Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting
These pumpkin bars are the ultimate fall treat! They’re moist, warmly spiced, and topped with an indulgent cream cheese frosting. Even if the leaves aren’t quite changing colors just yet, the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin instantly makes it feel like fall. Tis’ the season for all the cozy treats! 🎃 🍂
Jump to Recipe
These pumpkin bars are so incredibly moist and soft on the inside, kind of like pumpkin bread. And then, you have a rich and luscious cream cheese frosting that gets slathered on top. If you need a sweet, pumpkin-spiced treat, these have you back.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Bars
- Soft and Moist: Thanks to the pumpkin puree and melted butter, the texture of these bars is tender and moist.
- Perfectly Spiced: A cozy blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger makes every bite taste like autumn.
- Easy to Make: Simple ingredients, one bowl for dry and one for wet — it’s a straightforward recipe, even an amateur baker like me can achieve this one.
- Cream Cheese Frosting Heaven: Tangy, sweet, and silky smooth. So good you’ll want to lick it off the spoon.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Want a little crunch? Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter or sprinkle on top of the frosting.
- Make it a layer cake: This batter also works beautifully as a sheet cake for special occasions.
- Spice it up: Feel free to add cloves or cardamom if you’re into deeper end of the spice profiles.
- Make it even prettier: Decorate with edible flowers that have warm yellows and orange hues. Or a simple dusting of cinnamon should do the trick.
Storing Your Pumpkin Bars
Keep them in an airtight container (in a single layer) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to bring them back to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the unfrosted bars for up to 2 months — just add fresh frosting after thawing.
Here are a few of my favorite desserts:!
Caramel Filled Snickerdoodle Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars (Brookies)
If you make this Pumpkin Bars be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I’d love to hear from you, or better yet, see what you’re cooking! Tag me, @fettysfoodblog with your creation.
Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Bars
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup butter, unsalted (2 sticks)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons butter, unsalted, room temperature
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish or jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Melt butter in the microwave in a microwave safe dish or stove top in a saucepan. Set aside and let cool 10 minutes.
- In another bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Add in cooled melted butter and whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into prepared jelly roll pan or baking dish and smooth the top into an even layer across the baking dish. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Using a baking dish as opposed to a jelly roll pan may require a few more minutes for baking, just keep in mind. Let cool on wire rack before adding frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread frosting over the top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve.
