Description
Meet your new favorite fall bake — Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars that are soft, buttery, and bursting with pumpkin spice flavor. They’ve got a crisp oatmeal crust, a silky pumpkin layer that tastes like pie filling, and a golden, crumbly topping that ties it all together. The only tough part? Waiting patiently for them to cool before diving in!
These bars are simple, cozy, and exactly what you want when sweater weather hits. Perfect for sharing (or not sharing — your call).
Ingredients
Scale
For the Base and Topping
- 1 ½ cups (225 g) all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 1 ½ cups (120 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (185 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Filling
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree, at room temperature (see notes)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep your pan and oven
- Set your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a 20×20 cm (8×8 inch) baking dish with parchment paper. Let the paper hang over the sides — this little trick makes lifting the bars out a breeze later on.
- Make the oatmeal base
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, salt, and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, stir the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry mix. Stir until everything’s evenly combined — it should look a bit crumbly but hold together when pressed.
- Form and bake the crust
- Scoop out roughly ¾ of the oatmeal mixture (save the rest for the crumble topping later) and press it firmly into your prepared pan. You want it nice and even.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or until it turns lightly golden around the edges.
- Prepare the pumpkin filling
- While the crust bakes, grab a clean bowl and mix together the pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until everything is smooth and beautifully fragrant.
- Assemble the layers
- Take the crust out of the oven and spread the pumpkin mixture evenly over the warm base.
- Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top with your fingers — aim for a mix of larger and smaller crumbs for the best texture.
- Bake to golden perfection
- Pop it back in the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the top looks set and golden brown.
- Cool and chill
- Let the bars cool on the counter for about 30 minutes, then transfer the pan to the fridge for another 30 minutes (or until fully chilled). This helps them firm up so they slice beautifully.
- Once cool, lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and cut them into neat squares. Try not to “sample” too many before serving — no promises, though!
Notes
- Flour: You can easily swap in a gluten-free all-purpose blend — this recipe has been tested that way and works like a charm.
- Rolled oats: Regular or certified gluten-free oats both work fine; just don’t use instant oats.
- Pumpkin puree: Homemade or canned both do the trick. If using canned, dab it with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before mixing.
- Measuring: For the best accuracy, weigh your dry ingredients. For pumpkin puree, measuring by volume (cups) works best since consistency can vary.
- Chilling time: Don’t skip the cooling step! Cutting while warm can cause the bars to crumble apart.
- Storage: Keep your Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll taste amazing for up to 4 days, though they’re best within the first 2. Let them sit at room temp for 10 minutes before serving.
- Freezing: These bars freeze beautifully! Once completely cool, layer them in an airtight container with parchment between each layer. Freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Calories: 367 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 329 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 61 mg