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Caramel Pumpkin Butter Bars

Caramel pumpkin butter bars with a crisp shortbread base, creamy spiced pumpkin layer, and a glossy salted caramel ribbon. Bake until the center jiggles slightly, then chill for clean sliceable bars.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 6 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 31 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread Base
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened Softened to room temperature.
  • 0.33 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
Pumpkin Butter Layer
  • 1.25 cup canned pumpkin purée
  • 0.5 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 0.33 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Topping
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.33 cup heavy cream, warmed
  • 0.75 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Shortbread base
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides for lifting bars out later.
  2. Beat the softened butter and packed light brown sugar for 2 minutes until light.
  3. Mix in the vanilla, flour, and fine salt just until a crumbly dough forms.
  4. Press the dough firmly and evenly into the pan, then bake 18–20 minutes until edges are golden and the center looks dry.
  5. Leave the oven on for the next bake.
Pumpkin butter layer
  1. Whisk the canned pumpkin purée, packed light brown sugar, heavy cream, eggs, melted unsalted butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, fine salt, and vanilla until completely smooth.
  2. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the hot shortbread base and smooth the top.
  3. Bake 28–32 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles only slightly when you nudge the pan.
  4. Cool completely, about 1½ hours.
Salted caramel topping
  1. Melt the granulated sugar in a dry saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan but not stirring, until deep amber, 6–8 minutes.
  2. Add the unsalted butter and whisk until melted, then slowly pour in the warmed heavy cream while it bubbles up hard, whisking until smooth.
  3. Cool the caramel for 10 minutes.
  4. Pour the caramel over the cooled pumpkin layer, tilting the pan to spread to the edges, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Chill and slice
  1. Chill at least 2 hours until the caramel is set.
  2. Lift the bars out using the parchment and cut into 16 bars with a warm knife, wiping the blade between cuts.

Notes

Pro tip: for the cleanest slices, cut only after the bars are fully chilled and keep the knife warm (wipe between cuts to prevent drag). Refrigerate airtight up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge, then serve slightly warm for looser caramel). For a dairy-lite option, use coconut cream in the pumpkin layer and caramel, and vegan butter sticks for the shortbread and caramel.