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Salted Caramel Pumpkin Butter Bars with Brown Sugar Crust

Salted caramel pumpkin butter bars with a buttery brown sugar crust and silky pumpkin cream cheese filling, swirled and finished with salted caramel drizzle. Baked in one 9x13 pan for easy Thanksgiving prep—set edges, slight center wobble, then chilled for clean slices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling + chilling 3 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed light brown sugar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted; 1½ sticks
For the pumpkin filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed light brown sugar
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 3 eggs large, room temperature
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt pinch
For the caramel topping
  • 0.75 cup thick caramel sauce divided; store-bought or homemade
  • 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and bake the brown sugar crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  2. Stir the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, and salt until a crumbly dough forms, then press it firmly into the pan.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden, then set aside.
Make the pumpkin cream cheese filling
  1. Beat the cream cheese with both sugars until completely smooth.
  2. Beat in the pumpkin puree, then add the eggs one at a time.
  3. Mix in the melted butter, flour, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt until silky.
Assemble, swirl, and finish with caramel
  1. Pour the filling over the warm crust and smooth the top.
  2. Drop 1/4 cup caramel in small spoonfuls across the surface and swirl gently with a knife.
  3. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has only a slight wobble.
Cool and chill for clean slicing
  1. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm.
  3. Lift the bars out using the parchment, then drizzle with the remaining 1/2 cup caramel and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  4. Slice into 16 bars using a hot knife, wiping it clean between cuts.

Notes

Pro tip: For neat slices, chill until firm and use a hot knife wiped clean between cuts—also return the pan to the fridge for a few minutes if the filling softens. Store bars covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze in an airtight container up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese (texture may be slightly softer but still sets).