On a pumpkin kick? Try my favorite Pumpkin Cake or this Pumpkin Bread next!
Pumpkin Bars
I can’t get enough of these Pumpkin Bars—they’re my go-to treat this fall. They’re so delicious and make plenty to share!
If you haven’t tried Pumpkin Bars before, think of them as a slightly denser version of pumpkin cake. The batter bakes into a big sheet cake that’s cut into bars.
These bars are incredible, especially with the creamy cinnamon-spiced frosting. Now, the real question: serve these or Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars for Thanksgiving? I think I’ll have to do both!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pie filling.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix better.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps bars moist; any mild oil works.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla gives the best flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Both light and dark brown sugar work well.
- White Sugar: Adds sweetness.
- Flour: Level off the measuring cups for an accurate amount.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Helps the bars rise; ensure they’re fresh.
- Salt: Brings out all the flavors.
- Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds warm fall flavor; adjust to your liking.
- Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg: Adds extra flavor, but can be skipped if you prefer.
Frosting
- Cream Cheese: Let it soften for smooth frosting.
- Butter: Softened butter mixes the best, but be sure it’s not at all melted.
- Powdered Sugar: If you want a super smooth frosting, sift this first.
How To Make Pumpkin Bars
- Prep the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 10×15-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugars.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Combine: Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 27-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
- Make Frosting: Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add Sugar and Spices: Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and spices, and beat until creamy.
- Frost and Serve: Spread frosting over cooled bars, cut, and serve.
Pumpkin Bar Tips
- Measure flour carefully: Spoon the flour into the cup, then level it with the back of a butter knife for accuracy.
- Whisk wet ingredients: Whisking mixes everything better than using a spoon.
- Line the pan: These bars are moist, so spray the pan and use parchment paper to stop them from sticking.
- Pumpkin pie spice: A tasty mix of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. You can buy it at the store or make your own!
Storage
Leftover Pumpkin Bars?
- Store frosted bars in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 week. They’re even better on day 2 as the flavors deepen!
- To freeze unfrosted bars, wrap each piece in plastic and place them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Thaw at room temperature for about an hour. Don’t freeze the cream cheese frosting—it can get watery.
The Pan To Use For Pumpkin Bars
- Using a 10×15-inch jelly-roll pan is key to getting the perfect texture for these bars.
- A 9×13-inch pan won’t work for this recipe. If you only have a 9×13-inch pan, I suggest trying my Pumpkin Coffee Cake instead.
- Or, for a smaller batch, try my healthy pumpkin cake recipe instead—it’s made in an 8×8-inch pan.
More Pumpkin Treats
- No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake with a graham cracker crust
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies with cinnamon frosting
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies with chocolate chips
- Pumpkin Scones with a cinnamon-maple glaze
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Ball with toffee
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Bars are moist, cake-like, perfectly spiced, and topped with a cinnamon-cream cheese frosting that makes them an irresistible treat!
Equipment
- Jelly-roll pan 10 x 15-inch
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
Pumpkin Bars
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/4 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice see note 1
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10×15-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Set out butter and cream cheese to soften.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Add wet ingredients to dry. Beat with a hand mixer until just combined. Avoid over-mixing.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 27–33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
- In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing at low speed, until combined. Add salt, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until frosting is soft and creamy.
- Once bars are fully cooled, spread frosting evenly over the top. Lift bars from the pan using the parchment overhang, slice, and serve.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: This spice blend includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. You can buy it or make your own.
Storage: Store frosted bars in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 week. To freeze unfrosted bars, wrap each piece in plastic and place them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour. Don’t freeze the cream cheese frosting—it can get watery.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 2804IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do we need to do both the pumpkin pie spies plus all the other spices that’s already in the pumpkin pies spice for the cake? Over
Yes!
As your mom I loved this recipe! It’s moist and delicious!
So glad you enjoyed these! 🙂