Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars (Printer-friendly)
Buttery crust, maple-spiced pumpkin filling, and brown sugar streusel create these perfect autumn dessert bars.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Filling
05 - 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
06 - 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
07 - 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Streusel Topping
12 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until lightly set. Remove from oven and set aside.
04 - Whisk together pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt until completely smooth and well combined.
05 - Pour the pumpkin filling evenly over the warm pre-baked crust. Gently spread to create an even layer.
06 - Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl until crumbly and combined.
07 - Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over the pumpkin filling. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center is set and the topping is golden brown.
08 - Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift out using parchment paper overhang and cut into 16 bars.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Three distinct textures in every bite, that crisp crust giving way to silky pumpkin and then the crumble of sweet streusel on top
- The maple syrup does something magical here, adding a depth you just cant get from regular sugar alone
- These actually taste better the next day, if you can manage to save any that long
02 -
- These need to cool completely before cutting, warm pumpkin filling is too soft to hold its shape
- Check for doneness by gently shaking the pan, the center should jiggle like firm pudding, not liquid
- The parchment paper overhang is your best friend here, use it to lift the whole slab out at once
03 -
- Room temperature pumpkin puree blends more smoothly, give it 10 minutes out of the can before mixing
- Pecans or walnuts folded into the streusel add incredible crunch and nutty warmth