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If there was ever a recipe that screams fall, it’s these Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars with Vanilla Espresso Glaze. Made with nutty browned butter, cinnamon, spiced pumpkin butter, and white chocolate. Then generously glazed with a sweet, thick, and creamy vanilla espresso glaze. There’s really nothing not to love about these autumn-spiced pumpkin bars. The true secret? Brown butter, brown sugar, and sweet pumpkin butter. They keep these bars incredibly flavorful, soft, gooey, and so delicious. These bars require so little effort to make. They’re salty-sweet, heavy on the pumpkin butter, and every last bite is truly delicious.
Do you visit Trader Joe’s often? If you do, have you seen their Pumpkin Blondie Brownies? Well, it’s that sweet dessert that inspired me to make these bars.
To be honest, the name, Pumpkin Blondie Brownies, is what excited me most. It caught my attention and made me want to recreate the blondie brownies at home. But then I started working on them. I quickly realized that there was no way to make a pumpkin brownie blondie. It’s either one or the other.
And that’s when I scratched the original concept and made these.
And I LOVE these. They took me a while to perfect, but these are so GOOD.
Here are details
These are not your average pumpkin bar, which honestly, I can find a little boring. These are not boring. Think of them like a pumpkin latte with brown sugar syrup and a couple of espresso shots.
There’s also browned butter, spiced pumpkin butter, and white chocolate too. So much pumpkin flavor with the concentrated pumpkin butter.
Start out by browning salted butter on the stove. Browning the butter really adds a rich nutty flavor to these bars and makes them just a touch cozier. Perfect as we head into the cooler, shorter days of autumn. Once the butter is browned, remove it from the stove, and dump in all of the remaining ingredients.
Brown sugar, pumpkin butter, eggs, vanilla, flour, and spices (lots of cinnamon). Then stir in the white chocolate chips. Or go for semi-sweet/dark chocolate. Either is delicious!
This makes up the dough. Pretty simple.
Spread the dough out into a pan, then bake. As the bars bake away, you’ll have incredible wafts of cinnamon, pumpkin, and butter in the air. It’s the coziest smell, especially on a dreary cold day.
For the pumpkin butter, I used my 6 Ingredient Spiced Pumpkin Butter, but of course, you can use store-bought pumpkin butter too.
I took inspiration from my pumpkin spice latte (do we need my easy homemade recipe?), and decided on a vanilla espresso glaze. It’s just some browned butter, powdered sugar, brewed espresso, and vanilla.
It’s thick, creamy, and makes each pumpkin bar addicting. The glaze seeps into every nook and cranny of the bars.
Complete perfection. Tip: bake these up and enjoy them while burning my pumpkin smash candle – oh so cozy!
Looking for other sweet fall recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Fluffy Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots
Old Fashioned Caramel Apple Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Cream Cheese Swirled Cinnamon Pumpkin Butter Bread
6 Ingredient Spiced Pumpkin Butter
Double the Streusel Apple Butter Bars
Homemade Slow Cooker Maple Apple Butter
Lastly, if you make these Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Brown Sugar Maple Pumpkin Butter Bars
Servings: 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 227 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup pumpkin butter
- 1/4 maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
espresso glaze
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons brewed espresso or strong coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.2. Add the butter to a medium pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown, until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, pumpkin butter, maple, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate. Spread the dough out into the prepared dish.3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, just until set in the center. Let cool.4. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Add the butter to a small pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, espresso, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle the glaze over the bars. Let set for 5 minutes. Cut into bars, snack, and enjoy!
Hi! Would an 8×8 pan or a loaf pan work instead?
Hi Emma,
I would use an 8×8 pan, you will probably have some leftover batter though. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xT
Agree with most of the comments below — the bars were so yummy, but definitely cakey, not blondie textured. Baked for about 35 minutes still weren’t cooked through in the middle. Yummy but not as expected!
Hi Chloe,
So sorry to hear about the texture! Again, these are not meant to be a blondie:) What kind of dish did you bake them in? Next time, you could reduce the baking powder and soda and bake in a metal pan. I hope this helps! xx
I am about to make these bars…hoping I get the brownie texture that the picture reflects…had a question though, the recipe calls for 1/4 maple syrup…no measurement? I am assuming its 1/4 CUP? Can anyone clarify?
Hi Leah,
You will want to use 1/4 cup of maple syrup. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
My bars turned out more cakey as well. Everyone seems to be having the same problem. What do you suggest I change? I used a glass dish.
Thanks.
Hi Denise,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe! I would suggest reducing your baking powder and soda next time and well as baking in a metal pan. I hope this helps! xT
Taste is great! Texture was more cake like and less cookie bar like.
Should the recipe for the espresso glaze be corrected to 2 cups of powdered sugar instead of 1? 1 cup didn’t cause the glaze to thicken at all.
