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Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars

Pumpkin snickerdoodle bars with a cinnamon sugar top baked until just set for a soft, chewy interior. Easy 9x13 bar dessert with classic snickerdoodle spice and pumpkin puree.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
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 and bake
  • 1 lb 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
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, cream of tartar, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. Whisk melted butter and 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar until smooth, then whisk in blotted pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Bake
  1. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, then spread the batter evenly in the greased pan.
  2. Mix the cinnamon sugar topping with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, then sprinkle generously over the entire surface (you should see a thick, speckled layer).
  3. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes until the center is just set; do not overbake to keep a chewy texture (edges may look slightly deeper in color).
Finish
  1. Cool completely before cutting so the cinnamon sugar crust firms up and the bars slice cleanly.

Notes

For the soft, chewy texture, bake only until the bars are just set and stop at 25 minutes if your oven runs hot. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze baked bars up to 2 months. If you want a lighter option, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour for a similar bar texture.