We all know that season when everything in sight is Pumpkin Spice flavored. There's no better way to get the true pumpkin spice experience than by making a home baked treat that has real pumpkin in it. Make it easy; as a bonus we'll get out of that long line for pumpkin spiced coffee (which is also easy to make yourself).
Pumpkin bars are the perfect spiced treat that can be served individually with no mess. Easy to make, they're fabulous with our lovely cream cheese icing for an extra bit of decadence. Pumpkin bars should be refrigerated to keep them fresh, but make sure you get one fresh out of the oven for the ultimate taste experience!
Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients:
Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cream Cheese Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.
3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.
4. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.
5. To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.
Other Pumpkin Treats to Try This Fall
There are so many ways to enjoy pumpkin without having to spend too much money on a pumpkin spice coffee from Starbucks. Of course, a pumpkin pie is the obvious option, but there are a lot of other choices if you're sick of pumpkin pie. Have you ever tried pumpkin cheesecake? What about pumpkin fudge? Those might sound like unusual desserts, but you need to give them a try.
You can even make a pumpkin milkshake. Milkshakes are a favorite with kids, so this is a great way to satisfy your kids' sweet teeth while using up the rest of the pumpkin you have on hand. There are so many ways to enjoy this wonderful fall flavor; if you can think of it, there's probably a pumpkin version of it! Don't believe us? This pumpkin mac and cheese recipe should convince you.
Fall is a wonderful season with lots of celebration and traditions to enjoy. With this pumpkin bars recipe on hand and a few other ideas in mind, you'll be all set to have a great time. If you're in search of more cookie recipes, check out the link below to find more wonderful recipes.
Cookie Recipes List
The image featured at the top of this post is ©istetiana/ via Getty Images.