Gooey and soft browned butter pumpkin squares are easily gluten-free and delicious served warm with a scoop of ice cream.
This humble little recipe has quickly become a family favorite. It's made in just one bowl, with simple ingredients layered onto a base of nutty browned butter to create soft and buttery pumpkin squares that are kept gluten-free with whole grain oat flour.
These are a more rustic version of classic gluten free pumpkin bars and lightly inspired by my gluten free pumpkin blondies recipe, but a lovely recipe in its own right. The squares are just chewy enough, and I like to cut them large so that they resemble pieces of cake rather than brownies.
Note that these do take a bit of time to bake, and if you prefer a more gooey center, you can certainly cook them for less time. As mentioned, ice cream is a perfect finishing touch, but a drizzle of salted caramel sauce is also wonderful.
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Why I Love These Pumpkin Squares
Is it the browned butter that makes these squares so good, or is it the mix of oat and almond flours? Or maybe I love this recipe because it needs just one bowl to make. These unexpectedly irresistible squares are warm with a trio of familiar fall spices, mellow with pumpkin, and deeply rich from the butter and brown sugar. I love them so! Why?
- It's an easy recipe. I love a one-bowl recipe, and this one doesn't disappoint. Once you brown the butter, the batter comes together in about 1 minute or even less.
- Ingredients are uncomplicated. Common pantry and fridge ingredients are all that's needed here!
- You can whip this up practically at the last minute. Keep this recipe handy for when you want a quick afternoon snack option or a dessert option for a spontaneous dinner party.
Ingredients Needed
Here's a look at what goes into these pumpkin squares. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Butter - Plenty of unsalted butter is needed here to form the flavorful base of the squares.
- Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar is fine.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs - I used large eggs.
- Pumpkin - This is a nice way to use up any homemade pumpkin puree, or use a can of pure pumpkin puree.
- Oat flour - You can buy oat flour or learn how to make oat flour at home. If you don't eat oats, brown rice flour is a good substitute.
- Almond flour - I love the combo of oat and almond flours here, but if you don't eat nuts, swap an equal amount of oat flour.
- Baking powder
- Spices - A blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Salt - I use fine sea salt, and table salt is also fine.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make these gluten free pumpkin squares:
1. Brown the butter: First, brown the butter in a pot, then let it cool slightly and transfer to a big bowl.
2. Make batter: Stir in the rest of the ingredients until a smooth batter forms.
3. Rest: Pour batter into a greased and lined 9x13-inch pan, sprinkle with sugar, then rest for 15 minutes.
4. Bake: Place in a 350°F oven and bake for about 45 minutes until firm. Cool and slice.
Baking Tip: How to Brown Butter
I'd argue that it's the deeply browned butter that makes these squares so delicious! Start by cooking the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat, swirling it occasionally, until the butter starts to brown.
At this point, you'll want to pay close attention, because while those nice little browned bits add nutty flavor to bakes, you don't want the butter to burn. When the butter gives off a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat, pour it into a big bowl, and then let it cool slightly before continuing with the recipe.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- About that bake time ... I prefer a more cake-like final result, so I tend to bake these squares a bit longer. However, if you love a gooier dessert, you can cut the baking time a bit. Check around 30 minutes and keep baking until they reach your desired texture.
- Cool to set the squares. This is especially important if you underbake the squares a little bit. The squares will set as they cool, so while it's tempting to cut right into them, hold off! (This goes for gluten-free AND non-gluten-free bakes by the way.)
- Make it dairy-free. Use a non-dairy butter of your choice instead of regular butter to make this dairy-free.
- Can I swap flours? Yes, you can easily use another gluten-free flour, such as brown rice flour, sorghum flour, 1:1 gluten-free flour, or a homemade gluten free flour blend.
- Make it refined sugar-free. An easy way to make this recipe with unrefined sugar is to swap coconut sugar for the brown sugar and maple syrup for the granulated sugar.
Proper Storage
- Counter - Place the squares in an airtight container or cover them tightly with foil and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge - I prefer the squares warm or at room temperature, but you can also eat them cold from the fridge! Store the container of squares in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Place cooled squares in a freezer-safe bag with a piece of parchment paper between each one, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before eating.
More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Gluten Free Brown Butter Pumpkin Squares
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark brown sugar)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 2 cups oat flour (240 grams)
- ½ cup almond flour (60 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Brown the 1 cup unsalted butter: In a pan set over medium heat, melt the butter, swirling the pan often, until it melts and gives off a slight nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and butter and line a 9x13-inch baking pan. Add the ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, ½ cup pure pumpkin puree, 2 cups oat flour, ½ cup almond flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt to the browned butter and stir well to form a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and rest for 15 minutes. Bake the pumpkin squares for 35-45 minutes, checking for doneness around 30 minutes. The squares will be less soft the longer they bake.
- Let cool in the pan set on a rack for 20 minutes, then cut into squares.
Notes
- About that bake time ... I prefer a more cake-like final result, so I tend to bake these squares a bit longer. However, if you love a gooier dessert, you can cut the baking time a bit. Check around 30 minutes and keep baking until they reach your desired texture.
- Cool to set the squares. This is especially important if you underbake the squares a little bit. The squares will set as they cool, so while it's tempting to cut right into them, hold off! (This goes for gluten-free AND non-gluten-free bakes by the way.)
- Make it dairy-free. Use a non-dairy butter of your choice instead of regular butter to make this dairy-free.
- Can I swap flours? Yes, you can easily use another gluten-free flour, such as brown rice flour, sorghum flour, 1:1 gluten-free flour, or a homemade gluten free flour blend.
- Make it refined sugar-free. An easy way to make this recipe with unrefined sugar is to swap coconut sugar for the brown sugar and maple syrup for the granulated sugar.
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.