Description
Deliciously moist and flavorful Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars combine the sweetness of butterscotch chips with the warm spices of pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree, creating a perfect autumn treat. These bars are soft, chewy, and easy to make, ideal for holiday gatherings or a cozy snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
Add-ins
- 11 oz (2 cups) butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal of bars.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the unsweetened applesauce and vanilla extract until well combined. Lightly beat in the egg, then stir in the pumpkin puree until the batter is consistent, though it may appear slightly lumpy.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to evenly distribute the leavening and spices.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing and ensure tender bars.
- Fold in Butterscotch Chips: Gently fold in the butterscotch chips, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared 9×13-inch pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting them into 24 squares. Serve and enjoy your pumpkin butterscotch bars!
Notes
- You can store these bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle a little sea salt on top before baking to balance the sweetness.
- If you want a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend suitable for baking.
- These bars freeze well; wrap individual bars and freeze up to 3 months.
- Make sure the pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling to avoid overly sweet bars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
