Yesterday, while making pumpkin bread with salted caramel drizzled pumpkin buttercream for my husband’s food day at work, I suddenly found myself really wanting a slice of that bread! 🙂 But, that wasn’t an option, and I didn’t want to go through waiting for another loaf of bread to bake!
My solution? Make bars using the same idea! Why not make pumpkin bars that have an entire layer of salted caramel in them, and then drizzle them with some more of that amazing salted caramel sauce?! So good!
These pictures were semi-tortuous to take. (Just look at that gooey layer of salted caramel!) I didn’t finish baking the bars until right before my husband got home, and we were going to go for a run right away.
I wanted to get the pictures in before the sun set which meant taking them right before running. I have one of those stomachs that doesn’t allow me to eat anything at least an hour before I run, so tasting these was out of the picture!
I bet you’ll never guess what I ate as soon as we got back! Have a great weekend! You can insure that it’s a great one by making a couple of pans of these bars! 😉
Yield: 9 bars
Ingredients
- 1 C white whole wheat flour
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1 egg
- 3/4 C brown sugar
- 1/2 C granulated sugar substitute or sugar
- 1/2 C 0% plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 C canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- **For the Salted Caramel
- 6 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp non-fat half & half
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together egg, brown sugar, and sugar substitute. Add in yogurt, butter, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Slowly add in dry ingredients and beat until combined.
- Add in pumpkin and beat until combined.
- Spread about half of the batter into the bottom of a prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar and half & half. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil. Stirring constantly, allow sugar mixture to boil until sugar has dissolved and mixture has turned dark brown. This will take about 3 minutes. Stir in butter and salt. Remove from heat and continue stirring for another two minutes to cool the mixture.
- Drizzle about 1/4 C of the salted caramel mixture over the top of the pumpkin bars and spread with a spoon. Spread remaining pumpkin batter over the top. Drizzle remaining two tablespoons of salted caramel mixture over top.
- Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes over clean.
- Allow bars to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into slices.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container.
**If you want extra to drizzle more salted caramel over bars when serving, halve the ingredients for the salted caramel and make right before serving.
This recipe is linked with Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Farm Girl Blog Fest, I’m Lovin’ It Fridays, Iron Chef Mom, Lil Luna Link Party, Mop It Up Mondays, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweet Treats and Swanky Stuff, Trick of Treat Tuesday, Weekend Potluck, Your Great Idea.
The Country Cook says
These looks absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for sharing over on Weekend Potluck. We love having you there. I shared these on facebook too. Hope you have a great weekend! ~Brandie
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks so much for sharing on your Facebook page!
Abby says
I like the way you think! These look fantastic, have a great weekend!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks Abby!
Kelli @ The Corner Kitchen says
Wow! These look absolutely amazing!
Bet it was good motivation on your run, knowing these were at home waiting for you 🙂
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Oh, it definitely helped me pick up the pace! 😉
Cassie says
I know the pain – rushing around to get photographs at just the right time, before the sun goes down, while the food looks edible. Oh, food blogging! They do look incredible, though!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Especially with the sun setting earlier and earlier! 🙂
Pamela says
Love these! They are going on my list of Fall desserts to make!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks, Pamela! I hope you like them!
Lisa/Fresh Eggs Daily Farm Girl says
I found you at the Weekend Potluck. New fan here! These look amazing. I hope you will share at my Blog Fest: http://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/2012/10/farm-girl-blog-fest-4.html
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks for stopping by!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
I just recently made pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting but your salted caramel topping is so much better! I definitely need to make these ASAP!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Oh, you will love these! 🙂
Medeja says
That caramel makes it look sooo good and so tempting!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Yes, it is quite addicting!
OishiiTreats says
Looks delish as always. I’ve been pretty addicted to carmel lately and these carmel pumpkin bars sound to good to be true 🙂
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks, Neshanne!
Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen says
Oh my, these pumpkin bars look heavenly! I know what you mean about torture when taking photos of something soo yummy you just made, but you have to wait til the shoot is over!! Ahhh.
