These Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars cookie bars are the perfect Fall dessert – moist and chewy, made lighter with pumpkin puree and studded with butterscotch chips. The topping is a simple, light cream cheese frosting drizzled with chocolate – so good!
Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars
I love pumpkin in desserts in the fall. Some more of my favorites are Skinny Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Cheesecake and Pumpkin Hazelnut White Chocolate Biscotti.
If you’re a fan of Fall flavored treats, these butterscotch bars are a great way to satisfy that craving. Think pumpkin blondies. It’s perfect for any Autumn equinox occasion, Halloween or Thanksgiving Day dessert.
For this recipe, I played around with my Skinny Cranberry Bliss Bars looking for an Autumn twist. I absolutely loved how they turned out. They have just the right amount of pumpkin spice for my taste, but if you really love those spices you could add a bit more. If you want to make these ahead of time, you can bake the cookie bar a day in advance and along with the frosting. Then assemble the day you’re ready to serve them.
More Pumpkin Desserts:
- Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese
- Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Pecan Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Pie Dip
Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, Gold Medal
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, unpacked
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup butterscotch chips
For the Frosting:
- 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch non-stick baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin spice and cinnamon and stir to blend.
- In another bowl, whisk the sugars with the butter, egg whites, pumpkin and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.
- Fold in butterscotch chips.
- Spread batter onto the baking pan using the back of a measuring cup to smooth evenly.
- Bake 14-16 minutes, until the edges are light brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Don't over-bake or your bars will be dry.
- Let it cool completely on wire rack.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting; in a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until well-blended.
- Frost bars and drizzle with the melted chocolate. *To melt the chocolate, place in a microwave safe cup and heat 15 seconds; stir. Another 15 seconds; stir until the chocolate is melted.
- When the chocolate sets, cut into 15 large squares (5 cuts by 3 cuts with the knife).
- Then cut each square in half diagonally to create triangles.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
