Pumpkin and spice come together in these yummy cookie bars. They are quick and easy to make and taste like fall!
Pumpkin cookies with yummy frosting are always a popular fall treat. But if scooping and frosting all those individual cookies seems like a little too much, don’t despair.
We can make a yummy pan of cookie bars and skip those steps! These tasty pumpkin spice cookie bars are fabulous way to get those flavors you are craving with a fraction of the effort. They are fun, festive and oh so good!
Have you been doing extra baking this year? I feel like we have. I think it’s the extra time at home and wanting something to keep our hands busy.
If I’m being perfectly honest, I think there is some stress eating involved too. But whatever the genesis, there have been lots of pumpkin treats this fall.
It has been kind of fun to really focus on pumpkin lately. Usually most of my fall baking revolves around apple recipes with just a few pumpkin treats sprinkled in.
This year we have gone whole hog on that orange beauty. I thought we were done with pumpkin treats, but Little Dude insisted we whip up some pumpkin puree from the pie pumpkin we got at the pumpkin patch.
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We made a quick video of the pumpkin puree making process and put it on YouTube if you care to see it. Once you make puree, you want to go ahead and make a treat… so here we are!
I originally shared this recipe back in 2015. So Little Dude and I thought it was high time to revisit the post and freshen it up.
Making bars instead of individual cookies cuts a lot of time and effort out of the process. It is so much easier to pat it into the pan and bake it than scoop individual cookies.
Not only do you not have to scoop them all, but you can skip the chilling time because the sides of the pan will keep the cookie from spreading. Plus then you don’t have to keep rotating the pans in and out of the oven.
Frosting the cookies gets a lot easier as well. Just spread it over the pan and add sprinkles if desired. Easy peasy!
We really like marshmallow fluff buttercream on these cookies, but it would also be great with cinnamon brown sugar cream cheese frosting, or caramel buttercream.
Then just cut your cookies into bars and serve. They are perfect for a family gathering or party.
Storage
As long as your frosting is able to stay at room temperature, you can store these cookie bars on the counter for up to a week. Cover them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
If you want to save some for later, you can freeze them for up to three months. Let the frosting set and put wax paper between the layers to keep them from sticking to each other.
Pumpkin Spice Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Cream together 1 cup butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, and 1 cup granulated sugar.
- Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 cup pumpkin puree until combined.
- Add 2 cups white whole wheat flour, 3½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 3½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Stir until just combined.
- Spread into a 10×15-inch bar pan. The dough should be thick like cookie dough and thus a little hard to spread. Try to get it relatively uniform.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely and then spread marshmallow buttercream or your favorite frosting over the top. MMM!
Notes
Video
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Would it be bad of me to admit the frosting looks like the best part? I am a bit of a frosting fiend too.
I can't help myself when it comes to the stuff! I wouldn't judge if you just made the frosting. 😉
You're right. I do want a pan like that! I love making cookie bars, too. I have a confession to make this fall, I don't like pumpkin flavored anything. I might be kicked out of blogging for admitting that one! But, I know most people love it and I'm sure your recipe is one they will love.
That's ok, more for the rest of us! I do really like the pan though, it is perfect for bar cookies or a really big deep dish pizza! Thank you so much for sharing!
Beverly, you are not alone. I don't care for pumpkin either.
It's ok, I'll keep you both around anyway 😉 I'll just have to bake apple stuff for you this fall instead of all pumpkin!
Love the bars.Thanks for sharing. I love your tag line for your blog.
Thank you!
Hi Carlee, Love the new pan! =) Summer is still lingering around here too, and I can't wait for Pumpkin spice everything, hoodies, and cool crisp mornings! Your bars look delish, and your marshmallow buttercream sounds heavenly! Thank you for the bar to go with my morning coffee! Enjoy the rest of your week! =)
I love the new pan too. I have used it a handful of times already! We are supposed be in the 70's this weekend, so that sounds heavenly to me. I am thinking soup for watching the football game on Sunday! Hooray! Thanks for stopping by as always, Christine!
These are so delicious. Thanks Carlee
It is so much fun to hear from you being from so far away! It is amazing how the internet shrinks this world of ours!
Fantastic recipe, perfect for Fall!
Thank you! We are about to get another cool spell, so I feel more fall baking coming on!
Lovin the pumpkin spice! Have a great week!
Best,
Kim
Thank you so much!
I live in Florida, so we don't get many "fallish" days, but I'll still eat my share of pumpkin! These bars look super moist and the marshmallow frosting sounds delicious!
It doesn't have to be too cold for me to want pumpkin, it is just hard to bake with it when there is so much fresh fruit during the spring and summer! The frosting makes them!
Hi Carlee, we are heading into Spring in Australia, however I'm sure these would be just as nice now although it does remind me of Autumn. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe with us at #anythinggoes. Always a pleasure having you link up
I could certainly eat pumpkin any time, though it does feel most at home in the fall. There is something so warm and comforting about pumpkin pie spice as the weather gets cooler! Thank you so much for giving everyone a chance to share!
Hi, Carlee
How yummy! I love cooking anything that has pumpkin in it. I am going to give this a try for sure. Stopping by from the Havest Tour.
Me too! I love spring and summer, but at this point in the year I am ready to start thinking about fall! Thanks for stopping by!