Treat your loved ones to pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. Infused with a cozy hint of cinnamon, the sweetness and tang of the frosting makes these the perfect snack bars for fall!
These are the BEST pumpkin bars you’ll ever taste.
What sets these apart is just a small amount of cinnamon, and definitely no pumpkin pie spice, which really lets the pumpkin flavor shine through!
The cake base is so moist and stays moist for days – if there’s any left that long.
We even like to eat these for breakfast.
The frosting has such a nice tang from the cream cheese and adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Even people who are not crazy about pumpkin pie love these bars with cream cheese frosting.
We, on the other hand, cannot get enough pumpkin desserts, such as this silky-smooth Pumpkin Flan which is like cheesecake + flan + pumpkin pie all in one!
Or my warm Pumpkin Cobbler, which tastes fantastic with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Tools You’ll Need
Besides pumpkin, there is another crucial component to this recipe.
You will need a jelly roll pan, or a 10×15 inch baking pan.
If you use something smaller (like a 13×9) you’ll just have regular cake, not bars.
These sheet pan pumpkin bars feed a crowd!
Pumpkin Bars Recipe
- Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Beat the wet ingredients.
3. Combine dry and wet ingredients well.
4. Spread in pan and bake until the cake springs back lightly when pressed or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no wet crumbs.
5. Let it cool completely before icing.
To speed up the process, you may want to stick it in the fridge after the pan is not longer hot.
6. Meanwhile, beat all the frosting ingredients until light and fluffy.
7. Slather over the bars and devour.
To store, we cover and leave out at room temperature.
If it’s particularly warm inside, you can refrigerate the bars since the frosting contains dairy.
Pumpkin Bars
The pumpkin cake base for these bars can be whipped up in a jiffy. Topped with cream cheese frosting they're always a hit at parties.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 3/4 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup salted butter
Frosting
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk or cream
- 2-3 cups of powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a jelly roll or cookie sheet (about 10 in x 15 in) with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon; set aside.
- In a large bowl beat sugar, eggs, pumpkin and butter until well combined. Stir in dry ingredients until no lumps remain, but do not overmix.
- Spread batter in prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan completely.
- While the pumpkin bars are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Next stir in vanilla, milk and 1 cup powdered sugar.
- Continue beating in powdered sugar at medium-low speed, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
- Spread frosting on completely cooled bars and enjoy.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 295Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 175mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 0gSugar: 42gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.