Pumpkin Bars Recipe
Pumpkin Bars Recipe made with pumpkin apple butter and a simple streusel crumb crust. These easy pumpkin bars come together quickly and are delicious with a dollop of whipped cream.
I stressed over what to call this delicious pumpkin bars recipe. Most of the time when people think of “pumpkin bars” they are more of a pumpkin cake with frosting. These are more like pumpkin pie bars (because of the streusel crust/crumb topping) but that name makes people think of pumpkin pie in bar form.
I guess they are more of a pumpkin butter bar or a pumpkin crumb bar? Whatever you want to call them, these easy pumpkin bars with a streusel crumb crust and layer of yummy pumpkin butter are delicious!
Easy Pumpkin Bars Ingredients
I love this no-fuss pumpkin dessert because it comes together so quickly and is almost fool-proof (kind of like this slow cooker pumpkin dump cake). Easier than homemade pumpkin pie and less trouble than a homemade pie crust, these pumpkin bars are all the same flavors with almost no effort! For this recipe, you will need:
- All-purpose flour
- Rolled oats
- Powdered sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Pumpkin butter
I like to make my own pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin apple butter, but you can certainly use store bought versions instead.
How to Make Pumpkin Streusel Bars
These pumpkin bars have a streusel crust and crumb topping. Streusel is a crumbly topping of flour, butter, and sugar that is baked on top of muffins, breads, pies, and cakes. I use a streusel topping on my favorite Sweet Potato Casserole and Banana Bread Cobbler.
To make this pumpkin pie bars recipe you will:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 9×13-in pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, oats, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl.
- Use your fingers to work in the butter until clumps form.
- Press 3/4 of the dough into the pan and spread with pumpkin butter. Crumble the remaining dough on top.
- Bake until lightly browned, 40-45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before removing and cutting into squares.
Tips for Making this Pumpkin Bars Recipe
I recommend using your fingers to combine the flour and butter mixture instead of a fork or pastry cutter. The warmth of your hands will help melt the butter slightly, but be careful as you only want to form clumps of crumbs not make a paste.
These bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. I think they’re even better the next day when the crumb topping softens a bit. These also freeze well, so you can make a big batch and have them ready to pull out for the holidays! (Topped with homemade whipped cream of course!)
More Pumpkin Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature (3 sticks)
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin apple butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9×13-in baking dish with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, oats, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl.
- Work the butter into the flour mixture with your hands until clumps form.
- Press 3/4 of the dough into the baking dish.
- Spread the pumpkin butter on top of the dough in the pan and crumble the remaining dough on top.
- Bake until lightly browned, about 40-45 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan before cutting.
