This delicious Martha Stewart Pumpkin Bars recipe is a quick and easy autumn treat, perfect for cozy evenings! With warm spices, a moist pumpkin base, and a creamy cream cheese frosting, these bars are pure comfort. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they’re great for snacking, dessert, or even a sweet breakfast treat.
Recipe Ingredients:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- Pinch ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
- Pinch coarse salt
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
How To Make Pumpkin Bars Recipe?
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Heat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease an 8×12-inch (20x30cm) cake pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch (5cm) overhang on two sides. Grease the parchment paper as well.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée and milk; set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and dry ingredients: Beat in the eggs until combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the pumpkin mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sifted confectioners’ (icing) sugar, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Assemble and serve: Remove the cooled cake from the pan and spread the frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula. Slice into 12 bars and enjoy!
Recipe Tips:
- Use fresh spices for the best flavor : Old spices lose their strength, so make sure your cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are fresh for the richest taste.
- Don’t overmix the batter : Stir just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the bars dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting : If the cake is even a little warm, the frosting will melt and become runny. Be patient for the best results!
- Sift the icing sugar for a smooth frosting : This helps remove lumps and makes the cream cheese frosting light and creamy.
- Chill the bars before cutting : Refrigerating for 30 minutes after frosting makes slicing easier and gives the bars a perfect, neat shape.
How To Store Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover Pumpkin Bars cool completely to room temperature. Then, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. For the best taste and texture, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
- Freeze:To freeze, wrap the bars tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 279
- Total Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sodium: 283mg
- Potassium: 66mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 34g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 25g
- Protein: 3g
Check out More Recipes:
Martha Stewart Pumpkin Bars
Description
This delicious Martha Stewart Pumpkin Bars recipe is a quick and easy autumn treat, perfect for cozy evenings! With warm spices, a moist pumpkin base, and a creamy cream cheese frosting, these bars are pure comfort. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they’re great for snacking, dessert, or even a sweet breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Heat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease an 8×12-inch (20x30cm) cake pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch (5cm) overhang on two sides. Grease the parchment paper as well.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée and milk; set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and dry ingredients: Beat in the eggs until combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the pumpkin mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sifted confectioners’ (icing) sugar, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Assemble and serve: Remove the cooled cake from the pan and spread the frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula. Slice into 12 bars and enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh spices for the best flavor : Old spices lose their strength, so make sure your cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are fresh for the richest taste.
- Don’t overmix the batter : Stir just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the bars dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting : If the cake is even a little warm, the frosting will melt and become runny. Be patient for the best results!
- Sift the icing sugar for a smooth frosting : This helps remove lumps and makes the cream cheese frosting light and creamy.
- Chill the bars before cutting : Refrigerating for 30 minutes after frosting makes slicing easier and gives the bars a perfect, neat shape.
Martha Stewart Pumpkin Bars