Pumpkin Bars Recipe – Rachel Cooks®

Pumpkin bars are a traditional fall deal with. To not be confused with pumpkin pie bars (which have a custard filling, similar to pumpkin pie), pumpkin bars are mild and cakey, and so they’re often slathered in cream cheese frosting, as all cake must be.

A mixture of Greek yogurt and pumpkin purée offers these pumpkin bars a moist, tender crumb, and so they have all of your favourite cozy pumpkin spices for heat fall vibes. They’re glorious for that homecoming bake sale or bringing to any autumnal get-together, however they’re additionally simple sufficient to whip up simply because you have got a hankering for one thing candy and pumpkin-flavored.

Straightforward Pumpkin Bars

Moist and tender, but mild and fluffy. Typically these qualities are mutually unique, however this pumpkin bar recipe strikes the right steadiness, managing to be ethereal and light-weight however by no means dry or crumbly.

Straightforward to make. Like pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars are a breeze to make. In actual fact, the strategy for making these bars is sort of the identical, so if you may make pumpkin bread (or pumpkin chocolate chip bread!), you may make these bars!

At all times a crowd-pleaser. Whereas pumpkin pie has some haters, nobody can resist pumpkin bars. Their cake-like texture, cozy spices, and cream cheese frosting make everybody a fan!

Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin purée: You should definitely seize a can of 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced. They’re usually offered side-by-side so it’s vital to look carefully on the label.
• Eggs: Let the eggs come to room temperature; they’ll combine extra evenly into the batter and maintain extra air when crushed. Nevertheless, when you neglect, don’t fear, the bars will nonetheless end up positive.
• Plain Greek yogurt: Many pumpkin bars comprise loads of oil. I substitute plain yogurt for a more healthy dessert; I often use nonfat yogurt however different kinds of unflavored Greek yogurt will work positive.
• Sugar: Simply use on a regular basis white granulated sugar—nothing fancy!
• All-purpose flour: You’ll want two cups of flour. You should definitely get an correct measurement of flour by flippantly spooning it into the measuring cup.
• Pumpkin pie spice: You should purchase pumpkin pie spice nevertheless it’s simple to make your personal pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
• Pure vanilla extract and salt: These two elements are added to baked items to reinforce their taste.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Frequent leavening brokers that make these pumpkin bars mild and fluffy.

For the Frosting:

• Decreased-fat cream cheese and unsalted butter: Let these soften at room temperature in order that they’re simple to mix collectively easily.
• Pure vanilla extract: This provides steadiness and depth to the flavour of cream cheese frosting.
• Milk: Any variety you retain readily available is ok.
• Powdered sugar: Utilizing powdered sugar as an alternative of granulated ensures that your frosting received’t have a grainy texture.

The right way to Make Pumpkin Bars

Prepare. Flip the oven on to preheat (350°F). Flippantly spray a big sheet pan (about 17 x 12 inches) with nonstick spray or flippantly grease it with shortening.

Combine the moist elements. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl till blended, then whisk within the sugar, yogurt, pumpkin, and vanilla. The combination must be easy and creamy.

Combine the dry elements. Whisk collectively the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one other bowl.

Mix moist and dry. Stir the dry elements into the bowl with the moist elements. Don’t over-mix or your bars received’t rise as a lot! You shouldn’t see any bits of dry flour however just a few small lumps are okay.

Bake. Unfold the batter evenly into the ready sheet pan. Bake the bars on the middle rack for twenty-four to 25 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out clear. Let the bars cool utterly.

Make the frosting. When the bars are cool, cream the butter and cream cheese, then beat within the remaining elements till the frosting is mild and fluffy. You’ll have to regulate the consistency by including extra milk if the frosting is just too thick, or extra powdered sugar if the frosting is just too skinny.

Frost the bars. Unfold the frosting onto the bars. Wait an hour or so to let the frosting harden a bit. Lower the bars into 24 squares, and serve.

Recipe Variations

• Make pumpkin bar mummies. You should use a piping bag to create “bandages” with the white frosting, then pipe small dots for the eyes, or purchase sweet eyes to stay on.
• Add nuts. Fold chopped walnuts or pecans into the pumpkin bar batter or sprinkle them on prime of the frosting. Toast the nuts first for the most effective taste however make certain they’re cool earlier than you add them to the cake.
• Make them chocolatey. Mini chocolate chips will also be added to the batter or used to prime the frosting.
• Halloween aptitude. High the frosting with orange and black sprinkles. You can even shade the frosting orange with meals coloring.
• Make them gluten-free. Swap a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour.

Refrigerate: Due to the cream cheese frosting, these pumpkin bars must be saved within the fridge. They may hold for as much as 5 days.

Freeze: Pumpkin bars will also be frozen for as much as 3 months. Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them till the frosting is stable, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or hermetic container. Unwrap the bars earlier than thawing within the fridge to maintain the frosting from sticking to the plastic wrap.

Prepare dinner ModeStop your display from going darkish

• Preheat oven to 350°F with the oven rack within the middle of the oven. Grease or flippantly spray with nonstick spray a 17 x 12 inch sheet pan (half sheet pan).

• In a big mixing bowl, flippantly beat eggs. Add sugar, yogurt, pumpkin and vanilla; whisk till nicely blended.

  4 massive eggs, 1 ⅔ cups sugar, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• In a separate smaller bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt

• Add dry elements to pumpkin combination; stirring till nicely blended. Unfold batter into ready pan.

• Bake for twenty-four to 25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted within the middle comes out clear. Cool utterly earlier than frosting, no less than 40 minutes relying on how heat your kitchen is.

Cream cheese frosting:

• In a big bowl, with an electrical mixer, beat collectively softened cream cheese and butter till blended.

  8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened, ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

• Add vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar. Beat till easy and creamy. Modify consistency of the frosting, if crucial, by including extra milk, a teaspoon at a time if it’s too thick, or extra powdered sugar, if it’s too skinny.

  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 3 teaspoons milk, extra if wanted, 4 cups powdered sugar, extra if wanted

• Unfold frosting on cooled bars. Lower bars into 24 squares (approx. 3 x 3 inches) when frosting has set. In case you want, the bars will be minimize into smaller or bigger squares.

To Enhance like Mummies:

• Lower cooled bars into rectangles.

• Utilizing a piping bag and a piping tip with an extended, skinny opening (I take advantage of one just like a Wilton 104), pipe small dots for the eyes (it’s also possible to use a toothpick for this), and place eyes on prime of frosting. Then, work forwards and backwards with the frosting to create a mummy impact. It doesn’t need to be excellent!

• The right way to serve: The bars are mushy and cake-like, not essentially a finger meals. If the squares are bigger in measurement, you might have considered trying serve them like cake, with a fork.
• Garnishes: High the frosting with 1½ cups finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts. Mini chocolate chips are nice, too. For Halloween, prime the frosting with orange and black sprinkles.
• Storage: Due to the cream cheese frosting, these pumpkin bars must be saved within the fridge. They may hold for as much as 5 days. They are often frozen for as much as 3 months. Confer with the put up for freezing directions.
• Initially printed as Pumpkin Bar Edible Mummies. Retested and revised 10/24.

Serving: 1frosted bar, Energy: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 4g, Fats: 4g, Saturated Fats: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fats: 1g, Trans Fats: 0.1g, Ldl cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 180mg, Potassium: 98mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 2916IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg

Vitamin info is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

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