Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars (Printer-Friendly)
Buttery crust, maple pumpkin filling, brown sugar streusel topping
# 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.
02 - Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - Bake crust for 10 minutes.
04 - Whisk together pumpkin puree, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
05 - Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and spread evenly.
06 - Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
07 - Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the topping is golden.
08 - Cool completely in the pan, then lift out and cut into bars.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The maple pumpkin filling tastes like autumn hugged your tastebuds in the best possible way
- That brown sugar streusel creates this incredible crunchy topping that keeps people coming back for seconds
02 -
- Pressing the crust mixture firmly into the pan prevents it from crumbling when you cut the bars later
- Cooling completely before cutting is non negotiable or the bars will fall apart on you
03 -
- If your streusel starts getting too dark before the center is set, tent loosely with foil
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the filling from separating during baking