Yields:
12 - 16 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs
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If you combined a spice cake, a blondie, and your favorite fall latte flavor all into one treat, it'd be these pumpkin bars. The base of the bars is moist and dense while the cream cheese frosting on top is downright dreamy. Bonus: The batter is mixed up in just one bowl which makes for easy cleanup! Bring this fall dessert to your next bake sale, make them for an easy pumpkin treat to take on the go, or serve them for a fitting ending to a Halloween dinner.
What are pumpkin bars?
These bars have a cake-like base made with canned pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, brown sugar, and other standard baking ingredients. The topping is a beautiful, fluffy, and tangy spiced cream cheese frosting that ties the bars together and makes them absolutely addictive.
Is oil or butter better for pumpkin bars?
Oil! Butter is undeniably delicious, but oil keeps these bars super moist for days and makes for an easy, stir-together batter. That means you don't have to lug out an electric mixer or think ahead for room temperature ingredients.
What is pumpkin puree?
It's essentially just mashed up pumpkin... nothing else! You can make homemade pumpkin puree, but the store-bought canned variety works just as well.
Are pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling the same thing?
No, they are not. Pumpkin pie filling has sugar and spices added to it while pumpkin puree is purely pumpkin. The two are not interchangeable, so stick with pure pumpkin puree for these bars.
What's in pumpkin pie spice?
It's made of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Try making your own homemade pumpkin pie spice if you plan to do a lot of fall baking—it's more economical than the store-bought blends. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand, there are plenty of pumpkin pie spice substitutes to try, such as apple pie spice.
What's the difference between pumpkin bars and pumpkin cake?
While totally delicious, a pumpkin cake is a little bit more fragile than these handheld bars. Cakes contain more liquid, contributing to a cakey texture. Pumpkin bars, however, have a richer, denser texture due to a smaller ratio of flour to pumpkin puree. Luckily, they are both topped with delightful cream cheese frosting and make great fall desserts!
Can you leave pumpkin bars out overnight?
No. The pumpkin bars will be okay sitting out for up to two hours, but after that, you'll want to refrigerate them due to the dairy (cream cheese) in the frosting. Don’t worry about the bars getting tough—the pumpkin and oil in the batter keep everything soft and moist at any temperature!
How long will pumpkin bars last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, these pumpkin bars will stay fresh for up to five days.
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Ingredients
Pumpkin Bars
- 1 1/2 cups
unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup
vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup
packed light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup
granulated sugar
- 2
large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp.
pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp.
baking powder
- 3/4 tsp.
baking soda
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
Baking spray with flour
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1
(8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 1 tsp.
pumpkin pie spice
- 5 cups
powdered sugar
Directions
- Step 1For the bars: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Step 2In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring until just combined.
- Step 3Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with baking spray with flour. Pour the batter into the pan; smooth with a spatula.
- Step 4Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
- Step 5For the spiced cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese over medium speed until smooth. Add the butter, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until well combined and creamy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Step 6To assemble: Spread the spiced cream cheese frosting on top of the cake. Cut into squares and serve. Keep leftovers in the fridge, as the frosting will soften.
Tip: Substitute pumpkin pie spice with fresh orange zest in the frosting for a bright, tangy topping.
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