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Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars

Pumpkin snickerdoodle bars with a cinnamon-sugar crust and a soft, chewy pumpkin interior. Baked until just set at 350°F for that classic snickerdoodle-style texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp cream of tartar
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup pumpkin puree (blotted dry)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon sugar top
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp cream of tartar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F, then grease a 9x13 pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, cream of tartar, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
Mix batter
  1. Whisk melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter with 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar until glossy and smooth.
  2. Whisk in pumpkin puree that has been blotted dry, then whisk in eggs and vanilla extract until the batter looks uniform.
  3. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined, then spread the batter into the prepared pan.
Top and bake
  1. Mix the cinnamon sugar topping ingredients (3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and cream of tartar) and sprinkle generously over the entire surface.
  2. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F until the bars are just set; do not overbake so the center stays chewy.
Cool and cut
  1. Cool the bars completely before cutting, so the cinnamon sugar crust and chewy interior set cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: blot the pumpkin puree well so the bars bake with a soft, chewy interior instead of turning cakey or gummy. Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lower-sugar swap, replace 1:1 with a baking-style sugar substitute designed to caramelize in the oven, keeping the cinnamon-sugar topping proportion the same.