpkin Bars with Warm Maple Glaze and Spices. A comforting dessert, perfect for fall, featuring real pumpkin and cozy autumn flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- Pumpkin Bar Base:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- Flavor Boosters for Pumpkin Bars:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Maple Glaze Goodies:
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup (60ml) real maple syrup
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (or heavy cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finishing Touches:
- ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the Pan and Dry Ingredients:: First things first, let’s get that oven preheating to 350°F (175°C). Then, grab a 13×9 inch baking pan and give it a good spray with cooking spray, or grease and flour it if you’re old-school like me. In a big bowl, whisk together your flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Make sure there are no lumpy bits of sugar or spice—you want everything well combined so the pumpkin bars bake evenly. I always give it an extra whisk, just to be sure.
- Combine Wet Ingredients:: In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together your pumpkin puree, eggs, and vegetable oil until it’s all smooth and beautifully orange. This is where the magic starts to happen, you can almost smell the fall! Be sure to really get those eggs incorporated; I’ve had a few times where I rushed this part and ended up with streaks in my batter, oops. Just take your time, it’s worth it for moist pumpkin bars.
- Mix Batter and Bake:: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix everything together with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Don’t overmix, that’s a cardinal sin in baking! Overmixing develops gluten, making your pumpkin bars tough, and nobody wants that. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan. It’s going to look thick, but trust the process. Pop it into the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Check for Doneness:: You’ll know your pumpkin bars are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs attached. The top will be golden brown and springy to the touch. Honestly, sometimes I get impatient and pull them out a minute too early, but resist the urge! Let them bake fully for that perfect texture. You want them just right for the warm maple glaze.
- Cool the Bars:: Once baked, take the pan out of the oven and let the pumpkin bars cool completely on a wire rack. This step is crucial before adding the warm maple glaze. If you try to glaze them while they’re still hot, the glaze will just melt right off, and we don’t want a sticky puddle, do we? I’ve made that mistake more times than I care to admit, honestly.
- Prepare and Glaze:: While the bars cool, whisk together your powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract until you have a smooth, pourable warm maple glaze. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk; too thin, add a touch more powdered sugar. Once the pumpkin bars are completely cool, drizzle that glorious warm maple glaze and spices evenly over the top. If you’re using pecans, sprinkle them on now. Slice and serve! The smell alone is enough to make you swoon, I swear.