Have you ever heard of pumpkin spice extract? Me neither! Until I found this unique Rodelle Vanilla product. It made the absolute perfect pumpkin spice bars! Not too much of one spice – just the perfect balance of warm cinnamon, vanilla and pumpkin for an update on a somewhat classic fall treat! Topped with Rodelle vanilla bean cream cheese frosting – I dare you to eat just one! Head to my Instagram for a chance to win a jar of this pumpkin spice extract, plus other goodies as well! Perfect for kicking off your fall baking.
Thanks to my sponsor, Rodelle, for supplying the free product to help me write this post today, and for partnering with me for the Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Giveaway! This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you choose to make a purchase using my link. It’s okay – I love and use all of these products, and you will too!
I think this is my first official pumpkin recipe on the blog! Is September is too early for pumpkin desserts? I don’t’ think so! I mean, Starbucks came out with the PSL in August so…
Giveaway Time!
If you’re itching to get going on your fall baking, these pumpkin bars are the perfect place to start! Plus, did you see?! Head over to my Instagram page, because I partnered with Rodelle for the Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Giveaway – two lucky winners will receive a jar of the pumpkin spice extract that was used in this recipe plus a jar of vanilla bean paste and a jar of organic vanilla extract! The giveaway starts on Tuesday, September 14 and the winners will be announced at 11am MST on Monday, September 21st!
I love Rodelle products because they are very high quality and produce the best tasting baked goods in my opinion! Plus, they have so many unique products – like this pumpkin spice extract! It is soooo delicious.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Bars Using Pumpkin Spice Extract
This is my first time using pumpkin spice extract, and I am SOLD! I was a little unsure at first but, the final product turned out tasting better than if I would have used normal spices!
For these pumpkin spice bars, I replaced the spices called for (cloves, ginger and cinnamon) with 2 tsp. of the Rodelle pumpkin spice extract. It tasted like the most perfect fall dessert! The extract contains all of these spices plus a little bit of vanilla to give you that warm, cozy pumpkin spice flavor.
If you’re unsure of how to use this extract in your baked goods, I would suggest eliminating the spices and adding the extract first to taste test before adding anything else! For the pumpkin spice bar recipe below, I added a touch of cinnamon in addition to the extract after tasting with just the extract alone. It was delicious without, but the added cinnamon really enhances that flavor! Have fun and experiment with it because it truly tastes amazing! You could even try a bit in your morning coffee. Save the money on your Starbs and make your own PSL at home!
How to Get A Free Jar of Pumpkin Spice Extract!
If you are dying to make a batch of these pumpkin spice bars and need to get your hands on a jar of this extract ASAP, head over to my Instagram to enter the Rodelle Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Giveaway!
I hope you enjoy kicking off the beginning of the fall baking season with these yummy pumpkin spice bars!
Happy Baking!
As always, be sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram if you make my recipe or use #bucketsofyum in your photos! I love to see what you are baking.
If you are looking for another cozy fall recipe, check out my Vanilla Bean Scones with Gooey Cinnamon Filling!
Pumpkin Spice Bars with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1- 15 oz. can of pumpkin
- 2 tsp Rodelle pumpkin spice extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1- 8 oz. package of cream cheese (room temperature)
- ¼ cup butter (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp Rodelle vanilla bean paste
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a jelly roll pan (about 15"x10"x1") with cooking spray and line with a sheet of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin and pumpkin spice extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet and mix until just combined – do not overmix.
- Spread the batter into your pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
For the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the frosting ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled bars and enjoy!
Notes
- I tested this recipe at high altitude as written above and it came out perfectly! For reference, I live at 5,800 feet. This will also work great at lower elevations as well!
