These healthier pumpkin bars have a soft, tender crumb and a dense, slightly chewy texture that’s somewhere between pumpkin cake and pumpkin blondies. Made with a blend of whole grain oat flour and all-purpose flour, they’re warmly spiced and studded with creamy white chocolate chips and crunchy pecans. They’re a delicious fall treat that work as a dessert or next to your cup of morning coffee.
When I began testing these pumpkin bars, I loved the taste but they had a lighter, fluffier texture that more resembled cake or muffin. To create a more substantial bar, I adjusted the flour ratio, reduced the leavening, and removed the applesauce while keeping plenty of pumpkin flavor and moisture. I also increased the pumpkin spice and added cinnamon for a warmer, more pronounced flavor.
What results are a pumpkin bar that is not overly sweet or dense, that isn’t outright healthy, but isn’t overtly decadent either. I really don’t love diet desserts, but would rather make smart swaps that allow them to more comfortably fit into normal life. Happy to report that I achieved that with these yummy, lightened up pumpkin blondies!
Jump to:
Why you’ll love these pumpkin bars
- Easy preparation, simple ingredients and ready in about 45 minutes. No complicated baking techniques or advanced pantry required. And the thing that I love most about these is how quick the bake time is, just 25-30 minutes!
- Simple nutrition swaps like subbing some butter for canola oil, and homemade oat flour for all purpose flour, helps to rework the nutritional components of these bars. Just a smidge less saturated fat and a smidge more whole grains and fiber.
- Fantastic texture and flavor, without being overly sweet. This allows for seamless transitions for dessert sweet treat to coffee accompaniment the next morning.
Ingredients Needed
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour, 120 grams. The most cost effective thing to do is ground your own from old fashioned oats. Simply place in a high speed blender, and for best results, sift through a fine mesh strainer or sifter. You can also grind in a food processor, however I have found a blender does a better job of producing a finer texture.
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 90 grams. Combining the two flours creates pumpkin bars that are moist and tender without being overly cakey or crumbly. Oat flour adds whole grains, fiber, and a soft, tender texture, while all-purpose flour provides structure and a slightly chewy bite.
- ½ teaspoon baking powder. Limiting the leavening agent helps keeps the bars a bit dense instead of light and fluffy.
- 2.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice & ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. To really enhance flavor, we not only add a generous amount of the pumpkin pie spice, but we also add cinnamon, which boosts flavor without overpowering the pumpkin or adding too much clove, ginger, or nutmeg, which can happen when you simply increase the pumpkin pie spice.
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ⅔ cup 100% pure canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), blotted on a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Libby’s is the best brand I have used because it’s thick and low on excess water, and most widely available.
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted, and 3 tablespoons canola oil. Using both gives you the best of each ingredient. Butter adds rich flavor, while canola oil helps keep the bars moist and tender. Canola oil also contains less saturated fat than butter.
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar & ¼ cup pure maple syrup. Maple syrup adds a subtle depth of flavor that complements the pumpkin and spices, while brown sugar contributes sweetness, moisture, and a slightly chewy texture. Despite many claims, maple syrup isn’t necessarily healthier than brown sugar, but the combination adds flavor complexity.
- 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk. Using an extra yolk instead of a second whole egg adds richness and tenderness without the additional egg white proteins that can make baked goods lighter, springier, and more cake-like. This helps create that dense yet tender texture we’re after.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Batter Mix-Ins
These are optional but we love including them to make them more reminiscent of pumpkin blondies rather than just pumpkin cake.
- 6 tablespoons pecans, chopped into small pieces
- 6 tablespoons white chocolate chips, and if you wish, a few additional sprinkles for topping the batter.
Why use Oat Flour & Is it Healthier?
Oat flour provides a bit of whole grains and also contributes to a more tender and moist crumb thanks to its ability to absorb moisture so well. All-purpose flour contributes structure though, so the bars don’t just crumble and fall apart. Using both is a deliberate texture choice, not simply an ingredient substitution.
But in terms of nutritional comparisons, they are different! Per 100 grams, oat flour offers more fiber and protein, 17 and 10 grams respectively. While also offering a good dose of some key vitamins and minerals such as manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and B Vitamins.
How To Make Moist Pumpkin bars
Compared to traditional blondies, these are lighter and less rich, so it’s safe to say they are a bit more nutritious and less decadent! But whatever you want to call them or when you’d like to enjoy them, here are the simple step-by-step directions.
Prep Pan & Blot pumpkin
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch metal baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides for easy removal. Then spread the pumpkin puree onto a paper towel-lined plate. Place another paper towel on top and gently press to absorb excess moisture.
