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Best Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

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These brown butter pumpkin bars are moist, spiced, and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. The nutty depth of browned butter elevates this simple dessert into a crowd-pleasing favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until it melts, foams, and turns golden amber with brown specks (5-7 minutes). Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides. Lightly spray with non-stick spray.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well. Stir in vanilla and pumpkin puree until smooth.
  5. Pour dry ingredients into wet mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined (a few streaks of flour are okay).
  6. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour).
  7. Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low. Add vanilla and salt, then beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until light and airy.
  8. Spread frosting over cooled bars. Use parchment handles to lift out of pan. Slice into 24 squares, wiping knife clean between cuts.

Notes

Don’t walk away from the butter while browning; it can burn quickly. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. For clean slices, chill frosted bars for 20 minutes before cutting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Unfrosted bars can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bars, brown butter, cream cheese frosting, fall dessert, pumpkin dessert, easy pumpkin bars

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