Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars (Printable Version)
Buttery crust topped with creamy pumpkin maple filling and brown sugar cinnamon streusel
# What You 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 tsp salt
→ Pumpkin 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 tsp pumpkin pie spice
10 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
11 - 1/4 tsp 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 tsp 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 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 pumpkin filling evenly over the warm pre-baked crust. Gently spread with a spatula to create a uniform layer.
06 - Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the pumpkin filling.
07 - Bake for 30 minutes until the center is set and the streusel topping is golden brown. The bars should not jiggle in the center.
08 - Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, approximately 2 hours. Use parchment overhang to lift bars from the pan, then cut into 16 equal squares.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of maple and pumpkin creates this incredible warmth that feels like autumn in a single bite
- That streusel topping transforms from perfectly crumbly to slightly caramelized in the most magical way
02 -
- Cutting these bars while they are even slightly warm will give you a messy pumpkin situation so patience is absolutely required here
- The streusel might seem thick but it will settle into the filling as it bakes creating those gorgeous pockets of crunch
03 -
- Room temperature eggs will incorporate into the pumpkin mixture much more smoothly than cold ones
- Use the back of a measuring cup to press the crust into the pan for an even layer that bakes uniformly