It's officially Fall baking season, which means it's time to break out the pumpkin purée and cinnamon. Over the years I've tried a lot of pumpkin bar recipes. Most of them aren't really "bars" at all. They're thin pumpkin cakes in disguise, usually topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but perhaps you'd like something more brownie-like that doesn't require a fork? That's where this recipe comes in.
Cross Between Pumpkin Bread and Fruitcake
These Fruit and Nut Pumpkin Bars embrace the cake-bar identity. They're thick, dense, and brownie-like (but not chewy), and loaded with cranberries, raisins, dates, pecans, and white chips. The best description is a cross between pumpkin bread and holiday fruitcake.
9-Inch Pan Pumpkin Bars
This recipe fits perfectly in a 9-inch square pan and bakes up into generously thick bars with a compact, almost brownie-like texture. For a thinner bar, you can use a 9x13-inch pan, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and reduce the bake time by about 5 minutes.
I've also tested a small-batch version in a loaf pan, but it involves halving an egg. Honestly, it's easier to make the full batch and freeze any extras. Fruit and Nut Pumpkin Bars freeze beautifully and are handy to have on hand for fall get-togethers.
Fruit and Nut Pumpkin Bar Tips
- Weigh your flour to avoid dryness. If you don't have a scale, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it off gently.
- Line the pan with foil so you can lift out the whole slab once baked. It's optional, but makes cooling and cutting easier.
- Freeze before cutting for the cleanest slices. Let the bars cool, then freeze briefly and cut while firm.
- Top with extra pecans for a decorative finish, or use different nut if you like.
- Use Libby's pumpkin if possible. It has more moisture and flavor than many other brands, which makes a noticeable difference in the texture.
Whether you serve them at a fall gathering, in lunchboxes, or stash a few in the freezer for later, these Fruit and Nut Pumpkin Bars bring a flavor that feels right at home this time of year. They're sturdy enough to travel, pretty enough for a dessert platter, and a fun twist on the usual frosted pumpkin squares.
Recipe
Fruit and Nut Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, weigh or measure carefully (250 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder, scant
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (reduce to ¼ if using salted butter)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅝ teaspoon allspice
- 2 sticks unsalted or salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup canned pumpkin, Libby's (260 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup miniature white chocolate chips
- 1 cup toasted chopped pecans
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped dates or raisins
- ½ cup yellow raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil and grease the foil.
- Combine flour, baking powder baking soda, salt and spices in a medium size bowl and stir well.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and molasses until creamy. Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla extract. Do not whip, just mix until blended.
- Add flour mixture and stir until mixed. The batter will be pretty thick.
- Add the fruit, nuts and white chips. Stir until evenly mixed, then spread in the pan. Pat it down evenly (best way is to put your hands under the faucet, shake off the water and use slightly damped fingers).
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and top appears set with small cracks. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then lift foil from the pan and set the bars on the counter. Let cool completely. If you want to speed up the process you can let cool on the counter for 15 minutes, then transfer to the freezer to quick cool. I like to freeze the bars, cut them while frozen, then let thaw.
- For the yield I have 18 which gives you pretty large bars. If you want to pile them on a plate, you may want to cut into 18 bars, then cut into bars, then cut into small squares.
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