Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars (Print Version)
Buttery crust topped with spiced pumpkin maple filling and brown sugar streusel. An easy fall dessert perfect for sharing.
# 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 Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake crust for 10 minutes.
04 - Whisk together pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
05 - Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and spread evenly.
06 - Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
07 - Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the topping is golden.
08 - Cool completely in the pan, then lift out and cut into bars.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The three layer texture creates this incredible contrast between crisp crust, creamy pumpkin, and crunchy streusel
- Maple syrup instead of white sugar makes these taste like they came from a farmhouse kitchen
- They actually get better after sitting overnight, making them perfect for make ahead entertaining
02 -
- Wait until the bars are completely cool before cutting or the filling will ooze everywhere
- Chilling the baked bars for an hour makes cutting them into neat squares so much easier
03 -
- Add chopped pecans to the streusel for a nutty crunch that takes these over the top
- Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and nobody will know the difference