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Sometimes you just want to dig in! 🙂
Heather @French Press says
I love this idea! looks delicious
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thank you, Heather!
Karyn - Pint Sized Baker says
Yum!! Can I have a slice as well? You know… for quality control measures.
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Definitely!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
Oh gosh. These look amazing!I still haven’t tried pumpkin with caramel because I can’t get over my white chocolate obsession. Maybe I could combine them. 🙂
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Oh, that would be amazing!!
Lisa {Sweet 2 Eat Baking} says
Those photos certainly are tortuous, I’m salivating like you wouldn’t believe!! And what a great idea to turn them into bars and add a layer of salted caramel.
I bet they’re epic amazing!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Yes, I was quite excited to dig in after our run!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
This look dangerously addicting! I LOVE it!!!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thank you so much, Anna!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I love this! Salted Caramel + pumpkin = awesome!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks, Dorothy! This combination will definitely be showing up again!
Mariel says
Those sound amazing!! I had to pin it. I would love to have you stop by ‘Or so she says…’ today and share some of your great ideas with my readers! The ‘Your Great Idea’ link party runs every Sat through Tuesday. Hope to see you there! http://www.oneshetwoshe.com
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks for stopping by! I’ll have to check it out!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl says
Wow! These sounds simply amazing! I love anything pumpkin, but with salted caramel?? Perfect combo!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks, Ashley! There will definitely be more pumpkin and salted caramel in our house!
Rhonda says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. It looks so delicious and I love Pumkpin!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thank you, Rhonda! I hope you like them!
AutismUnited says
A nice seasonal bar idea. And I bet that salted caramel drizzle is awesome. Thanks, have to go and check for some pumpkin.
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thank you!
Emily @ Life on Food says
This just shows how much will power you have…I am really good myself except when things are right out of the oven. These would have been a goner.
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
If it weren’t for the fact that I knew I would have a major stomachache if I had some, they would have been gone!
Elizabeth @Food Ramblings says
YUM! Can’t wait to make these!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks, Elizabeth!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
How in the world did I miss these?! Pumpkin bars with homemade salted caramel? Incredible.
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Thanks, Hayley! They disappeared in a hurry!
Bree says
yum! I love the salty sweet combo here!
Kristy says
Ok, these look amazing!!
Shelley says
Jessica, your blog is so pretty! I am just in awe over this font!! I would love for you to link up these bars on my Halloween Edition Link Party! They look sooo good!!!! I hope you are well!!!
tanya says
Good choice to skip the made and make these! Oh my gosh they look so good!!! That salted caramel is to die for!
michelle says
salted carmel and pumpkin? WIN!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Oh my goodness, that salted caramel is calling my name! Gorgeous bars!
Tiffany/MyCrowdedKitchen says
Jessica, I couldn’t be trusted with these. Holy moly! I just pinned these babies!
Joann M says
There are no words to describe these – can’t wait to try them. Can you use regular half and half to make the salted caramel? I won’t use nonfat for anything else.
PS – I love that when I’m typing my comment, in the box it’s in cursive! Would be cool if it posted that way too!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Yes, regular half & half should work just fine! I hope you like them!
Ami Allison says
Ya know I came here to say something about this, but I can’t stop drooling! OH MY GOSH! I need one of these like right NOW! 🙂
Tricia says
Question for any of you out there. I have recently put my daughter on a gluten free diet. I know she would love these. Anyone out there have a good substitution for the flours? What kind would you use and how much? Thanks!
bj says
Holy Cow…these look sooo good. Thanks so much.
bj
Chelsea @ Making Home Base says
These look incredible!
Cheri says
These look absolutely amazing! I Just had to post a link to your site!!
Holli Duggan says
These look so yummy! Can you substitute fresh pumpkin for canned?
Marie says
Two of my favorite things!! YUM
Ami Allison says
I had to stop back by and drool some more!!!
Nichole@DulceDelicious says
*drools* This looks absolutely delicious! I’m lovin the salted caramel!!
Susan @ The Royal Cook says
Those look SO good! It took me a while, but I am loving salted caramel anything!
Joann says
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