Hi Jessica,
Thanks so much for making this recipe!! 1 cup of powdered sugar is correct but you can always add more to your needing. I hope this helps! xT
The taste was on point, but the consistency was definitely not. As others have already mentioned, this turned out to be more like a coffee cake than a blondie or brownie bar consistency. In my experience in baking, brownie consistency usually doesn’t need both (or either) baking soda -and- baking powder -with- eggs. The recipes I use usually just call for eggs. You only need one rising ingredient for brownie consistency. Unfortunately, my guess is the author may have had expired baking soda and powder due to the fact these both rising agents deactivate if they are old/expired. Needless to say, I hope the author updates their recipe. I’ll still eat it, because the taste is good but just disappointing I now need to drink coffee along with it. Otherwise, it is a dry swallow.
Hi there,
Thanks for giving this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! I can promise you my ingredients were not expired considering I use them almost daily:) Again, I am not sure why some are having issues with the texture and others are not. My suggestion is to reduce your baking powder and soda next time and be sure to use a metal pan when baking. I hope this helps! xT
Saw this on Instagram last week and had to make them. They were a huge hit with family and coworkers!! So easy to make and came out so moist!
Hey Jody,
Fantastic!! 🍁🍂 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! xT
The pumpkin butter bars are delicious, but I’m wondering if on top of the glaze you drizzled melted white chocolate? My glaze-while delicious!- is clear and I don’t have the pretty white drizzle that you do. Can you explain? Thank you!
Hi Joanna,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Nope, no white chocolate was used, maybe you just needed some more powdered sugar? Let me know! xx
Love this recipe. I have it baking in my oven now. Time for the glaze. I’m not a big fan of coffee in my desserts. I’m weird that way. I’m going to try of layering the flavor of almond. I hope it works!
Hi Jennifer,
So glad to hear you have enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for making it, let me know how the almond goes! xT
I was wondering if there is any substitute for pumpkin butter in this recipe? I would love to make this unfortunately I live in Germany and I cannot find pumpkin butter. Thank you 🙂
Hallo Katie,
You can make the pumpkin butter yourself since you cannot find it premade and jarred in Germany. Click on the link for the pumpkin butter in her ingredient list and it will take you to another of her recipes.
Hope this helps!
Tschüss,
Trish
Hi Katie,
So sorry, you are going to need the pumpkin butter for this recipe. Here is my recipe for homemade pumpkin butter:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/6-ingredient-spiced-pumpkin-butter/
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx
Looking to make this tomorrow. 😃 What is the unit of measure on the maple syrup?
Hi Trish,
You will want to use 1/4 cup of maple syrup. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
So so yummy! But I cooked it and it did look more cake like especially around the edges so I pulled it out. Do I need to let it cook more to get the texture right? I cut into it and the center is gooey… I mean I love it regardless but it’s super messy and not clean cut😅
Hi Jordyn,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try! How long did you let them bake for? I’m thinking they are gooey because you pulled them out early? Let me know so I can help! xx
The flavors here are absolutely delicious and so unique. That being said, I’m not sure what happened with my execution, but they seemed more cakey than bar-like and they were so under in the middle despite adding 5 minutes to the cook time (35 min). Also, my glaze is super dark and looks nothing like the photo where it appears to be hardened. I am sure it’s user error, but maybe someone can comment back and let me know what I might be doing wrong 🙂 other than that, I absolutely loved this and it tastes amazing and so comforting. I will definitely give it another go!
Hey Jessica,
Happy Monday!! 👻 I am so glad this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a lot for trying it out! Next time, try reducing the baking powder and soda and the add more powdered sugar to the glaze. xT
Halved the baking soda and baking powder and still turned out cake like. More like a pumpkin bread. Not gooey brownie like bars that appear in the photos.
Hi Jane,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear they were not enjoyed. What kind of pan did you use? Was there anything else you may have adjusted? Let me know how I can help! xT
Taste is DELICIOUS! I didn’t have pumpkin butter so I made some at home and it was so good. I also had the same issue where it was coming out more cake-ish. I even reduced the baking soda and baking powder because I saw the reviews before making it. Even with the reduction of baking soda and powder, it still turned out like a cake. Not sure what to do next time. I used a non stick dark 9×13 pan so I’m not sure if that had something to do with it. But either way, it tastes delicious!
Hey Stephanie,
Happy Wednesday! I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was a winner! 🤩 So sorry, I think don’t know why that is happening, you could try a metal pan next time!
I followed the recipe exactly (except added 1/4 cup of maple syrup because that wasn’t really clear). It definitely had more of a cake-like texture but the flavor was amazing! Delicious and loved the smart flavor combinations.
Hey Lynn,
Wonderful!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out!! 🎃