Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars
Chewy pumpkin blondie bars with the classic crackly cinnamon-sugar snickerdoodle top, all baked in one 9x13 pan. No rolling, no dipping dozens of dough balls.
Servings 24 bars
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree not pie filling
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar optional, for classic snickerdoodle tang
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Top
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease or line a 9x13 pan.
- Cream the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar if using, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix just until combined.
Press, Dust, and Bake
- Press the thick dough evenly into the pan using damp fingers or an offset spatula.
- Stir together the topping sugar and cinnamon and dust it evenly over the top, pressing lightly.
- Bake 22 to 26 minutes, until the top is crackly and the center is just set. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Keep the pumpkin modest: Too much moisture makes cakey bars instead of chewy blondies.
- Press the sugar top lightly: It helps the cinnamon-sugar crackle.
- Cool before cutting: Cool bars slice into clean squares.