Description
Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Maple Glaze bring sweet autumn flavors. Bake moist pumpkin bars topped with a rich maple glaze. A simple recipe for fall gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- Pumpkin Bar Base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Flavorful Spices:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Maple Glaze Essentials:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (whole milk or heavy cream preferred)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional Toppings:
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Prep Your Pan & Preheat: First things first, let’s get that oven ready! Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab a 13×9-inch baking pan and either grease it really well or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. I usually just grease and flour, but parchment makes lifting these Spiced Pumpkin Bars out so much easier. Trust me, I’ve had many a bar get stuck to the bottom of a pan, and it’s just heartbreaking.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Give it a good whisk, making sure there are no lumps of spices hiding. I always make sure everything is evenly distributed here; it’s a little thing, but it helps the flavor spread throughout all the Spiced Pumpkin Bars. Honestly, I sometimes forget to whisk properly and end up with a cinnamon clump, oops!
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate, larger bowl, crack those eggs, then add the pumpkin puree and vegetable oil. Whisk it all together until it’s smooth and beautifully orange. You want it to be fully combined, no streaks of egg yolk or oil hanging around. This is where the magic starts to happen, you can already smell the earthy pumpkin goodness!
- Mix Wet & Dry: Now, pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Don’t overmix, hon! Overmixing develops the gluten too much, and we want tender, moist Spiced Pumpkin Bars, not tough ones. A few streaks of flour are totally fine; it’ll all come together in the oven.
- Bake the Bars: Pour the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan. Spread it out with your spatula so it’s nice and level. Pop it into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. My oven runs a little hot, so I usually check at 25 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the edges look set and the kitchen smells absolutely divine, like autumn exploded in there!
- Cool & Glaze: Let the baked pumpkin bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is crucial! If you try to glaze them while they’re warm, the maple glaze will just melt right off, and that’s a sad sight. While they cool, whisk together your powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla for the glaze. Once the bars are completely cool, drizzle that glorious maple glaze all over them. Spread it gently, then let it set a bit before cutting. These Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Maple Glaze are worth the wait, I promise!