Description
These Salted Caramel Pumpkin Bars are a delightful treat perfect for fall, combining a crumbly oat and flour crust with a creamy spiced pumpkin filling and a luscious salted caramel swirl. Finished with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt, these bars offer a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and warm autumn flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Salted Caramel Sauce & Garnish
- 1/4 cup salted caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- Coarse sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture becomes crumbly. Press this crust mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking pan to form a firm base.
- Make the pumpkin filling: In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until smooth and fully combined, ensuring the warm spices are evenly distributed.
- Optional homemade salted caramel sauce: If making caramel from scratch, combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil without stirring until the mixture turns a rich golden color. Remove from heat and carefully add butter, cream, and a pinch of salt, stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Assemble the bars: Pour the pumpkin filling evenly over the pre-baked crust layer in the pan. Drizzle the salted caramel sauce over the top of the pumpkin layer. Use a knife to gently swirl the caramel into the filling for a marbled effect.
- Bake: Place the pan in a preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pumpkin filling is set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, indicating the bars are fully cooked but still moist.
- Cool and garnish: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Once cooled, slice into 16 squares and sprinkle each piece with coarse sea salt just before serving to enhance the salted caramel flavor.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh pumpkin puree or well-drained canned pumpkin to avoid excess moisture in the filling.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Salted caramel can be substituted with store-bought sauce for convenience.
- Adjust the amount of sea salt garnish according to your salt preference.
- Can be served chilled or at room temperature.
