Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars (Printable)
Buttery crust layers with velvety pumpkin maple filling and brown sugar streusel topping for autumn gatherings.
# What You'll 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 teaspoon salt
→ 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 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - Pinch of salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter with 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 - In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt until completely smooth and well combined.
05 - Pour the pumpkin filling evenly over the warm pre-baked crust. Use a spatula to spread into a uniform layer.
06 - Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix with a fork until crumbly and well blended.
07 - Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over the pumpkin filling. Bake for 30 minutes until the center is set and the topping is golden brown.
08 - Let bars cool completely in the pan. Use parchment paper overhang to lift out the slab, then cut into 16 equal squares.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The three layers each bring something completely different to every bite
- Maple syrup adds this incredible depth that regular sugar just cant match
02 -
- Cooling completely is non negotiable or the filling will be too soft to cut cleanly
- Room temperature filling ingredients prevent the butter in your crust from melting too early
03 -
- Chilling the crust for 15 minutes before baking helps prevent it from puffing up
- Use real maple syrup not pancake syrup or you will taste the difference