When it comes to fall, these delicious pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the perfect dessert. They’re so easy to make, and using simple ingredients, these bars can be a special treat all the time. Don’t let the pumpkin fool you because these dessert bars are perfect all year long.
I love pumpkin bars this time of year. Sweet treats like these cheesecake pumpkin bars are perfect for a simple dessert any night of the week. With all that pumpkin spice flavor, tender texture, and so much sweetness, they’re the perfect fall desserts!
They are also great for a special breakfast treat. You can also include them in your brunch menu. No matter when you serve them, you can be assured that they will be amazing.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Basic Ingredients: This rich, sweet, classic fall treat is made with basic baking ingredients found in any kitchen or grocery store.
- So Easy: Both the pumpkin bars and the cream cheese frosting are simple recipes that even beginners can easily make.
- Classic Flavor: Every bite of these pumpkin bars is loaded with sweet pumpkin spice and rich cream cheese frosting.
- Customizable: You can easily tweak this recipe to create different delicious variations.
- Versatile: These are a great weeknight dessert, sweet holiday or potluck treat, or a fun addition to breakfast or brunch.
- A Great Make-Ahead Option: You can freeze these bars for up to a month, making them the perfect make-ahead dessert for the holiday season.
Ingredients
I’ve included a list of all the ingredients you’ll need for this simple, delicious recipe. You can find their exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Flour
- Baking powder, baking soda
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger
- Salt
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla
- Powdered sugar
Variations
- Chocolate Chips: Add chocolate chips to the batter for a pop of chocolate flavor in every bite.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans add an earthy flavor and a nice crunch that works well in these bars.
- Cinnamon Frosting: Add a little cinnamon to the cream cheese frosting for delicious cinnamon frosting.
- Gluten-Free: Use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour to make a gluten-free version that’s indistinguishable from the original.
- Zucchini: Add grated zucchini for extra-moist bars. Be sure to squeeze out all the excess water!
- Semi-Homemade: My frosting is incredibly easy to make. However, you can use store-bought cream cheese frosting for an even quicker recipe.
How to Make Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
I’ve included a brief overview of the recipe here, but you’ll find the specific instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Beat the wet ingredients in a large bowl with a hand mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Then, mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a prepared 10×15 jelly roll pan and bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl with a hand mixer until creamy. Then, slowly mix in the powdered sugar until thick and creamy.
- Frost the cooled pumpkin bars, slice, and enjoy!
Tips
- Loosely spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife for accurate measuring.
- Mix your wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing creates dense, tough bars.
- Be sure you buy pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. They’re often sold near one another, and it can be easy to grab the wrong one.
- Your pumpkin squares should be fully cooled before frosting. Even warm squares will cause the frosting to thin and lose its rich, creamy texture.
- For the cleanest cuts, use a very sharp knife, applying as little pressure as possible.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting FAQ
Yes, you do. While the pumpkin bars themselves don’t require refrigeration, the cream cheese frosting does. You must refrigerate these bars for flavor, freshness, and food safety.
You should never leave anything frosted or made with cream cheese at room temperature for an extended period of time. Instead, remove enough bars to serve each person about an hour before serving them. This ensures your guests don’t have to eat cold pumpkin bars without compromising the freshness of the entire batch.
Yes, you can. These bars will keep well for up to a month in the freezer.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
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Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For The Pumpkin Bars
- 2 cups flour
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 4 eggs
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
For The Pumpkin Bars
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix eggs, pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil together and beat on low until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour into an ungreased 10 x 15 jelly roll pan and bake for 27-30 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Carefully remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Frost pumpkin bars after they have cooled completely and cut into desired size.
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Defrost overnight if frozen. Then, bring to room temperature before serving.
- Loosely spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife for accurate measuring.
- Mix your wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing creates dense, tough bars.
- Be sure you buy pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. They’re often sold near one another, and it can be easy to grab the wrong one.
- Your pumpkin squares should be fully cooled before frosting. Even warm squares will cause the frosting to thin and lose its rich, creamy texture.
- For the cleanest cuts, use a very sharp knife, applying as little pressure as possible.
Nutrition
Here are a few pics that are perfect to save to your favorite Pinterest boards on Pinterest. Also, you can follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Remember to “like” or “follow” us on all social media.
Can you substitute butter for the vegetable oil?
Hi Joyann, yes, you can substitute butter in this recipe. We hope you enjoy these pumpkin bars.