Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
These easy Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are soft, moist, and packed with warm pumpkin spice flavor for the ultimate shareable fall dessert to share with friends and family.
Once fall and the holidays hit, it’s time for pumpkin everything, and there’s something irresistible about soft, moist pumpkin bars topped with a thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting. These easy-to-make Pumpkin Bars are one of our favorite autumn desserts, especially when i need something simple for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving gatherings, or bake sales.
Packed with warm pumpkin spice flavor and finished with rich, cream cheese frosting, these bars are perfectly soft, fluffy, and full of cozy fall flavor. These Pumpkin Bars are easy to make in one pan and even easier to slice and serve to a group — no individual cupcakes or extra fuss required. These bars are a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert you’re guaranteed to make all season long.
If you like this pumpkin sweet treat, be sure to try some of our other favorite seasonal desserts. We love these Pumpkin Blondies and this easy No Bake Pumpkin Pie is always a hit.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Delicious spiced-pumpkin sheet-pan dessert. Get all of the warm pumpkin spice flavor you crave during the fall in this super simple, tender dessert that comes together on one sheet pan.
- Easy to slice into neat squares for parties. Easily cut individual servings from pan to entertain with.
- Can be baked ahead. This is a great bake-ahead dessert that can be done in advance. Bake it, let it cool, then frost it right before serving.
- Great way to serve pumpkin to a crowd. Canned pumpkin puree is a staple during the fall and holiday season, and these sweet bars are the perfect crowd-pleasing way to use it.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bar:
- Pumpkin Puree: Smooth and rich, we love keeping a few cans on hand during the fall and holiday season. Always buy 100% pure pumpkin puree.
- Vegetable Oil: Any neutral oil works, for moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: For sweetness.
- Brown Sugar: Adds an extra depth of sweetness with caramelized notes.
- Eggs: Use size Large, to act as a binder.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances all of the ingredients and adds a depth of flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the bars, use your preferred brand.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: To help the bars rise.
- Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice: Warm spices for that festive, seasonal flavor we love.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream Cheese: Smooth, rich, and tangy. This is the perfect frosting base to balance the sweetness from the bars.
- Butter: Use unsalted.
- Powdered Sugar: For the right amount of sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: To round out the flavor of the frosting.
- Salt: Just a pinch, for balance.
How To Make Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Prepare the baking pan and preheat the oven according to the tested recipe.
2. Whisk dry ingredients and spices together.
3. Mix pumpkin with the wet ingredients, then fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Spread batter evenly and bake until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
5. Cool completely before frosting and slicing.
Expert Tips
- Measure flour carefully. When baking, it’s important to measure each ingredient. If you add too little or too much, your bars might not turn out. Be sure to use the exact flour amont to avoid dense bars.
- Do not overmix. After you’ve added the flour, don’t over-mix — simply stir until just combined. This will give you fluffy, tender bars.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. if the tested method calls for them.
- Cool completely before adding frosting. Once the bars have baked, allow them to fully cool before frosting the, otherwise the cream cheese icing will just melt off.
- Chill briefly before slicing. Once the bars have cooled and been frosted, let them chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes for clean edges and the nicest slices.
Variations & Substitutions
- Add nuts for texture. Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts, or sprinkle them over the icing, for extra crunch.
- Top with a dusting of cinnamon. Try this instead of frosting, for a less sweet bar and extra spiced flavor.
- Try maple flavor. Add a few tablespoons of maple syrup to the frosting to give it a different flavor profile.
- Make mini bars. Make small, individual portions to serve on a dessert platter.
Storage
Store leftover bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Leftover bars freeze well, too. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before serving again.
These bars are great to make ahead of time. Prep and bake them up to a few days in advance, cool, then store in the fridge until you’re ready to frost them and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pumpkin puree, oil and eggs all keep these bars tender and moist.
Allow the bars to cool, then let them chill in the fridge for 10 minutes to set up. This will give you nice, clean cuts.
Of course. You can omit the frosting all together and simply add a dusting of powdered sugar or cinnamon if you prefer.
More Fall Dessert Recipes
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bars to cool completely.
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and salt and continue beating until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled pumpkin bars.
- Slice into 24 bars and serve.
Notes
- Store leftover bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the freezer for up 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before serving again.
- These bars are great to make ahead of time. Prep and bake them up to a few days in advance, cool, then store in the fridge until you’re ready to frost them and serve.
