Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars

Soft and supremely moist pumpkin cake bars topped with a delicious latte cream cheese frosting!

Is it just me, or is Starbucks releasing their Pumpkin Spice Lattes earlier and earlier each year?? At this rate, PSL’s will be available ALL year round!

Which I wouldn’t necessarily oppose…

While I’m not actually a huge fan of Starbucks or PSL’s (I’m too cheap to go out for froufrou coffee), I do wish I could enjoy pumpkin more than just 4 months out of the year. Sure, one could argue that things have gone a little overboard with the amount of pumpkin spice products introduced every year (pumpkin spice spam, anyone??), but is that really a bad thing?

I think not!

So this week, I decided to get that pumpkin spice wagon rolling with my very first pumpkin recipe of the year…Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars!!!!

These bars are every basic bitch’s dream come true.

Honestly though, you don’t even have to love PSL’s to fall madly in love with these Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m not the biggest fan of PSL’s or even coffee for that matter, but these bars have just the perfect balance of pumpkin to coffee ratio.

The bars are lusciously moist, fluffy, and packed with just the right amount of pumpkin and spices. Just 1 cup of pumpkin is all you need to achieve that comforting pumpkin flavor without making it taste squashy. Of course, a few dashes of pumpkin spice are added to round out the pumpkin, along with a little extra cinnamon.

The frosting is BEYOND heavenly. Unbelievably creamy and not overpoweringly sweet, you really can’t go wrong with cream cheese frosting. EVER. Although I was skeptical of how well the coffee flavor would blend with the tanginess of the cream cheese, my doubts were soon put to rest after I dipped my finger in for a little taste…

O. My. G. It was DIVINE.

The espresso powder gives the frosting a whole new depth of flavor and richness. To ensure that the espresso didn’t overshadow the flavor of the pumpkin, I only added a 1/2 Tablespoon (or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons) of instant espresso powder to the frosting. It’s strong enough to remind you of Starbuck’s classic PSL’s, yet subtle enough to enjoy if you’re not a big coffee lover, like myself.

Without a doubt, these Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars NEED to be added to your fall baking list. What could be more comforting than biting into a soft and perfectly-spiced pumpkin bar slathered with the silkiest, most intoxicatingly delicious latte cream cheese frosting??

NOTHING.

Absolutely NOTHING.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars

Soft and supremely moist pumpkin cake bars topped with a delicious latte cream cheese frosting!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Bars

Ingredients

  

Bars:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ¾ cup buttermilk

Frosting:

• 1 ½ teaspoon instant espresso
• 1 ½ teaspoon hot water
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup salted butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

 

Make the Bars:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt; set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together until combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Mix on high until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin puree and lemon juice.
• With mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with few crumbs attached. Allow to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

• Combine the espresso powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing. Add the espresso liquid and stir until combined.
• Spread frosting on top of the bars. Slice into squares and enjoy!