Golden Cinnamon-Pumpkin Bars are perfect for Fall, but I like pumpkin year round and made them anyway. What’s great about these pumpkin bars is not only are they made with whole wheat flour, they are dense and moist rather than cakey. They’re like brownies, but with pumpkin flavor. I used cinnamon chips, but chocolate chips would be great as well. This is adapted from the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking Book.
Golden Cinnamon-Pumpkin Bars
6 oz unsalted butter (168 grams)
1 ⅓ cups packed light or dark brown sugar (280 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 ml)
¾ teaspoon baking powder (3 ml)
½ teaspoon salt (2 ml)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (3 ml)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see substitution)
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin (9.5 oz)
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour (170 grams) -- (or weigh out 170 grams white whole wheat)
1 cup cinnamon chips (170 gram)
¾ cups chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9 inch metal pan with cooking spray or line with foil and spray foil.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the sugar. Return the bowl to microwave and heat for another 30 seconds or just until it starts to bubble. Let cool until it’s comfortable to touch, then stir in the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and egg. When well mixed, stir in pumpkin. Add the flour, cinnamon chips and nuts or raisins and stir until mixed.
Pour into pan and bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
This makes 2 dozen 2 inch bars
This is a good sub for pumpkin pie spice, you can adjust the spices if you like = ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ allspice
Anna says
Hi Donna,
You only need 170 grams of flour. You can use either whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. The reason I specified to weigh out the white whole wheat flour is because the volumes might differ slightly, whereas 170 grams is 170 grams. So if you're going to use white whole wheat, it's best to weigh out the flour if you have a scale.
Donna says
When making the golden cinnamon pumpkin bars, do you use both kinds of flour?
Anna says
Sure!
K says
Hi, if I only have cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, do you think that would be an acceptable substitute for pumpkin pie spice?
Lila says
These are great! I made them just like the recipe, with cinnamon chips an pecans. Raisins would be good, too.
Jenni says
These are awesome!! I used white flour, as I did not have whole wheat on hand. I also could not find the cinnamon chips, and used butterscotch ones instead. And, instead of nuts, I used 1/2 cup of golden flax seeds. Yum!!!
Karen says
I finally made these today, using chocolate chips and walnuts. The batter seemed a little thin and the bars are not that high but they are delicious, mine baked for only 35 minutes. I'm a huge pumpkin chocolate fan and am happy to add this recipe to my repetoire!
Eric says
This also tastes great if you mixed the cake and butter with the other ingredients (which I did by accident the first time I made it). It tastes like a great pumpkin cake and less like pumpkin pie with a topping.
giz says
I'm a year round pumpkin-a-holic too. I would make this and then I would eat the whole thing.
Rosie says
Those bars look divine! Its diffiuclt to get tinned pumpkin here in the u.k. but I'm happy to make my own for these bars :0)
krista says
yummy! these look so good! for sure gonna try them. you know what would be a great addition? cranberries! maybe i'll try that...
FFichiban says
OOohh pumpkin and cinnamon sounds like a great warming combination mmm
Sarah says
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pumpkinpie says
Perfect timing! I just bought three 29 oz cans of pumpkin. I love to make pumpkin carrot cake for Easter, but I will have to try these bars too.
shannon abdollmohammadi says
Anna, your pic is awesome. I too love pumpkin all year round...it is one of those comfort foods that I associate with the happiness of the holidays.
Dana says
These look amazing! I may have to try them later today. Don't have any cinnamon chips lying around, so I may try white chocolate chips. But first I promised DH I would make a batch of homemade samoas bars for him to take to work tomorrow...
deeba says
Oh boy...you tempt me so bad! I just made pumpkin panna cotta from freshly made puree. Now I want to go & get some more pumpkins & make this...great great post!
Natalie says
Oh yum these look sooo good. I am totally trying them. I love the cinnamon chips idea - maybe I'm crazy but I get tired of chocolate chips!
Katrina says
Winter, spring, summer, or fall....all you have to do is bake with pumpkin. Yummy!
Louise says
Hi Anna,
What a GREAT recipe. I too have been in a pumpkin mood these day and I LOVE the idea of the whole wheat flour. The cinnamon chips sound like the perfect "spark".
Thanks so much for sharing...
Lisa Ernst says
You read my mind -- sort of. I was considering canned pumpkin to replace the banana in your banana chocolate chip bar recipe. Then I discovered the canned pumpkin I thought was in my pantry was gone. Back to the banana....but my husband ate the only one in the house as a snack. So no bars yet.....These look wonderful and I like that they are like brownies only in pumpkin form.
snooky doodle says
ups meant delicious. wish to try these 🙂
snooky doodle says
these look really interesting! I bet they are selicious 🙂
Pearl says
loooove pumpkin 🙂
Janet says
I just cut a small corner to taste....these bars are wonderful!!! I added 1/2 cup golden raisins in addition to the pecans. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Karen says
I've been in a pumpkin mood, too! In fact, I made the pumpkin harvest loaf you posted a few months back(with the chocolate layer in the middle) last night and just had some for breakfast. I think I have enough pumpkin left to try this one.
VeggieGirl says
OOOOOH!!
Janet says
Wow, those look sooo good! It's raining and dreary here...a perfect day for baking. Thanks!
Dani says
looks like a very filling snack
Elyse says
Mmm, those bars look divine. I love pumpkin all year round, too!!
eva says
These look yummy Anna! I'll definitely try baking these, but I think a 1/2 batch for me. And perhaps cranberries and walnuts instead of the chocolate and pecans. I wish they could somehow get that "shiny brownie top". Oh well, can't ask for everything. 🙂
Louise says
I was just looking around your site, and it doesn't appear that you've ever made sticky toffee pudding. You have the F&W recipe up, but there are many recipes now. You can make them in giant muffin tins too. They freeze well. This one's pretty good, but use brown sugar instead of white. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cooking-live/english-sticky-toffee-pudding-recipe/index.html
claire says
ps that's the first time i've used "IMHO," and i feel a bit dirty. :/
claire says
those look fabulous! i'm a big fan of "year-round pumpkin," too. avoiding the best-tasting baking flavor (IMHO) is like the old "don't wear white after labor day" rule- obsolete!
Louise says
We all need some preservatives.
Anna says
Hey, I like chemistry.
Louise says
You make me laugh. One day you are using Cool Whip and pudding mix, which I think of as "Better Living through Chemistry", and the next day it's whole wheat flour. No more baking!! Go pack your bags. 😉