Go Back

Pumpkin Pecan Bars with White Chocolate and Ginger

Sweet, spicy bars that rely on the classic fall flavors with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for that savory, salty balance. They are super easy to mix together and back in about a 30 minutes!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 12 to 16 bars

Equipment

  • electric mixer
  • 9 by 9-inch baking pan

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

  • 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped crystalized ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • .
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 stick
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix-ins and toppings

  • ¾ cup white chocolate chips
  • ½ cup toasted chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons roasted salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.
  • Stir together dry ingredients in medium bowl; set aside.
  • Mix butter and sugars in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix on medium speed until well blended, 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once. (The mixture may look curdled which will resolve once the flour is added.) Add the reserved dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until evenly incorporated, 15-30 seconds.
  • Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons each white chocolate chips and pecans for the topping. Add remaining white chocolate chips and pecans to the batter and mix on low speed for just a few seconds, until evenly distributed in batter. Finish mixing by hand if necessary. Scrape batter into prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle pepitas and reserved white chocolate chips and pecans evenly over the surface.
  • Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the sides are beginning to come away from the edge of the pan, 30-35 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely; cut into bars. Store any leftovers in a sealed storage container.
  • Makes 12-16 bars