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Caramel Pumpkin Butter Bars

Caramel pumpkin butter bars with a buttery shortbread base and a thick pumpkin-caramel filling. Baked until set, then finished with flaky sea salt for a golden, cross-section caramel layer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 355
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread base and crumble
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
Pumpkin caramel filling
  • 0.75 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.75 cup caramel sauce (thick, store-bought or homemade)
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
Topping
  • 1 flaky sea salt for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and bake the crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper for easy lift-out.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt, then cut in cold butter until the dough comes together.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of the dough for the crumble topping, then press the remaining dough firmly into the pan.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust turns pale golden (visual cue: light golden edges).
Fill and finish
  1. Whisk pumpkin puree, caramel sauce, heavy cream, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and eggs until smooth and glossy.
  2. Pour the filling over the hot crust, then crumble the reserved dough evenly on top.
  3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes more, until the filling is set (visual cue: center looks set, not sloshy).
  4. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the bars while warm for a crisp, sparkly top.
  5. Cool completely before cutting so the filling sets into clean bar slices.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the bars fully before slicing—warm bars will be softer and can smear. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freezing is yes: wrap individual bars and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use a half-fat caramel sauce and replace half the heavy cream with evaporated milk for a thinner filling.