Mix Wet ingredients
Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and microwave in 20 to 30 second increments until melted. Whisk in the canola oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk, vanilla, and blotted pumpkin until the mixture looks smooth and glossy, about 1 minute.
Mix Dry & Wet ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt until evenly mixed.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until no dry flour streaks remain, about 20 strokes.
Fold in Mix-Ins
Gently fold in the pecans and white chocolate chips.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer, getting it into the corners. The batter should be about 1 inch deep. Smooth the top with a damp spatula and if you wish, sprinkle on a few more white chocolate chips.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, the top looks set, and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Start checking the pumpkin bars around 20-23 minutes.
Cool the blondies in the pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment handles to lift them out and set them on a wire rack. Let them cool another 30 minutes before slicing into 16 bars.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
Make sure not to skip this crucial step and blot the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin contains a lot of moisture, so gently blotting it with paper towels removes excess water and helps prevent gummy bars. Also, use Libby’s brand if you can!
Measure the flour by weight. Too much flour can make the bars dry and cakey. For the best texture, use 120 grams oat flour and 90 grams all-purpose flour.
Don’t overbake! Remove the bars when the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Overbaking can make them dry and less chewy.
Brown butter pumpkin blondies – melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat, swirling often, until golden and nutty, about 3 to 4 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before using.
Maple pecan pumpkin blondies – skip the white chocolate chips and use ½ cup pecans with a light brush of maple syrup on top after baking.
Chai pumpkin blondies – replace the pumpkin pie spice with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, and ½ teaspoon ground ginger.
Storing and freezing Instructions
Storage
Store cooled pumpkin blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Reheat/Warming
Warm a blondie in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. For a crisper edge, heat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes.
Freeze/thaw
Wrap each cooled blondie in plastic wrap and place the wrapped bars in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for about 1 hour.
Common Questions
The combination of oat flour and all-purpose flour creates the best balance of tenderness and structure. Using only oat flour may produce more fragile, crumbly bars, while using only all-purpose flour can change the chewiness and density. I recommend sticking with the tested flour ratio for the best results and follow my easy instructions for making oat flour at home!
Yes! Swap the white chocolate chips for semisweet or dark chocolate chips, or replace the pecans with chopped walnuts. You can also omit the nuts entirely. These variations change the flavor and texture slightly without significantly affecting how the bars bake, although may change the nutrition profile.
Yes! I made this recipe using oat flour ground from old-fashioned rolled oats. Simply blend the oats in a high-speed blender or food processor until finely ground, and then pass through a fine mesh strainer or flour sifter. For the most consistent results, weigh out 120 grams of the finished oat flour rather than measuring by volume.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Did you make this recipe?
If you gave this recipe a try, I’d love your feedback! Any tips or recipe additions you’d like to share, I’d love to hear it! Let’s connect down in the comments below.
Pumpkin Bars Recipe with Oat Flour
Equipment
- 8"x8" Baking Pan
- High speed blender or food processor if making your own oat flour at home
- Fine mesh strainer or flour sifter if making your own oat flour at home
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup Oat flour 120 g
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour 90 g
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 2.5 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Pumpkin puree blotted
- 3 tablespoon Butter
- 3 tablespoon Canola oil
- ½ cup Light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup Pure maple syrup
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- 6 tablespoon Chopped pecans
- 6 tablespoon White chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and move a rack to the middle position. Lightly spray an 8×8 inch metal baking pan with cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper that fits the bottom of the pan with 2 inches hanging over two opposite sides. Press it into the pan. The overhang works as handles later.
- Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate lined with a paper towel. Lay a second paper towel on top and press gently. Let it sit for 2 minutes to soak up extra water, then scrape the pumpkin into a small bowl and set aside.⅔ cup Pumpkin puree
- Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds until melted. Whisk in the canola oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk, vanilla, and blotted pumpkin until the mixture looks smooth and glossy, about 1 minute.3 tbsp Butter, 3 tbsp Canola oil, ½ cup Light brown sugar, ¼ cup Pure maple syrup , 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt until evenly mixed.1 cup Oat flour, ¾ cup All-purpose flour, ½ tsp Baking powder, 2.5 tsp Pumpkin pie spice , ¼ tsp Ground cinnamon, ½ tsp Salt
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until no dry flour streaks remain, about 20 strokes. Fold in the pecans and white chocolate chips.6 tbsp Chopped pecans, 6 tbsp White chocolate chips
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer, getting it into the corners. The batter should be about 1 inch deep.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, the top looks set, and a toothpick poked into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Start checking around 20 minutes.
- Cool the blondies in the pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment handles to lift them out and set them on a wire rack. Let them cool completely before slicing. Cut into 16 bars.
Leave a Comment