Dense and chewy, these spiced pumpkin and pecan bars taste even better the day after they’re baked. Wonderful to snack on, they also can make a fine dessert—just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped Georgia pecans
1/2 cup dried currants
cinnamon sugar, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Grease and flour a 9″ x 9″ baking pan. Heat oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until well blended—about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ginger, salt, and cloves. On low speed, add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture just until combined. Stir in pecans and currants. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar garnish (pictured, optional).
- Bake 35 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into 9, 3-inch squares or 16 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Recipe courtesy of the Georgia Pecan Commission. Georgia Pecans are a perfect fit in a healthy lifestyle. Besides being one of the most elegant, versatile and rich-tasting nuts, pecans provide health benefits that are hard to beat. The Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture say that eating four to five servings of nuts each week (including pecans) will bring you one step closer to staying in line with current healthy eating recommendations. More on the health benefits of Georgia pecans…